During this period of suspension, Sunday Masses and those celebrated during the week will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of St. Mary’s Cathedral of Tokyo.
Newsroom(August 23, 2021 16:38, Gaudium Press) The Archbishop of Tokyo, Isao Kikuchi, has suspended Holy Masses with the presence The prelate’s decision comes in light of the spread of Covid-19 cases throughout the country.
Suspension to last four weeks
In effect since August 16, Bishop Isao Kikuchi’s decision provides that public Eucharistic celebrations will be suspended for a period of four weeks. Convents and religious houses are allowed to celebrate with the public, provided they are all members of the community. In the case of funerals, the body of the deceased must be cremated before the funeral Mass.
Masses will be webcast
Throughout this suspension period, Sunday Masses and those celebrated during the week will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Tokyo. The announcement of the renewal or termination of these arrangements throughout the Japanese Archdiocese is scheduled for September 5.
More than 16,000 daily cases of contagion
In the last week alone, more than 16,000 daily cases of coronavirus infections were reported, prompting the Japanese government to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka and Okinawa until September 12.
Half of the Japanese population has received the first dose of vaccine.
So far more than 126 million Japanese, half of the population, have received the first dose of the vaccine. Only 40% have had both doses. Japan has recorded 1.15 million cases of coronavirus and 15,423 deaths. (EPC)
