Bibles in hand and resolute in their Christian faith, around three thousand face mask clad parishioners dressed in white filed — one by one, into the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ In the World for an uncharacteristically 90-minute service on Sunday in the Golfe II suburb of the capital city Luanda.

The first in six months since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic that saw the Angolan government ban religious gatherings in March to curb the spread of coronavirus — with only now permitting their resumption earlier this month under strict sanitary regulations.

Coronavirus-prevention measures such as the mandatory use of face masks by all in attendance — except choir members, the 1-metre spacing of seats to uphold social distancing and well-ventilated or open-air locales.

To date, Angola has over 3,900 confirmed coronavirus cases with 147 deaths reported.