QUEBEC CITY (CNS): Churches and all places of worship are once again closing in the province of Quebec, Canada, in an effort to stop a second wave of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. It is part of a new series of containment measures implemented by the provincial government—including a curfew from 8.00pm to 5.00am—announced by premier, Francois Legault, on January 6.
Places of worship are to be closed from January 9 to February 8. Only funerals will be authorised, but limited to 10 people.
“It’s urgent to reduce contacts between Quebecers,” Legault said, asking citizens to leave their homes only when absolutely necessary. “We are in a race against time and, right now, the virus is going faster than us.
He said, “We need to strike a blow if we want to save lives and if we want to continue to be able to heal our world.”
During his news conference, Legault mentioned some “problems” with places of worship but did not go into details, simply saying they’ll also be closed—along with many other public places, including nonessential stores—for at least a month.
A group linking religious leaders of the major religious groups in Quebec to better communicate with the government had no comment on the new restrictions.
Places of worship were previously closed from March to June 2020, but were to reopen in the summer with a limit of 250 people.
When the second wave started at the end of summer, many regions of Quebec turned red, according to the government’s colour-coded system evaluating the gravity the pandemic, thus prompting authorities to limit churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship to a maximum of 25 people, regardless of the size of the venue.
During the spring and summer, religious leaders—including Gerald Cardinal Lacroix of Quebec—criticised the government for its treatment of places of worship, claiming that they had been treated unfavourably compared to other sectors of activity.
Hassan Guillet, a member of the Council of Quebec Imams, said that although he understood the government decision, “I am still saddened by this announcement.”
He added, “In this health crisis, the priority for both politicians and spiritual leaders is the protection of human life and public health. So I understand the objective very well and I support the government’s decision.”
Still, he would like the government to recognise that “places of worship are part of the solution.”
Guillet noted, “There’s a lot of focus on physical health, and that’s normal. But there is also mental health. When people face difficulties, they look to a person or a place for comfort. I find that it’s in our places of worship that they find the serenity they need to get through a difficult time.”
