Drive-in Christmas Midnight Mass to be held on Pinkpop festival site

Due to the coronavirus and restrictions in place to curb its spread, the Roermond diocese will be holding a drive-in Midnight Mass on the Pinkpop site on Christmas Eve. Bishop Harrie Smeets will dedicate a Eucharist on stage at 10:00 p.m., which attendees can follow from their car, making this a corona-proof event, the diocese said.

The Christmas Mass will be held on the Megaland site, where the Pinkpop festival is held. It has space for up to 500 cars. In this way, a large number of people can attend the celebration without breaking the coronavirus rules limiting church services to 30 attendees. 

Visitors will have to stay in their car throughout the Mass. There will be no communion and no collection. Each car can only contain people from the same households, and all attendees must have no symptoms.

Two screens will be set up next to the podium, so that everyone can have a good view, and the sound will be broadcast to the car's radio. The car's engine and lights must be turned off, so the diocese advises attendees to dress warmly.

Attendance is free of charge, but attendees must reserve a ticket for their car in advance. The ticket will have the car's license plate number on it, and only registered cars will be allowed in. Tickets can be reserved through the diocese site.