Church goers in religious Samoa were back to their Sunday best as normality in terms of worship was restored following three weeks of interrupted church services. 

As a result of COVID-19 lockdown, churches across the country had been restricted to only 30 people. 

This meant that majority of people in communities were unable to attend church services on Sunday, including children under the age of 12, with face masks made mandatory, and social distancing a priority.

During the Alert Level 2 lockdown, those who were unable to attend Sunday services had remained at home and joined through televised services, online live streams.

As Samoa had returned to an Alert Level one on Friday afternoon, churches across the country were then permitted to have more than 30 people attend Sunday services.

On Sunday, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral at Mulivai was seen to be full of people who were attending Mass, including children.

The car park was full of cars compared to when the 30 people limit was in place in which only a few cars were seen parked outside of churches.

The majority of seats within the cathedral were used by members of the congregation, while only a few had wore face masks.

This was also seen for many other churches in various communities where the majority of people in church congregations could attend Sunday services again.

During the Alet Level 2 lockdown last week, churches across the country became creative in how they commemorated the first Sunday of the month.

For some denominations, the first Sunday of every month is when they have the sacrament of holy communion, and the church ministers had to adjust to the orders in place. Church Ministers had arranged for deacons and laid preachers to go out and conduct the sacrament or holy communion for the rest of the congregations at their home after Sunday service.