The President of the Republic of Cyprus announced measures to ease restrictions in the island nation, including the reopening of churches on May 4 and the resumption of services.

Archbishop Chrysostomos, head of the Church of Cyprus, announced that church services would resume with doors open but limited to 10 parishioners at a time.

The archbishop announced specific details, including that churches will open daily from 7:30am until 6:30pm. On the days when the morning services take place, churches will open at 6:30am.

According to the Church’s statement, the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion can do so by coming to the church from 9:00 to 10.00am on holidays and Sundays.

Church commissioners will ensure that the total number of attendees in the church for communion does not exceed 10 people and that the social distancing rules are observed.

Every time a believer leaves the church after having received Holy Communion, another believer will be let into the church and so on. Church commissioners must also observe basic rules of hygiene by cleaning icons with alcohol and by determining the distance that the faithful must keep.

Cyprus moved swiftly to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, shutting schools a day after its first case on March 9, followed rapidly by closure of its airports to commercial traffic.

The island has reported 843 cases of coronavirus and 15 deaths.