All over the world, cross-over services are significant events that usher in a New Year. Cross-over services hold majorly in churches on the night of December 31 every year and Christians usually gather to pray and worship their Maker for the gift of a brand New Year. As a custom, the services start a few hours before 12am and end some minutes after 12am.
But with the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic which has disrupted livelihood and ways of doing things, the cross-over services into the year 2021 will be different in many ways as global health authorities discourage large gatherings to curb the spread of the virus.
In Nigeria, state governments like Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Cross River, amongst others have warned churches against holding cross-over services this Thursday, insisting that the 12am to 4am curfew imposed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 subsists. The PTF also stressed the need to maintain social distancing, use of face masks and hand sanitisers as Nigeria battles the second wave of the virus.
Following these directives, leading Christian clerics in the country have adjusted their cross-over services with many opting for the virtual experience.
