All public religious ceremonies were cancelled when the government imposed a nationwide lockdown in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic that has since killed nearly 30,000 people in Italy.
The announcement comes after Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the president of the Italian bishops’ conference, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, signed a protocol governing the reopening of places of worship on Thursday.
The protocol specifies the guidelines each church and the faithful will have to follow in order to help safeguard public health.
Churchgoers will have to wear masks and sit or stand well spaced out, according to rules drawn up and approved by a scientific committee.
In addition, holy water fonts where people traditionally dip their fingers before making the sign of the cross on their forehead, will be dry and there will be no exchanging the sign of peace, which normally involves shaking hands with the people close by.
The most delicate issue from a hygiene point of view will be the distribution of communion.
The masked celebrant will have to disinfect his hands, put on single-use gloves, and drop the wafer into the recipient’s hands without coming into contact with them, and while remaining at an adequate distance.
Confession, normally conducted in confined cupboard-like spaces, should only be done in well-aired places – including outdoors if necessary.
Church doors will have to be kept open, to stop people transmitting or catching the virus via the door handles, and spaces used will have to be cleaned after every ceremony.
As for civil weddings, this is up to each local authority.
Some towns and cities, including Brescia and Milan, are already allowing ceremonies to go ahead at town halls under certain restrictions – including the requirement that the bride and groom wear masks.
