By Chimezie Godfrey
The Catholic Church in Rivers State has rejected the lockdown ease and asked its members to stay safe and observe Easter Sunday at home.
The directive was issued on Friday in a letter addressed to all priests and signed by Camillus Etokudoh, the Bishop of Port-Harcourt Diocese.
Governor Nyesom Wike had relaxed the lockdown order in the state on Thursday against the Easter celebration, which also permits the Muslim community to observe their Jumat prayers within the period.
In his memo titled “Pastoral update following Governor’s broadcast,” Bishop Etokudoh thanked Governor Wike for his consideration.
He, however, noted that in view of the threat COVID-19 poses, it was better to be careful and continue to observe social distancing, the established measure of preventing the pandemic.
The cleric’s letter read: “With prayerful meditation on the Holy Week, I sincerely thank you our priests and lay faithful for adhering so far to our Diocesan directives/guidelines for the celebration of the Holy Week.
“We deeply appreciate the State-wide broadcast of the Governor of Rivers State, yesterday, on Holy Thursday, April 9, 2020 during which he temporarily relaxed the restrictions on large religious gatherings for Moslems on Friday April 10, 2020, for their prayers and for Christians on Sunday April 12, 2020 to have their full congregation for Easter celebrations.
“However, in the face of the threats of COVID-19 and having prayerfully considered the implications of the Risks to our expected crowded congregation on normal Easter Sunday celebrations, we hereby request you our priests and lay faithful to continue to keep to the CBCN and our Diocesan Pastoral directives/guidelines for the celebrations of Holy Week including Easter Sunday till further notice.”
Etokudoh prayed to God to hear the cries of Nigerians, give everyone Easter blessings and heal the world of COVID-19.
