Catholic cemeteries in Los Angeles County reopened to the public Friday with limited visiting hours and restrictions based on public health guidelines.
According to Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the 11 locations will be open for visitation Sundays from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Monday through Saturday from 4-6 p.m.
“We are grateful that we can serve our patron families by offering limited visitation this Mother’s Day while adhering to the guidance issued by state and local public health officials,” said Brian McMahon, director of community outreach for the Cemeteries and Mortuaries.
“We hope that we can resume serving our patrons at full capacity soon, however at this time, the wellbeing of the families we serve and our staff is top priority.”
People visiting loved ones at any of the Catholic cemetery locations will be required to wear a face covering and adhere to social distancing protocols.
There will continue to be a limit of two family members allowed to make funeral or cemetery arrangements and all services will be limited to a maximum of 10 people. Flowers shops at the locations will also be open for curbside pick-up.
The limited Monday to Saturday visitation hours are to avoid interference with gravesite services, which occur earlier in the day and will continue to be limited to 10 visitors practicing social distancing, McMahon said.
According to the new policy, the number of cars entering a cemetery at any time may be limited to prevent crowding.
McMahon said the issue could arise Sunday because the reopening coincides with Mother’s Day, typically one of the busiest times of the year for cemetery visits.
Full guidance is available at catholiccm.org/covid19.