The Archbishop of Juba in South Sudan, Stephen Ameyu Martin, has warned that Catholic churches in the country may close again if Covid-19 cases increase.

Catholic churches across the country re-opened on Sunday for the first time in six months, but under strict safety measures.

President Salva Kiir and senior government officials were among worshippers who attended mass in Juba, the capital,on Sunday.

The archbishop said they had waited for permission from the Vatican before resuming mass.

“If the pandemic increases again we may close our churches because our intention of coming to pray is that God gives us longer life. But if we pray and we are infected more – that is not keeping life, that is just donating life to pandemic. As Catholics we must take care of life,” he told worshippers.

Mosques and other Christian churches re-opened two weeks ago after the government taskforce on Covid-19 lifted restrictions.