No public Masses in the Basilica

Basilica Minore del Santo Niño | CDN File Photo

MOALBOAL, Philippines —  Even if Cebu City is under a state of general community quarantine (GCQ), one of its oldest and most prominent churches will not be holding public Masses.

Administrators of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu, in an advisory issued on Saturday, August 1, announced that they would be suspending Holy Masses for the public in line with the city’s GCQ protocols that would limit attendees in religious gatherings up to a maximum of 10 people only.

In turn, Basilica’s online Masses will continue.

“In compliance with the Executive Order No. 086 Series of 2020 issued by the Cebu City government where a maximum of 10 persons can attend Masses with the public, the Basilica will no longer hold Masses with the public instead Masses will be online. Daily live stream Mass is at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Monday to Sunday),” portions of the advisory read.

In an earlier advisory, Augustinian friars running and managing the centuries-old Basilica said they were scheduled to hold public Masses this Sunday, August 2.

READ MORE: Basilica to reopen August 1

Meanwhile, the latest announcement from the church stated that the Basilica compound and its Kandilaan area would remain open for devotees and pilgrims who would want to worship within the property from Monday to Saturday. Church administrators said the Basilica would be closed every Sunday for disinfection.

“The Basilica church and Kandilaan area will be open to pilgrims and devotees from Monday to Saturday only. The Basilica is closed on Sundays,” they added.

The Basilica, a popular destination in Cebu City for both tourists and devotees, has been closed for around four months due to threats of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It reopened its doors to the public on Saturday, August 1.

Five of its employees were afflicted with the disease but have already recovered since July. /dbs