Breaking News: Churches in Scotland to reopen in time for Easter
Written by Sunny Unachi on 17th March 2021
Worshippers in Scotland will soon start to gather in fellowship. House of worship in Scotland are to reopen for gatherings on 26 March, in time for Easter and other religious festivals including Passover and Ramadan, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
In a move which will relax restrictions on social gatherings north of the border faster than in England, Ms Sturgeon also brought forward to Friday the date on which up to four people from two households will be allowed to meet in outdoor spaces, including private gardens.
And she said that the rule will be loosened further for 12-17 year-olds to allow up to four teenagers from four different households to get together with friends.
In what she acknowledged were “minor” changes to the rules, Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh that from 12 March, outdoor non-contact sports involving up to 15 people will also once again be permitted.
And she announced that a national silence will be held on 23 March – the anniversary of the first lockdown beginning – in memory of all those who have lost their lives.
Ms Sturgeon voiced her “anger and despair” at the behaviour of Rangers football fans who committed mass breaches of lockdown restrictions while celebrating their team’s championship victory on Sunday.
“The behaviour witnessed at the weekend was disgraceful, and it was selfish,” she said.
The first minister was speaking with chief constable Iain Livingstone on Tuesday afternoon and with football authorities later in the week to consider further action, and indicated that the future of elite football matches could be in jeopardy.
She said that football clubs “need to show much more leadership on occasions like this” and that Rangers “could have done more to help avoid the situation arising at the weekend”.
