The Church of England is to allow funerals to take place in its buildings from next week for the first time in three months, although “significant limitations” will be in place.
The announcement follows the government’s decision to allow places of worship to reopen for individual prayer from Monday, although communal worship will not be permitted until 4 July at the earliest.
C of E bishops said allowing funerals inside was in line with guidance from Public Health England and a fall in the number of new infections and the death rate from Covid-19.
Churches may need to cap the number of mourners attending and tape off pews or rows of chairs to ensure physical distancing. Hymns and singing “are not advised” and the use of communal bibles or other books should be avoided.
Wakes or gatherings after the funeral should not take place, “but if there is one, clergy are advised not to attend”.
Many Anglican clergy have said prohibiting funerals in churches has been extremely distressing for parishioners whose loved ones have died in the past three months.
The bishops said their new guidance was “permissive and not prescriptive”. Some churches may be unable to open because clergy or staff are ill, isolating or shielding.
Sarah Mullally, the bishop of London, said: “While the restrictions on everyday life necessary to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus pandemic have been difficult for us all, I’m only too aware that those who have lost loved ones have suffered most of all. I know that the grieving process has been even more difficult because of the limitations on funerals themselves.
“There are now at least some signs of hope of an improvement with a fall both in the number of new infections and the death rate, but there will still, sadly, have to be significant limitations on how we mark funerals for some time to come.
“Nevertheless the House of Bishops has agreed that in light of the changing circumstances it is time to review our advice so that it will soon be possible for funeral services to be conducted inside church buildings following government guidelines.”
The C of E has also issued guidance on the administration of holy communion when churches reopen for communal worship. Members of congregations will be allowed to take bread only, with wine being restricted to the priest taking the service.
Hand sanitiser will be used by both clergy and congregations; kneeling at the altar for communion will be banned; and the shaking of hands, known as the sign of the peace, will be prohibited.
