SHAFAQNA- Iqna: A plan has been developed for re-opening Mosques, Egyptian Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said while noting that it will be reviewed by the government’s Coronavirus crisis management committee early next week.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Gomaa added that this plan was prepared upon directives of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly before Eid Al-Fitr after citizens showed a great deal of awareness and commitment while performing Taraweeh prayers during the holy Month of Ramadan and Eid prayers, which had been limited to a small number of worshipers.
The minister explained that heads of the ministry’s religious and directorates’ sectors were ordered to take all necessary precautionary measures to ensure a safe distance between worshipers at Mosques, Al-Ahram daily reported. The Egyptian government shuttered mosques and churches nationwide last March in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Gomaa said that the ministry will begin Saturday to distribute 320,000 meters of prayer rugs to all directorates across the nation.