Following COVID-19 precautionary measures, churches in the city will complete New Year's Eve mass celebrations before 9 pm on December 31 by maintaining social distance and safety measures. Masses will be held online. People who want to attend offline will be allowed on a pre-registration basis.
As per the state government curfew rules, churches said they will wrap New Year's Eve mass services before 10 pm. Fr Frazer Mascarenhas, parish priest of St Peter's Church, Bandra (West) said, "We will finish New Year Eve mass services before 9 pm so that we follow the curfew timings. Also, people can attend mass online and offline on registration basis."
In the letter to the churches of Mumbai, Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, has asked them to follow all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safety measures against COVID-19 during New Year's eve mass services.
Wearing of masks, thermal checks and maintaining social distance will be strictly followed, said Fr Lawrie Ferrao, parish priest of St Anne's Church, Mazgaon. Fr Ferrao said, "We will maintain COVID-19 precautionary and safety measures."
New Year's Eve mass services are generally celebrated in churches post 9 pm and 10 pm every year. But this year, the mass services will be celebrated by 7 pm or 8 pm before 9 pm.
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