Churches urged to follow social distancing mandates this Easter weekend

CHICAGO - State and city leaders are urging churches to make sure to follow social distancing mandates this Easter weekend.

“Today being Good Friday and obviously Sunday being Easter. I implore all Chicagoans and faith leaders to celebrate in any way you can as long as it's done separately and consistently with the stay-at-home guidelines,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

At Governor JB Pritzker's daily briefing, several pastors spoke, urging all church leaders to keep fighting the fight against COVID-19 by not holding any in-person services on Easter Sunday.

“We need for our community of faith to join together with this. I am grateful for all the churches who have decided and listened to the mandate and stopped having church the way we had it in the past,” said Bishop Simon Gordon of Tri-Stone Church of Chicago.

Holy Name Cathedral has been conducting its Holy Week Masses online and other churches are encouraged to do the same.

“All of us. It's our time for us to do our best to make sure we follow through. To make sure we beat COVID-19. Included in all of us is an opportunity to make a difference,” said Bishop Gordon.