Catholic prelates said Thursday they would comply with rules to be set by the government on the commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in November.

“Let’s follow (whatever) the (rules) of the Inter-Agency Task Force would be. We are in this pandemic and this is temporary,” Ozamiz Archbishop Martin Jumaod said in an interview over the church-run Radio Veritas.

Jumaod noted that during the meeting of priests under his archdiocese on Wednesday, it was agreed that they would hold Eucharistic celebrations on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

He urged the people to visit their departed loved ones ahead of the ‘Undas’ holidays.

“My advice, which is the position of the Archdiocese is to continue to say Mass on November 1 and 2 for the souls in purgatory but not administer the usual ‘responso sa puntod’ for health reasons,” Jumaod said.

On the other hand, the Diocese of San Pablo, Laguna also vowed to follow the order on the temporary closure of cemeteries as part of the health measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on the Clergy (CBCP-ECC), said it is only proper to follow the rules of the government.

“It is for the good and safety of everyone,” Famadico added.

Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, asked the faithful to have the tombs of their dear departed blessed earlier.

Several cities in Metro Manila have announced that cemeteries in their areas will be temporarily closed from October 31 to November 3, to prevent mass gatherings.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) would soon discuss the proposal to close all public and private cemeteries in the country during this year’s ‘Undas’ commemoration to avoid mass gatherings amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. (PNA)