Team Herald
PANJIM: After many places of worship expressed their reluctance to reopen from Monday, the Archdiocese of Goa and the Association of Jamats announced that churches and mosques have deferred reopening in the wake of an increase in COVID-19 cases. A number of temple committees too have decided not to open on Monday
Stating churches will not open on Monday, a statement from the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media (DCSCM), said a date will be announced later.
“We would like to inform our priests and faithful that we are critically assessing the novel coronavirus-related fluid situation that has come upon our State and that, therefore, we are not in a position to declare our places of worship open from tomorrow, 8th of June,” the statement said.
It added, “When we eventually decide to open up, with prudence, vigilance and careful discernment, it will be in consonance with the State government’s SOPs, which we expect to receive by then.”
A number of temple committees have also announced that they will be postponing the opening of the temples. A decision on opening Mahalaxmi temple in Panjim and some others will be taken on Sunday after a meeting.
The Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats also issued an advisory informing of a delay in re-opening of Masjids till June 30. “In Goa since June 1, 2020, COVID-19 positive cases have been on a rise. We have touched almost 196 positive cases in the past one week and it’s an alarming spike in positive cases,” the advisory to all masjid committees and its community members states.
As such, the executive committee of the Association decided to delay the re-opening of all masjids in the State till June 30 “for the safety of our community and society”.
The advisory further states, “We are issuing this advisory and request committee members/heads of jamats of masjids across the State of Goa to implement our advisory which is issued keeping in mind the rapid spread of COVID-19 positive cases in our State and halt it from becoming a community transmission.”
The Centre has already issued SOPs for re-opening of religious places from June 8.
