As religious places have slowly started opening up, they’re finding new ways to ensure everyone follows social distancing rules. Like this church for instance in Bengaluru that help. Sunday Mass in the parking lot at Bethel AG Church International Worship Centre. Here are the pictures.
People from the Christian community offer prayers from their cars during ‘Prayers on Wheels’, a Sunday holy communion held in Bengaluru.
The service was held at the premises of AG Bethel Church, as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19.
Hundreds of devotees even gathered on two-wheelers.
“Welcome to the Worship on Wheels (WOW) as we begin reopening of the church. Give a shout of praise to Jesus with your mask on. Hallelujah,” said a priest of Bethel AG Church.
A woman prayers while sitting on her scooter.Instead of crowding inside the church, people took part in this process by sitting in their cars and bikes.After the lockdown ended that the Protestant Church brought the concept of Worship on Wheels to follow the rules of social distancing.
Organisers believe that the number of people is very high during Sunday Mass which, in turn, could make matters worse when it came to the spread of the virus.A family sits inside their car praying.Many lowered the windows of their cars and offered prayers.A family raises their hands during the prayer.
Everyone parks their cars at designated spots.Hundreds of people pray from inside their cars.During the lockdown, daily prayers and Sunday mass were streamed online according to Rev. Johnson associated with the church,Several people attended the church at Hebbal in all kinds of cars, wearing face masks and while keeping distance.
After the church reopened, strict adherence to social distancing rules was followed.A man prays from sunroof of his car.The Karnataka government gave permission to open the religious site from June 8, but in spite of this, the churches of the state were closed for almost a week.
Services for people arriving on bikes were held at 7 am and 5 pm; for those in cars at 9 am and 7 pm; and for walk-ins at 11 am and 1 pm.
Volunteers were assigned to help people maintain a distance of at least six feet between each other.