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Silent night Holy night. The classic Christmas carol is more appropriate this year than ever. In the fight against the corona virus, a total ban on singing has been in effect since today. Singing is only allowed without restrictions in the family and in the classroom. Because when singing, the risk of corona infection through aerosols is considered particularly high.
A Christmas Eve celebration without Christmas carols – it’s hard for churches to imagine. They are campaigning for the Federal Council to ensure that singing together is possible at least during the Christmas holidays. The Evangelical Reformed Church, the Episcopal Conference and Christian Catholics this week wrote a letter to Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga (60) and Health Minister Alain Berset (48) asking the government to consider an exception.
Protest against participation restriction
“The beautiful Christmas carols are part of our Christmas culture and our faith,” says Encarnación Berger-Lobato (54), spokesperson for the Episcopal Conference. The Evangelical Reformed Church also criticizes the “lack of coherence”: “If people are allowed to be close together in transportation and shopping centers, why should children’s singing with Christmas carols, for example, be prohibited?” Therefore, the churches believe that at least outside, and of course with protective measures, singing should be allowed during the holidays.
They also demand that the Federal Council recheck the books as to the number of participants in the events. Currently, no more than 50 people can attend religious services, Masses and other religious celebrations. This limit must be maintained for churches. In some cantons, such as Bern, a maximum of 15 believers is currently allowed, depending on developments, the maximum limits could change until Christmas. Geneva had completely banned the services in early November, sparking violent protests. The cantonal constitutional court lifted the ban last week; it was disproportionate and violated freedom of religion.
“Loneliness is one of the biggest problems”
On ordinary Sundays, the participation limit is not a problem for some parishes in a canton with relatively flexible regulations; on the contrary, they would be happy if it was one and there were more visitors. At Christmas, however, the banks are more crowded than ever.
In accordance with the desire of the churches, the federal government should now examine whether the rule could not be formulated more flexibly, depending on the size of the church. Because: “Loneliness and the feeling of abandonment is one of the biggest problems that church pastors notice and encounter,” says Daniel de Roche (66), president of the Task Force of Christian Churches in Switzerland and a Reformed pastor. “I know a lot of mostly older people without Internet access who don’t go to church,” he says from his personal experience.
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Digital worship service at home
But the churches don’t just wait for the Federal Council. In order to be able to celebrate Christmas in a contemplative way despite all the restrictions, they have gotten creative. Instead of a normal religious service, there is, for example, a Christmas walk, the singing on the balcony or the nativity game that takes place in the open air at various stations. Larger parishes also repeat Mass or service so more people can attend.
Reformed, Catholics and Catholic Christians have also launched the “Despite the Light” campaign throughout Switzerland. But it also provides churches with concrete ideas on how to organize Christmas this year. There are even instructions for the digital home church service, which you can do with friends via video conference. The motto of the churches: Christmas 2020 is: simply different.
