Places of worship open even in the red zone
Places of worship may remain open in the red zone. Churches, synagogues and mosques will be able to accommodate a maximum of 25 people at a time and will have to keep a register of participants, the premier of Quebec said on Monday. (Pixabay)
Journalist
François Gloutnay
François Gloutnay
From Thursday, in regions on maximum alert (red zone), all performance halls, museums, cinemas and libraries will be closed to the public for 28 days. This will also be the case for bars, dining rooms, restaurants and casinos, the premier of Quebec has just announced.
However, places of worship may remain open in the red zone. Churches, synagogues and mosques will be able to accommodate a maximum of 25 people at a time and will have to keep a register of participants, said François Legault at a press conference on Monday, September 28, 2020.
After making the announcement, the Prime Minister added that the government had agreed "with different religious groups so that, in areas that are not red," we apply the same measures as theaters, ie 250 people. maximum ”, a demand repeatedly repeated by the members of the Inter-religious Table, a grouping of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders.
"This is news that comforts us," said Bishop Pierre Murray, the secretary general of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec (AECQ) and the coordinator of the Inter-religious Table, a group created at the start of the pandemic.
However, he prefers to be careful. "I'm waiting to see the official document," he said just after François Legault's press briefing.
"I don't want to question the Prime Minister's word, but history has shown us that there is sometimes a gap between an announcement during a press briefing and what we see on a document or even a decree. ”
A week ago, on Sunday September 20, watching the press briefing by Minister Christian Dubé, Bishop Murray and his colleagues from other religions or churches were amazed to learn that places of worship could no longer accommodate more than 50 people.
No public health or government representative had previously informed religious leaders of this new measure. The Minister of Health and Social Services announced at the same time that performance halls and concerts could continue to accommodate 250 people.
Bishop Murray said he was surprised to learn that an agreement between the government and religious groups has taken place in recent hours to increase to 250 the number of faithful who will be able to enter a place of worship located in the green, yellow zone. or orange. "It is not with us" that this agreement was signed, he says, recalling that on Friday, Dr. Arruda canceled, the same morning, the meeting he was to have with members of the Interreligious Table. .
"We must have a meeting tomorrow in the day with Dr Arruda", said the secretary general of the AECQ. "We will issue a press release as soon as we have access to the decree or ministerial order."
"Three regions go red Thursday," the Prime Minister announced Monday. These are Greater Montreal, part of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches. Some five million people live in these regions.
The majority of mosques and synagogues in Quebec are located in cities located in the red zone.
Churches of various Christian denominations are present throughout Quebec.
However, places of worship may remain open in the red zone. Churches, synagogues and mosques will be able to accommodate a maximum of 25 people at a time and will have to keep a register of participants, said François Legault at a press conference on Monday, September 28, 2020.
After making the announcement, the Prime Minister added that the government had agreed "with different religious groups so that, in areas that are not red," we apply the same measures as theaters, ie 250 people. maximum ”, a demand repeatedly repeated by the members of the Inter-religious Table, a grouping of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders.
"This is news that comforts us," said Bishop Pierre Murray, the secretary general of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec (AECQ) and the coordinator of the Inter-religious Table, a group created at the start of the pandemic.
However, he prefers to be careful. "I'm waiting to see the official document," he said just after François Legault's press briefing.
"I don't want to question the Prime Minister's word, but history has shown us that there is sometimes a gap between an announcement during a press briefing and what we see on a document or even a decree. ”
A week ago, on Sunday September 20, watching the press briefing by Minister Christian Dubé, Bishop Murray and his colleagues from other religions or churches were amazed to learn that places of worship could no longer accommodate more than 50 people.
No public health or government representative had previously informed religious leaders of this new measure. The Minister of Health and Social Services announced at the same time that performance halls and concerts could continue to accommodate 250 people.
Bishop Murray said he was surprised to learn that an agreement between the government and religious groups has taken place in recent hours to increase to 250 the number of faithful who will be able to enter a place of worship located in the green, yellow zone. or orange. "It is not with us" that this agreement was signed, he says, recalling that on Friday, Dr. Arruda canceled, the same morning, the meeting he was to have with members of the Interreligious Table. .
"We must have a meeting tomorrow in the day with Dr Arruda", said the secretary general of the AECQ. "We will issue a press release as soon as we have access to the decree or ministerial order."
"Three regions go red Thursday," the Prime Minister announced Monday. These are Greater Montreal, part of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches. Some five million people live in these regions.
The majority of mosques and synagogues in Quebec are located in cities located in the red zone.
Churches of various Christian denominations are present throughout Quebec.