Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma is asking the Cebu City government to allow the holding of Misa de Gallo and Simbang Gabi in gymnasiums and auditoriums. | CDN Digital file photo
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will ask the Cebu City government to allow Misa de Gallo and Simbang Gabi to be held in gymnasium and auditoriums.
Palma said that instead of holding Dawn Masses in chapels, he would prefer holding it in gymnasiums for these facilities have wider spaces that would be essential in observing the social distancing protocol.
“Simbahan, no problem. Pero naghangyo unta kami kay daghang chapels nga gagmay, kung pwede, sa mga dagko nga gymansium, auditoriums, kay ngano man, there we can observe social distancing,” Palma said.
(In churches, there will be no problem. But because there are many small chapels, we request if possible that the (Dawn Masses) will be held in gymnasiums and auditoriums because there we can observe social distancing.)
Read: Curfew shortened, Qpasses no longer needed for Misa de Gallo in Cebu City
Palma, however, said that he already spoke to Mayor Edgardo Labella on this, and the mayor advised them to coordinate with the respective barangays where the gymnasiums were located.
Earlier, Labella issued Executive Order No. 111, which set the guidelines for the holding of Misa de Gallo and Simbang Gabi in Cebu City from December 15 to 24, 2020.
The EO allows Dawn Masses from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. from December 16 to 24, while Simbang Gabi is only allowed from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. from December 15 to 23.
Misa de Gallo that will be celebrated in open spaces, gymnasiums, covered courts, among others, shall need the approval of the city mayor, upon the recommendation of the Cebu City Emergency Operation Center.
Read: Cebuanos told to be ‘extra vigilant’ when attending Misa de Gallo
Palma also reminds the faithful to continue to follow the health and safety protocols, such as the wearing of a face mask and face shield, while parishes should continue checking the temperature of churchgoers.
“Even as we do this, atong instruction pirmi (our instruction always is to observe), social distancing, face mask, pagkuha (get) temperature, tanang pamaagi aron (all the means so that) we observe the protocols,” he said.
Meanwhile, Palma also revealed that he would still be visiting parishes to celebrate the Misa de Gallo.
But unlike last year, Palma said that he would only visit parishes in the city this year, and not those parishes from far-flung areas./dbs