With the city's cemeteries closed on Saturday, Illawarra's Macedonian Orthodox community will have to offer up a prayer to their departed loved ones in a different way.
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Saturday marks All Souls Day, where the Macedonian Orthodox community gathers at the graves of their loved ones and says a prayer.
Due to COVID-19 and concerns about social distancing Wollongong City Council has made the difficult decision to close Wollongong and Kembla Grange cemeteries on Saturday.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery said the decision had been made because, in previous years "hundreds of people" visited the cemeteries on All Souls Day and he didn't want people being turned away on Saturday.
"This is not a council decision in isolation," Cr Bradbery said.
"We are applying the Public Health Order and hopefully we will all soon be able to observe these wonderful faith traditions, as normal, in the near future.
"Honouring our dead and their memory is recognised as significant but ensuring public health at this time is paramount. It seems more equitable to simply close the cemeteries rather than denying people entry at the gate, and I thank all in our community for their understanding at this difficult time."
Peter Lozenkovski, secretary of the Macedonian Orthodox Community of Wollongong said there was disappointment about the cemeteries being closed.
"But we totally respect the decision that they've made," Mr Lozenkovski said.
"We absolutely know why they made it - to minimise public gatherings. That's totally understandable in the period that we're in."
Mr Lozenkovski said he was trying to get the message about the closure of the cemeteries out to as many in the Macedonian community as possible. There was another message too - that of the alternate arrangements for Saturday's All Souls Day. Two services will be held at the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Stewart Street on Saturday - at 7am and 1.30pm.
"It's not going to be a mass, however the prayers that are normally done at the cemeteries, Father Robert will be doing those in the church," Mr Lozenkovski said.
"I stress to the Macedonians in the Illawarra that we do abide by the social distancing rules and the maximum of 50 people in the church."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
