By Richard Kayenda
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) has urged all catholic faithfuls in the country to resume their prayer services, while observing all the preventive measures which were initiated by the Ministry of Health to stop the spread of Coronvirus.
According to a statement which the Catholic Bishops issued on Friday, May 8, 2020 the Church has arrived at the decision after tapping wisdom from medical experts on the Covid-19 prevention.
“We the Catholic Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) would like to inform you that we held an Extra-Ordinary Meeting from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 May, 2020 at Montfort Lake House in the Diocese of Mangochi.
“Among others, we listened to various people, including medical experts on Covid-19. Having reflected, prayed and deliberated over these matters, we have resolved that all church gatherings and communal liturgical celebrations should resume in churches and small Christian communities,” reads the statement partly.
The statement has further indicated that during such gatherings, the Presidential Decree made on 20 March this year, which restricts congregants not to be mother 100 people while strictly observing social distance, will be adhered to.
The Bishops have also stressed that during the prayer sessions the Catholics will have to abide by the guidelines that were issued by the Ministry of Health and the ECM on the prevention of Covid-19, among others.
Since the declaration of national State of Disaster in the country by the State President Peter Mutharika, on March 20 this year, some churches stopped to congregate in a bid to help fight further spread of Covid-19, a disease which had attacked 43 people and killed three in Malawi.
As of May 8, 2020 Malawi had 43 cases of Covid-19 with three dates