French churches were preparing to hold their first Sunday masses in more than two months after the government bowed to a ruling that they should be reopened - provided proper precautions were taken.

A woman looks at the Notre-Dame Cathedral under restoration in Paris, capital of France, April 27. Photo: Xinhua

Nearly two weeks into the relaxation of its shutdown, the government finally allowed churches, mosques and synagogues to reopen.

On May 18, the France's Council of State, which instructs the government on legal issues, ordered it to lift its sweeping ban on all religious services, in place since the lockdown.

The ruling said that such a ban on freedom of worship caused "damage that is serious and manifestly illegal," ordering the government to lift the ban within eight days. But priests, pastors, rabbis and imams will still have to ensure that the correct safety measures are in force.

Worshippers will have to wear masks, there will have to be disinfectant gel on hand and the seating will need to be organized to ensure people keep a safe distance from each other.

"My cell phone is crackling with messages!" Father Pierre Amar, a priest in Versailles, told AFP.

At one church in Neuilly-sur-Seine, just outside Paris, some worshippers turned up at short notice Saturday morning, having heard that mass would be celebrated.


Newspaper headline: Churches in France reopen