A set of strict regulations prohibits the faithful from making a song in the church for fear that the COVID-19 virus will spread more smoothly in this way, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welles reported. The congregation will have to wear a mask and be bound by the rules of social estrangement, which have banned the classic handshake that is a component of Catholic ceremonies.
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Cologne Cathedral, Germany’s largest church and the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, celebrated its first rite on Sunday for those who paint in the church.
The rite was limited to only 122 people, a restriction that will be maintained when public facilities begin on Wednesday. Those wishing to attend must register through an online page, according to the German press’s online page Koeln. The cathedral receives 20,000 visitors every day.
Last week, Germany relaxed some hygiene and social estrangement restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, agreeing to reopen children’s playgrounds, churches and cultural establishments such as museums and zoos. The government has postponed a resolution on when regulations for restaurants, hotels and kindergartens will apply.
“So we’ve done it,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters Thursday after an assembly with the governors of Germany’s 16 states. “We’ve all completed a lot in combination over the last few weeks.”
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Germany, a country of 83 million inhabitants, recorded 164967 cases of COVID-19 and 6,812 deaths on Sunday. This represents about a quarter of the number of virus-related deaths reported in Britain and France, the 3 countries have a similar number of cases shown.
Last week, Germany recorded between 1,000 and 1,500 new ones by day, up from 2,000 last week.
While the country’s good fortune in crushing the infection curve has led to calls at the end of its blockade, Merkel has called for a slow approach.
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“Caution as well as compliance with hygiene measures are required,” he said, adding that a resolution on the reopening of hotels and restaurants and the relaxation of regulations for schools, day care and sports services is expected on May 6.
The Associated Press contributed to the report.