New Mexico officials fined two megachurches $10,000 each after they hosted packed Christmas Eve services last week.
Legacy Church and Calvary Church in Albuquerque, N.M., were shown in photos on the church’s Instagram accounts to have held services with large crowds of people, many of whom were not wearing masks, city station KOB 4 and ABC affiliate KOAT reported.
The packed services were held despite state restrictions instituted Dec. 15 that limit worship services to 25 percent capacity and require masks. Each violation amounted to a $5,000 fine.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham condemned the churches, saying they violated “the state public health order and common sense” in a statement obtained by NBC News.
“These two churches and their leaders endangered the lives, livelihoods and health of not only their parishioners but their entire communities — and, given how quickly this virus can spread, potentially our state as a whole,” she said.
“These illegal and selfish gatherings will directly contribute to more suffering and illness in our state,” she added. “These church leaders should reflect on the danger they’ve unleashed in their communities.”
Legacy Church told NBC News on Wednesday that state officials overstepped “their constitutional authority” and were countering “what we are called on by God to do.”
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New Mexico fines two megachurches $10K each over packed Christmas Eve services https://t.co/CUfprpw32Q pic.twitter.com/7MbylfRJLu
— The Hill (@thehill) December 31, 2020
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