Suwon Religious Facilities Cancel Events or Discourage Congregant Participation

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] The City of Suwon announced on the 24th that most religious facilities in the city cancelled religious events on Sunday, the 23rd, or discouraged congregants from participating.

The Catholic Diocese of Suwon announced ‘Stage 2 Pastoral Measures’ on the 21st. The diocese requested of the faithful to ‘indefinitely postpone or cancel large-scale events scheduled inside and outside the cathedral until the situation stabilizes,’ and ‘infants and their parents, and the elderly and immunocompromised should refrain from attending Sunday masses at the parish and instead fulfill their Sunday Mass obligation through prayer at home until the situation stabilizes.’

In accordance with the pastoral measures, on the 23rd, most parishes reduced the number of Sunday masses and requested the elderly and immunocompromised to fulfill their Sunday Mass obligation through prayer.

The Diocese of Suwon announced on the 23rd ‘Stage 3 Pastoral Measures of the Suwon Diocese Temporary Countermeasures Committee for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19.’ From the 24th through March 11th, the diocese decided to temporarily suspend parish community masses and all educational events, programs, and various group meetings within the diocese.

Protestant churches in the city also replaced worship services with video broadcasts or verified the identity of those entering the church before allowing them to enter.

Suwon First Church (Jidong) notified congregants to conduct ‘video worship’ at home and turned away congregants who visited the church on the 23rd. Major churches including Central Baptist Church, Myungsung Church, and Sunbogeum Church verified identities thoroughly before allowing entry. Myungsung Church and Sunbogeum Church installed thermal imaging cameras at their entrances.

As a result of the city's inspection of about 10 churches with large congregations on that day, worship attendance decreased to nearly half of normal levels.

Temples including Bongnyeongsa, Cheongyeonnam, Suwon Temple, Yonghwa Temple, and Muhak Temple decided not to hold dharma meetings that draw large congregations until the COVID-19 crisis subsides.

On the 21st, the city sent an official notice to all 635 religious facilities in the city, including the Catholic Diocese of Suwon, all Protestant churches, temples, and Won Buddhism temples, stating, “As confirmed cases have surged nationwide in recent times, COVID-19 is spreading in local communities,” and requested cooperation by saying, “We ask that religious facilities in our city cancel or postpone religious events such as worship services, dharma meetings, and masses that gather many citizens until the situation stabilizes.”

The city also urged that in cases where religious events must be held, only the minimum number of attendees should participate, and that participants must wear masks, follow infectious disease prevention guidelines, and conduct the events accordingly.

Suwon Mayor Yim Tae-young said, “I sincerely thank the religious facilities that cancelled events and the citizens who refrained from participating,” and added, “Though it may be inconvenient, I hope that you will refrain from participating in religious events that gather large numbers of people until the COVID-19 crisis subsides.”