Only people who have received coronavirus vaccines may attend Pope Francis’s Mass during his planned visit in Slovakia this September, according to the country’s health minister.
Slovakian health minister Vladimír Lengvarský announced during a press conference on July 20 that a decision was made in cooperation with the Slovakian bishops’ conference to demand “full vaccination” as “the condition for participation in Holy Masses and other events.”
Both the president of the bishops’ conference, Archbishop Stanislav Zvolenský, and Lengvarský framed the decision as a way to help “as many people” as possible attend papal events.
Slovakia’s COVID-19 restrictions limit event attendance to 1,000 people, and “permitting only the vaccinated to attend will reportedly allow this cap to be raised for meetings during Pope Francis’ visit,” according to Catholic News Agency.
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Only 34.7 percent of Slovakia’s population is fully vaccinated with an experimental coronavirus vaccine as of July 22, according to the John Hopkins University Coronavirus Center. At least another 6 percent of the population have received a first dose of the COVID-19 shot.
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The announcement of the vaccine requirement for attendance at a Papal Mass is not only unprecedented, it contravenes the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law.
Denial of attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is a violation of Canon 843 of the Code of Canon Law, which states that “Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them.”
Read the full article on Daily Expose: https://dailyexpose.co.uk/2021/07/26/only-fully-vaccinated-people-are-allowed-to-attend-the-popes-upcoming-mass/