France Allows Religious Services to Resume with COVID-19 Precautions

Religious ceremonies, including the Muslim faith, are resuming according to modalities set out in a decree published in the Official Journal and immediately in force. The Ministry of the Interior and the leaders of the faiths have agreed on the measures to be taken to ensure the health safety of all in the context of the resumption of religious ceremonies, it said in a statement. Worshippers must observe hand disinfection, mandatory wearing of masks and filtering at the entrance of places of worship. The decree taken for this purpose complements that of May 11 on measures to fight against the coronavirus in the context of the state of health emergency.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) had announced on Friday evening that Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, will take place this Sunday, but not in the mosques. However, with the adoption of this decree, Eid al-Fitr can be celebrated in the mosques with collective prayers, while respecting the barrier rules. Because the decree indicates that there must be a person at the entrance of places of worship to respect the prescribed number of people.

"The prefects of the departments will be able to prohibit the opening or order the closure of a place of worship if these rules are not respected," the ministry said. "We have worked and found a solution to allow the resumption of religious ceremonies, while ensuring the health protection of everyone," said Christophe Castaner, in the statement. The resumption of celebrations with the public had first been announced for June 2, before the Prime Minister mentioned the date of May 29.

The leaders of places of worship and organizers of ceremonies must ensure that the faithful respect the barrier gestures and physical distancing, wear a mask and disinfect their hands, the statement insisted.