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In a dramatic response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced Friday it was lifting from its parishioners the obligation of attending Sunday Mass for the next three weeks.

Archbishop José H. Gomez also announced attendance at any Mass in the archdiocese should be limited to 250 people and that nonessential group meetings and retreats would be suspended.

“I encourage those of you who cannot come to Mass to stay home and read the gospels, pray with your families and to join yourself to the sacrifice of the Mass by making an act of spiritual communion,” Gomez wrote in a letter to the archdiocese.

The archdiocese covers Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.