All churches in Mumbai will resume Sunday masses and other celebrations from November 29 with strict adherence to all the government regulations and necessary COVID-19 protocols, according to a circular issued by the Archbishop of Bombay on Friday. Although the Maharashtra government allowed religious places to reopen from November 16, churches in Mumbai remained shut for the public and only private prayers were allowed inside the church premises till now. "The government suddenly announced the reopening of religious places at a time when we were not prepared with the necessary infrastructure in regard to COVID-19 precautions. So we took our time for all the necessary arrangements like foot pedal sanitiser dispenser, demarcation for social distancing and availability of spare masks for the visitors," Father Nigel Barrett, spokesperson for Archbishop of Bombay, told ANI. Father Barrett said the church will continue with online masses despite the reopening of churches for people who cannot step out as of now.

All churches in Mumbai will resume Sunday masses and other celebrations from November 29 with strict adherence to all the government regulations and necessary COVID-19 protocols, according to a circular issued by the Archbishop of Bombay on Friday. Although the Maharashtra government allowed religious places to reopen from November 16, churches in Mumbai remained shut for the public and only private prayers were allowed inside the church premises till now. "The government suddenly announced the reopening of religious places at a time when we were not prepared with the necessary infrastructure in regard to COVID-19 precautions. So we took our time for all the necessary arrangements like foot pedal sanitiser dispenser, demarcation for social distancing and availability of spare masks for the visitors," Father Nigel Barrett, spokesperson for Archbishop of Bombay, told ANI. Father Barrett said the church will continue with online masses despite the reopening of churches for people who cannot step out as of now.