Vinh Diocese does not organize the pilgrimage to honor Saint Anthony to prevent the epidemic

The Vinh Diocese has just issued a notice reminding and supplementing measures to prevent and combat the Covid-19 epidemic for the religious activities of the parishioners of Vinh Diocese. In particular, the Diocese has decided not to organize the pilgrimage to honor Saint Anthony at Trai Gao on Sunday, June 13 to prevent the risk of spreading the Covid-19 epidemic. Instead, Vinh Diocese will organize an online mass and broadcast it on the Diocese's social networking sites.

On June 3, the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Palace held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Pastoral Center with very few people attending. Photo: Duc Loc

The pilgrimage to honor Saint Anthony at Trai Gao (Nghi Phuong commune, Nghi Loc district) is a major religious activity held annually by Vinh Diocese, attracting from 30,000 to 80,000 Catholics to attend. Converting the pilgrimage into an online mass is a timely action of the Vinh Diocese Bishop's Office, joining hands with the whole country to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic, and is widely supported by Catholic and non-Catholic compatriots.

In the notice, the Bishop's Office reminded some parishes that have not implemented or have not fully implemented regulations and measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in the past. The Bishop's Office also asked priests to urge parishioners and personally apply the 5K measure; reduce the scale of masses; for parishioners returning from localities and areas implementing social distancing or localities and areas in provinces and cities across the country with Covid-19 infections, if returning from epidemic areas, they must comply with centralized quarantine measures or self-quarantine at home, and declare their health daily to local health officials.

Previously, the Bishop's Office also issued a document directing the entire diocese to strictly implement the regulations of the competent authorities, especially the Ministry of Health and authorities at all levels on Covid-19 prevention and control, exempting the elderly, children, people returning from far away, people with respiratory symptoms or other serious illnesses from attending Mass.