Quiapo Church welcomes more devotees
MANILA, Philippines — The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila yesterday allowed more devotees in the church after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) downgraded Metro Manila to Alert Level 2 as the number of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis continues to improve.
Alert Level 2 means the number of devotees allowed within the church was raised to 70 percent of capacity.
“More (devotees) can enter now… Four persons per pew instead of just three,” parochial vicar Fr. Douglas Badong said in Filipino.
However, he clarified that only fully vaccinated persons, who must present their vaccination cards, are allowed to enter the church and attend mass while unvaccinated individuals may attend mass outside the church.
Unvaccinated persons may enter the church when there is no mass, and only for short periods of time, Badong said.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines spokesman Fr. Jerome Secillano said the IATF’s newest guideline is an opportunity for Catholics to finally go out and hear mass in church.
The Catholic Church was compelled to hold masses online as the government prohibited mass gatherings to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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