ILOILO CITY — The Catholic Church here has temporarily halted public masses as active cases of COVID-19 have reached almost 1,800.
The Archdiocese of Jaro, which oversees the Catholic Church in this city and the province of Iloilo, said Masses here are temporarily suspended from June 3 to June 15.
The Archdiocese of Jaro under the leadership of Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo heeded the request of Mayor Jerry Treñas here who has been appealing to stop major gatherings as hospitals in this city no longer have beds to cater COVID-19 patients.
With the temporary halting of public masses, the archdiocese issued guidelines.
“The Archbishop dispenses the faithful from their Sunday obligation to participate in the Holy Eucharist but they are still encouraged to make the day holy by praying together as a family and by doing acts of charity,” it said in an advisory.
Treñas urged other religious groups to temporarily halt their gatherings.