The District and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington settled a lawsuit filed by the latter over coronavirus restrictions on church gatherings, DC Attorney General Karl Racine said in a statement.
The Archdiocese agreed to comply with Mayor Muriel Bowser’s order issued on December 16 that replaced the hard cap on indoor worship services — which was 50 people — with a maximum of 250 people or 25 percent of a church’s capacity (whichever is fewer), Racine explained.
“We are pleased that we were able to reach this agreement with the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, and that the church’s concerns were resolved by the Mayor’s latest order. As with other Mayoral orders, if changes are needed to better protect public health, those affected will be notified in advance,” the Attorney General wrote in his statement.
“I am proud that D.C. residents have overwhelmingly embraced science-based commonsense measures to protect our personal safety and that of our neighbors. By wearing masks, frequently washing our hands, and limiting contact with others, the District has maintained a lower COVID-19 case rate than many states—though we have recently seen cases rising,” he added.
Today’s settlement with the Archdiocese of Washington will limit church attendance to up to 250 people or 25% capacity (whichever is less). I encourage DC residents to continue following public health guidance and help stop the spread of #COVID19. My statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/L5ykY5YPbz
— AG Karl A. Racine (@AGKarlRacine) December 22, 2020
However, Racine strongly encouraged residents to stay home whenever possible and continue following coronavirus-related safety guidelines, despite the relaxed attendance limit on church events.
The Archdiocese of Washington sued DC and Mayor Bowser over the city’s COVID-19 restrictions that affect church gatherings on December 11, aiming to get the 50-person hard cap removed ahead of Christmas and seeking an injunction for percentage-based limits.
The Archdiocese regarded the attendance cap for gatherings at houses of worship as “arbitrary”, and “discriminatory,” in the lawsuit, asserting that the restrictions “single out religious worship as a disfavored activity, even though it has been proven safer than many other activities the District favors.”
Washington Archdiocese Files Lawsuit Over COVID-Related Restrictions