The Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage is to run from Thursday to Saturday next week after it was delayed by nearly three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers said yesterday.
The largest annual religious procession in Taiwan, organized by the Jenn Lann Temple (鎮瀾宮) in Taichung’s Dajia District (大甲), was originally scheduled to take place from March 19 to 28, but was postponed after temple chairman Yen Ching-piao (顏清標) consulted with health professionals about infection risks.
As the outbreak in Taiwan has stabilized and some restrictions have been lifted, the temple decided to start the procession late on Thursday, vice chairman Cheng Ming-kun (鄭銘坤) said.
Organizers would limit procession workers to 800 people, whose names would be recorded and their temperatures checked daily, Cheng told a news conference.
Participants must wear masks at all times, said Cheng, who also called for Matsu followers to watch the procession online rather than in person, and urged those with fevers not to attend.
The temple canceled an outdoor banquet that typically marks the beginning of the celebration, which was attended by more than 10,000 people last year, Cheng said.
The temple was planning to consult with the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) about the pilgrimage, he added.
Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), who is deputy head of the center, said that the temple’s plans follow CECC regulations.
Chen also echoed Cheng’s calls for people to follow the procession online and to maintain proper hygiene if they attend in person.
The procession celebrates the birthday of the sea goddess Matsu and features the Matsu statue of the Jenn Lann Temple, which worshipers carry on a palanquin on their shoulders throughout central Taiwan.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gather along the more than 340km route that extends through Taichung, as well as Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi counties.
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