The Archbishop of Southwark has written to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, asking for churches to be opened for private prayer.
Archbishop John Wilson said there was “growing frustration” that churches were to remain shut even while shops begin to reopen from tomorrow. The archbishop said that, after more than two months of churches having locked their doors, he believes “it is now time” for places of worship to be open for individual visits.
The archbishop’s intervention coincides with similar comments from the most senior cleric in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who in a homily today challenged the government to explain why churches have been “excluded” from the easing of lockdown rules. From tomorrow, Monday June 1, open-air markets in England will be able to open, and most shops will be able to follow suit on June 15.