Services of worship not impacted by new Covid-19 restrictions

Friday September 11th 2020

Extended Covid-19 restrictions announced by the Northern Ireland Executive will impact large parts of Connor Diocese, including Belfast, Ballymena, Lisburn and Crumlin.

But the additional restrictions, aimed at limiting the spread of the virus between households, will not impact church services.

St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, which lies in the Belfast City Council postcode area, is preparing for the Service of Ordination of Deacons for Connor Diocese this Sunday.

The Dean of Belfast, the Very Rev Stephen Forde, said: “As far as church services are concerned, they will be going ahead across the diocese and churches are being very careful to observe all the social distancing protocols.

“As the Archbishop of Canterbury has pointed out, worship is not a social gathering, but it is the work of God’s people.”

He said that in relation of Sunday’s ordination service, all social distancing regulations will be in place to allow the Cathedral to welcome the limited number of guests invited.

“It is by no means business as usual, but we are still able to allow this very important event in the lives of those people who are to be ordained deacons to go ahead,” he said.

Dean Forde said that to ensure social distancing, St Anne’s can only accommodate 25 per cent of its usual capacity.

Details of additional Covid-19 restrictions and the areas impacted can be found HERE.

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