CNA Staff, Jan 6, 2021 / 17:19 pm
Filippino churches and authorities will limit attendance for the Masses of the Black Nazarene - one of the country's largest series of events, which usually gathers millions of people to Manila each year.
The Quiapo Church has instilled a 400-person cap for each of the 15 Masses that will take place on the Jan. 9 feast. This means only 6,000 will be able to attend services inside.
The parish is currently operating under the general community quarantine restrictions, which require religious services to limit capacity to 30 percent. Church officials attempted to expand the capacity to 50% but were denied.
"I hope we can just consider allowing at least 50 percent for more people to be accommodated inside the church and we are making sure that there is social distancing inside," Fr. Douglas Badong, assistant pastor of Quiapo Church, told ABS-CBN.