Despite Wike’s directive, Catholic church tells members to obey lockdown orders in Rivers state

The Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, has ordered their members to obey lockdown orders, and stay at home, despite Governor Wike’s directive stating otherwise.

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, temporarily relaxed the restrictions on large religious gatherings due to the upcoming Easter celebration. Wike had said;

“All Christians should have Easter Church Services with their full congregation and pray to God to forgive us of our sins, continue to intervene in our affairs and protect the State and our people from the Coronavirus.”

The Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, has now issued a fresh statement urging their members to stay at home, so as to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

See statement below;

“With prayerful meditation on the Holy Week, I sincerely thank you our priests and lay faithful for adhering so far to our Diocesan directives/guidelines for the celebration of the Holy Week.

“We deeply appreciate the State-wide broadcast of the Governor of Rivers State, yesterday, on Holy Thursday April 9, 2020 during which he temporarily relaxed the restrictions on large religious gatherings for Moslems on Friday Apri110, 2020, for their prayers and for Christians on Sunday April 12, 2020 to have their full congregation for Easter celebrations.

“However, in the face of the threats of Covid-19 and having prayerfully considered the implications of the Risks to our expected crowded congregation on normal Easter Sunday celebrations, we hereby request you our priests and lay faithful to continue to keep to the CBCN and our Diocesan Pastoral directives/guidelines for the celebrations of Holy Week including Easter Sunday till further notice.

Praying our Lord to hear our cries and heal the world of Covid-19 and with Easter blessings, I remain.”