At its session on April 9, 2021, the Government adopted a new Ordinance on temporary restriction on the implementation of freedom of religion in the Republic of Slovenia. It determined the conditions for the implementation of religious activity.
Thus, according to government forecasts, from Monday, April 12, 2021, Holy Masses are permitted in accordance with the provision of 30 m2 per person or members of the same household. If the area of a religious building is less than 30 m2, one person may be present at a Holy Mass or members of the same household (family). At the Permanent Council of the SBC, which was held on April 9, 2021, the bishops advocated religious freedom and the right of the faithful to the liturgy. In two letters sent by the President of SBC, Archbishop Msgr Stanislav Zore sent to the Prime Minister, the bishops called for the removal of restrictions in the field of worship so that the restrictions would be proportionate to the restrictions in other areas of public life. The bishops also expressed the expectation that, in the interest of the faithful's spiritual benefit, the Government would remove disproportionate restrictions on the area prescribed for each faithful in churches and allow public liturgy in the open air. Simultaneously, the bishops urge priests, the religious and the faithful to follow all government measures and the National Institute of Public Health's recommendations to protect health and limit the epidemic.
SBC Secretariat
