Kerala's Syro Malabar Church requests CM to open worship places

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 16 : Syro Malabar Catholic Church Major Archbishop George Alencherry has written to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requesting that places of worship should be allowed to open subject to social distancing and other conditions laid down by the government.
He said that this can be applicable to all religions.
The Bishop has cited in his letter that if the lockdown continues, the mental tension of the people will increase and its after-effects cannot be predicted.
The Bishop also stated that as far as Christians are concerned, the permission to conduct masses with not more than participation of 50 people is a necessity.
"The government can issue directives to wear masks, use of sanitisers before and after mass and maintain social distancing inside the churches. Participation in mass is needed for believers to get out of mental stress and to find out inner peace," he said.