Mpox: Sierra Leone Catholic Church Restricts Worshippers as Cases Surge
Sorie Abubakar The Archbishop of the Sierra Leone Catholic Church, Edward Tamba Charles has urged worshippers to avoid physical interactions during mass as cases of Mpox continue to surge in the West African nation.
“During the Holy Mass do the sign of peace by putting your right hand on your chest and making a gentle bow, or by waving your right hand or both hands to your fellow worshippers,” the Archbishop urged worshippers.
The new directive also includes all pastoral units in the Freetown Archdiocese to implement measures to stop the spread of the virus. The units are advised to limit physical interactions during public liturgical celebrations like the Holy Mass.
The new measures also direct the Clergy and the Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion (EMHC) to administer Holy Communion by intinction.
The directives also urged Catholics to observe cleanliness by providing and using clean water, soap, and hand sanitisers to be installed at all Catholic Churches in Sierra Leone.
The approximately 344,000 Catholics in Sierra Leone comprise about 4% of the country’s population.
With over 3,000 cases confirmed in Sierra Leone, the new directives from the Church are expected to protect worshippers while cutting down on the number of infections.