Bas De Wilde

New rules on religious services

From today up to 15 people will be allowed to attend religious services in churches, mosques, synagogues and temples. The new rules that appear in a ministerial decree published in the State Journal on Friday include standard religious services such as the celebration of Mass, Friday prayers at mosques and Shabbat services at synagogues. 

Under the rules designed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus that came into force at the start of last month only individual prayer and the attendance of marriage and funeral ceremonies were permitted with severe restrictions on the number of people able to attend.

As well as a limit of 15 being placed on the number of people allowed to attend religious ceremonies strict hygiene rules will be in force. Social distancing must be upheld throughout.

A number of Jewish association and individual members of the Jewish community had lodged a complaint against the ban on religious services with the Council of State. The Council of State ruled that the ban was in breach of the constitutional right to freedom of religion. 

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