The next few days normally is a time when area churches are filled to capacity for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced churches to alter their services and traditions because of restrictions on crowd size and social-distancing guidelines. Many churches canceled their Easter services in April because the pandemic was in its early stages and many moved to online services, with some still offering both live and online worship to accommodate people’s preferences. Others are having worship outside in parking lots.

Monsignor John Zuraw, chancellor for the Diocese of Youngstown, said parishes of the Diocese have all adapted for holding Christmas Eve Masses.

Zuraw, who is pastor at St. Rose Parish in Girard, said it has several Masses planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, limiting the seating inside the church to 125 people per Mass.

“Each church is doing something different. Some churches have added more Masses and are taking reservations for specific Masses. Some gave out tickets for assigned Masses and locations,” he said.

St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown, the mother church of the Diocese, is having Masses at 4 and 6 p.m. today, as well as a midnight Mass and 10:30 a.m. Friday. Parishioners were asked to reserve their spots at bookapew.com and they will have to check in with church greeters upon arrival. If someone shows up who did not reserve a spot, they will be asked to wait and will be able to take a seat if someone who did reserve does not show up, or if all the seats have not been reserved.

St. Columba normally has standing room only at its 4 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve, but with capacity being limited to 180 per Mass, the church will look empty this year because it has a capacity of 800. According to the bookapew website, the 4 p.m. Mass only had a few dozen seats left as of Wednesday evening. The 6 p.m., midnight and 10:30 a.m. Masses still had a lot of seats open as of Wednesday evening.

“There is a limit of how many people can be in the church at a time. At St. Rose, we added more Masses and can accommodate 125 in the church and 150 in the school gymnasium,” he said.

He said people who are concerned for their safety can also view Masses on the church’s Facebook page and website.

Nancy Higham, administrative assistant at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Warren, said it has scheduled a 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass today with 200 people maximum in the church and 200 people in the Covelli gymnasium. A midnight Mass is planned with the same seating limitations.

“We issued tickets to people for each Mass since we will have limited seating to keep everyone safe. There will be brass performances during Mass to make this special for everyone,” she said.

Higham said the church will hold an 11 a.m. Christmas Day Mass.

Poland United Methodist Church, which last spring was among the first churches in the Mahoning Valley to hold a parking lot drive-in worship for Easter and throughout the summer and fall, will be providing a Facebook live Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. today.

The church recently held a community drive-thru nativity that featured live animals, including camels, and also church members portraying characters from the birth of Christ.

Pleasant Valley Church in Liberty, which also recently held a two-day, drive-thru nativity that included various holiday decorations and displays, invite the public to an outdoor Christmas Eve service at 5:30 p.m. today in the church parking lot.

A church spokeswoman said people can safely stay in their vehicles and listen to the service on their car radios. She said a large screen will be set up in the parking lot allowing people to see the service from their vehicles. Ushers will direct people in the parking lot.

In Hubbard Township, Cornerhouse Christian Church is planning a live nativity scene and Christmas caroling at 7 p.m. today.

Event organizers said reseravtions were taken for the service inside the church sanctuary, but there also will be the opportunity for people in cars in the parking lot to hear the service. Following the service will be the traditional candle-lighting ceremony in the parking lot.

Last spring, Poland United Methodist Church Pastor Ken Gifford said the ways churches adapted in keeping people safe has been creative and allowed for lifting of spirits.

“That’s what we want to do — lift spirits, while remaining safe,” Gifford said at the time.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com