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Just four days after releasing a plan that would see limited indoor religious gatherings just in time for Easter, health officials have backpedalled on that plan.

B.C. health officer Bonnie Henry said the decision is due to an increase in daily COVID-19 positive case counts that indoor worship (as well as indoor group fitness activities and indoor restaurant dining) are now against public health orders.

The previously announced order variance for limited indoor worship services “that we have worked very carefully with our faith leaders across the province will now also need to be suspended,” Henry said at a press conference.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce this. This is something that we have worked carefully with the faith leaders of all faiths, and it is something that I know was important for people.”

Henry said the decision was made due to a “a dramatic increase” in positive tests “in the last five or six days.”

She said she had been hopeful last week that indoor services could go ahead as planned in consultation with religious leaders, but this week decided they could not.

“It really is a race in time between being able to keep cases low enough and our vaccine protecting more and more people but it takes time.”

Outdoor worship services, which Henry allowed through an order variance last week, may continue, she said.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, said he is saddened by the news.

“We had so hoped, but it is not surprising given the increase in the number of cases, hospitalizations, and ICU beds with COVID-19 patients,” he said.

“The offering of Mass and the celebration of the Sacred Triduum will, of course, continue in our parishes, even though a congregation is not present.”

Henry had announced March 25 that churches would be allowed to welcome 10 per cent of capacity to a maximum of 50 people for worship services on four days between March 28 and May 13. This season includes several important holidays for various religious groups.

Archbishop Miller had chosen Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, and Divine Mercy Sunday for indoor Masses in the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Over the weekend, parishes who jumped into gear to plan Holy Week services at short notice and launched registration for Mass were inundated with requests.

St. Joseph’s Parish in Langley filled up all 525 available seats across 11 services in under two hours, while St. Matthew’s Parish in Surrey saw at least 90 per cent of seats (representing an estimated 1,500 people across several locations and several worship services a day) snatched up within 12 hours.

Outdoor services remain permitted, with a limit of 50 people and 50 vehicles with passengers.

People of faith have been unable to access public indoor services since November.


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