I didn’t even realise some were still closed…
The Funchal City Council announced today that it will have all its cemeteries open next Sunday, November 1, on the occasion of the celebration of all saints day.
According to the prevailing situation, as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, the rules issued by the Directorate-General for Health will be adopted, namely guideline no. 028/2020 of 05/28/2020, namely, access to cemeteries will be, thus, limited in relation to the number of people, through control of entrances, and the visit time will be restricted to 20 minutes, as well as to two people for each family.
For the different cemeteries, the capacity will be as follows:
São Martinho Cemetery – 50 people at a time;
São Gonçalo Cemetery – 20 people at a time;
Santo António Cemetery – 15 people at a time;
Monte Cemetery – 10 people at a time.
The Municipality also informs that there will be dispensers of antiseptic solution based on alcohol in strategic points of the cemeteries, with easy access to users and collaborators; the use of a mask will be mandatory; posters with information on covid-19 prevention and control measures will be posted at the entrance to the cemeteries and in other appropriate places; the route of entry and exit in the cemeteries, as well as the social distance, will be controlled by security guards and municipal employees; the waiting areas at the entrance to the cemeteries will also be controlled and organized in order to avoid queues, guaranteeing a social distance of 2 meters between people. All water collectors, ladders and other utensils that can be used collectively will also be disinfected by the city employees.
The CMF informs that, on the 2nd of November, Day of the Dead, or Souls Day the Bishop of Funchal, D. Nuno Brás, will celebrate a field mass in the São Martinho cemetery, at 3 pm.
For this purpose, the Municipality will also have professionals to control and prevent any gatherings in the cemetery.