Public services resume on Holy Week
Publish Date: 13-Apr-2021
The Hong Kong SAR government loosened some of its strictest restrictions on public gatherings on 31 March as the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic began to subside. Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui’s churches resumed public worship services on 1 April. Although churches are subject to the condition of filling only one-third of its seating capacity, many parishioners express their eagerness in attending services in person again. The first service held on 1 April was the Solemn Liturgy for the Blessing of Oils and the Renewal of Commitment to Priestly Service at St John’s Cathedral, where Archbishop Andrew Chan blessed the oil for the sick, the oil of catechumens and the oil of chrism, and led all members of the clergy to renew their priestly vows. Clergy in the Missionary Area of Macau were unable to join the service personally due to travel restrictions, therefore they gathered at St Paul’s Church in Macau to participate in the liturgy through video conferencing. Churches celebrated the Paschal Triduum by holding services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigils during the Holy Week. Aside from physical participation, many churches also live broadcasted or uploaded recordings of their services on the net for parishioners who were unable to attend the events in-person to celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.
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