NORWALK — During a time of social distancing and isolation amid the coronavirus outbreak, longstanding religious traditions have suddenly changed.
City officials are encouraging residents to stay connected via technology instead of seeing people in person.
But that doesn’t mean the holidays are off. While many houses of worship are encouraging people to stay home, they’re also finding other ways to observe religious holidays.
In addition to live streaming all Holy Week liturgies and masses via Facebook Live and posting them to its website, St. Matthew’s Parish in Norwalk held a Stations of the Cross on Good Friday from its outdoor grotto that was livestreamed to parishioners.
“For parishioners who do not have Facebook, the livestream video is posted to our website, and we also email the link to parishioners,” a church spokesman said. “Parishioners are sending us photographs of themselves before and after livestreaming so that we can create a mural of our online worship.”
The church also offers to send liturgy programs and Mass readings to parishioners. There are also a number of online resources available across the church’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as well as through email. The church also remains open for private prayer daily, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“While the number of new positive cases reported to us has slowed the past few days, health experts warn that we are still weeks away from the peak,” Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling said. “We all need to keep practicing physical distancing. I know that can be challenging with the holidays here, but please, do not take to your cars for parking lot gatherings or to drive through neighborhoods. That is an unnecessary risk no one should take.”
St. Matthew’s has also launched a funding effort to help parishioners who have lost their jobs, been furloughed and are struggling during the coronavirus crisis.
