The African nation’s lockdown “measures were unfair because they closed churches, even when we took precautions such as social distancing, reduced capacity, increased the number of Masses, while restaurants, schools, etc., remained open,” said Father Peter Konteh, director of Caritas in the nation’s capital.

“The government failed to understand the importance of the Mass, for God speaks to us through the Word, and the Eucharist is important for the faith,” he added. “They took God out of the solution, when God is the solution.”