Albay bishop orders closure of cemeteries from Oct 30 to Nov 3 to curb COVID-19 spread

FILE PHOTO: Bishop Joel Baylon of the Archdiocese of Legazpi Photo from Facebook

LIGAO CITY — All Catholic cemeteries under the Diocese of Legazpi will be closed from October 30 to November 3, as the nation marks the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day, in an effort to prevent the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.

Bishop Joel Baylon said in a statement regarding Diocesan Circular No. 24-2021, “Since COVID-19 cases in our province are still alarming, I deem it prudent to implement the closure of all Catholic cemeteries in the Diocese from October 30, 2021, up to November 3, 2021, except, of course, for burials.”

He said the Catholic faithful who wish to visit their departed loved ones are encouraged to do so outside the mentioned dates and to not conduct their visits in groups in order to avoid congregating in the cemeteries.

Priests are also not allowed to celebrate the Holy Mass and pastoral services at cemeteries, as those must be carried out instead inside churches, Baylon added.