B.C. health officials allow limited indoor worship services just in time for Holy Week

NOTE: As of March 29 indoor services have been suspended again. Read our latest update on Easter 2021 services here.

A small number of Catholics in B.C. will be able to celebrate Easter in-person, indoors, this year.

B.C.’s health officer Bonnie Henry introduced a one-time variance on health restrictions March 25 to allow limited indoor gatherings for some religious holidays between March 28 and May 13.

“This represents a first step in the gradual reopening of indoor faith and spiritual group gatherings in British Columbia,” said Henry.

Places of worship have been told to choose four days within that time period to hold indoor religious services limited to 10 per cent of capacity, or a maximum of 50 people per event (including pastors, readers, musicians, and volunteers).

All participants must pre-register for contact tracing, pass a health check, and wear a mask. Worship leaders and readers must wear face coverings unless they are reading or singing, as long as there is a physical barrier or 3 metres between them and the rest of the congregation. There can be one soloist, but no choir.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, announced Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter (including the vigil) and Divine Mercy Sunday will be the four days celebrated in-person in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

“This is good news! Catholics in the Archdiocese of Vancouver are very happy to be able to celebrate the services of the Sacred Triduum, even if the numbers of parishioners is small,” he said immediately after the announcement.

“As we have done previously, our parishes will certainly take all the required precautions to ensure the health and safety of their parishioners. I am grateful to Dr. Henry for her consultations with faith leaders in the past weeks, and I share her sentiments of hope that this variance is a first step towards returning to attendance at Mass.”

The variance does not apply to weddings, baptisms, or funerals.

This announcement came two days after health officials announced a variance allowing for outdoor worship services with people in 50 vehicles and another 50 people March 23. Previous restrictions limited outdoor religious services to 50 cars.

“We ask that people who take part in these outdoor and indoor gatherings cooperate with their leaders and understand that this is a way to meet our needs for connection and community,” said Henry.

“We are hopeful that this one-time indoor variance can be extended after the trial period.”