Press release of March 6, 2020
DICASTERY OF INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS
To all the ministers
To all the faithful
Their premises
Subject: Universal Christian Church of the New Jerusalem: Government measures in counteracting and containing the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) spreading
It has been officially notified today to the Universal Christian Church of the New Jerusalem, the text of the Decree of the President of the Italian Council of Ministers (Prime Ministerial Decree DPCM) of last March 4, regarding the measures adopted by the Italian Government to be applied throughout its national territory to counter and contain the spread of Covid-19 (the so-called Coronavirus).
In order to be in compliance with the measures indicated by the Italian Government and to enforce them by all those in charge, collaborators and faithful of the Church, here are hereby highlighted part of the contents of the Decree concerning the measures related to the religious activities.
Article. 1, letter b) of the Prime Minister’s Decree of March 4, 2020 states the “suspension of all demonstrations, events and shows of any kind, including cinema and theatrical performances, held in whatever place, both public and private, which involve crowding of people, not allowing compliance with the interpersonal safety distance of at least 1 meter referred to in Annex 1, letter d)”. Annex 1, which deals with “health and safety measures”, in its letter d) contains the textual reference in “maintaining, in any social contacts, an interpersonal distance of at least one meter”.
Consequently, whatever participation in manifestations and events, even of religious nature, is allowed in “rispetto respect of the interpersonal safety distance of at least one meter”.Therefore, this requirement is to be assured within all Places of Worship, such as inside the Shrine of Divine Mercy at the seat of the Church, as well as in outdoor places, such as in the spaces in front and adjacent to the “Little Cradle of Baby Jesus” in the Land of Gallinaro (Italy).
These safety measures are also to be taken along the way that the faithful travel in groups to reach the places of worship mentioned above, in order to respect the interpersonal safety distance of at least one meter between each member or accompanying person.
With reference to organized trips, the aforementioned Prime Ministerial Decree of last March 4, states that “public transport companies, even long-distance ones, are to take extraordinary measures to sanitize vehicles” (art.2, letter h). Therefore, the faithful and the travel organizers are to ensure that these provisions are respected by public and private transport companies.
The aforementioned DPCM, in Article 2, letter b), also states that “it is made an express recommendation to all elderly people or people suffering from chronic diseases or with multimorbidity or with states of congenital or acquired immunodepression, to avoid leaving their home unless strictly necessary and in any case to avoid crowded places where it is not possible to maintain the interpersonal safety distance of at least one meter, referred to in Annex 1, letter d)”.
Finally, it should be noted that as regards the municipalities of the so-called “red zone” (Bertonico; Casalpusterlengo; Castelgerundo; Castiglione D’Adda; Codogno; Fombio; Maleo; San Fiorano; Somaglia; Terranova dei Passeri; Vo’) the Prime Ministerial Decree of March 1, 2020, has decreed “the suspension of demonstrations, events and all forms of meetings in public or private places, including those of a cultural, recreational, sporting and religious nature”, as well as “the suspension of goods and people transport services, including those temporary”.
This is transmitted with prayer of maximum diffusion among those responsible for the individual territorial areas, among the faithful and among those who participate in the activities of the Church.
The see, March 6, 2020
The minister responsible for the Dicastery
Nello Migliaccio