DENVER — With the easing of some restrictions after stay-at-home orders were lifted Saturday, a few Denver-area churches resumed in-person service Sunday, but precautions were taken.
It's a familiar sound to many church-goers--singing inside a sanctuary. But those in Denver hadn't been there to hear it in person for some time.
"It was my way of being closer to God, so it was really challenging not having mass," a parishioner at Mother of God Catholic Church in Denver said.
They kept the faith they'd be back and are blessed to be able to.
"Yeah, it was awesome. It's definitely something you miss. It's such an integral part of our faith and our lives, so having it back was a huge blessing," another said.
That blessing means fewer people in pews as the church takes precautions to keep people safe in prayer.
"It's those things like having a row taped off so one family can sit in a pew and another family will sit in a pew two rows back," Archdiocese Director of Public Relations Mark Haas said.
The Catholic Church put info on their website, trying to help parishioners know what to expect with altered schedules. They also told people to limit the frequency they attend, for now.
"That means limited attendance. That means not everyone can come back this first weekend," Haas added.
Even though the look was different, much of it felt the same.
"Especially taking those precautions is a really big piece of that. But it felt good to have that as part of our Sunday routine again," said another parishioner.
A Sunday routine of spiritual support
"Being Catholic, going to mass is everything. It's a really important part of Sunday," one of the faithful said.
"There's so much uncertainty in these times it's a part of faith. And just a blessing," another parishioner added.
The first of many prayers they hope to have answered as things being to move back to normalcy.