Parishes in the Archdiocese of Manila have been prohibited from organizing Christmas carolings this year amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Archdiocese of Manila apostolic administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo gave the directive during a meeting with priests earlier this month.
"We have already instructed our parishes not to organize carolings," he said in an interview Wednesday.
"There is no letter. I just told them in our Zoom meeting," added Pabillo.
Father Jerome Secillano of the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Parish said the prelate issued the directive to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
"It's because according to experts virus can easily be transmitted through singing. The group or choir practices also pose a risk," he said.
Some parishes usually hold Christmas carolling activities by going house to house as a form of fund raising.
Last week, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año pushed for online Christmas carolling to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"If there will be carolling maybe it should only be online. But personal and face to face carolling as of now is not advisable since we have not yet flattened the curve,’’ he was quoted in an interview.