Two churches, one problem: Mariendom and Severikirche in Erfurt at the beginning of December
Image: dpa
Many congregations regulate themselves who they allow to worship at Christmas. The idea of turning the unvaccinated people away at the church door is difficult for some.
P.Farrer Bruno Kurth faced a difficult decision. And not just him. The entire Corona staff of the Catholic parishes Sankt Laurentius and Herz Jesu in Wuppertal had to find a solution – and so did many other communities. Should they turn people away from the church door on Christmas Eve because they are not vaccinated and untested? Then one would accept the accusation that one is disregarding the message of Christ. Or should everyone be allowed to attend Christmas mass without the 3-G rule? Then it could mean ignoring the advice of virologists. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) even called for the 2-G-plus rule for Christmas services on Tuesday, in addition to the vaccinated or recovered status, a current negative test is then required.
“We have several large churches here. It’s easy to keep your distance, ”says Kurth, the city dean of Wuppertal. In any case, the RKI’s recommendation came too late to be able to take it into account in the planning. A compromise was reached in his parishes: The 3-G rule applies to the nativity plays and the family Christian mass on Christmas Eve; for the other Christmas masses, distance and mask are sufficient. “The theological argument also played a role in the decision that nobody should be left out at a Christmas mass who wants to celebrate,” says Kurth. “We know that most of the people who come to church services are vaccinated, after all, we know each other, and so far there have been no infections here from attending church services.” In addition, the aim was to prevent the stewards from getting involved in discussions on Christmas Eve will.