First Anniversary of Measures against Coronavirus Epidemic in Catholic Church

25.2.2021 Slovenija COVID19, SŠK
Foto: Družina

On Thursday, February 25, 2021, it has been a year since the first measures were adopted by the Slovenian Bishops' Conference (SBC) to limit the coronavirus epidemic. At the beginning of 2020, the Slovenian bishops monitored the pandemic's spread in neighbouring countries (especially in Italy). They prepared preventive measures for the protection of Catholic believers and the population of Slovenia.

After the first measures taken by the most affected dioceses in Italy, the SBC Secretariat prepared a draft of three models for preventing the spread of the epidemic in the Catholic Church in Slovenia. To this end, on February 25, 2020, SBC adopted and published the first instructions to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and advised priests and believers to withdraw blessed water from churches and to stop exercising the greeting of peace at Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion. Later, the Slovenian bishops adopted other instructions adapted to the current epidemiological situation in Slovenia or individual region. All instructions, measures, materials and news about the COVID-19 epidemic are available at a special website of the Catholic Church.