The annual Dajia Mazu procession was suspended earlier this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, as the pandemic subsides, the Dajia Jenn Lann Temple announced unexpectedly that the procession will begin this Thursday, June 11 and will last for 9 days and 8 nights.


The Dajia Jenn Lann Temple announced, at 11 o'clock a.m. on June 8, that the annual Mazu procession will take off on June 11, at 11 pm.

On June 11, which is this coming Thursday, the procession will begin and it will last for 9 days and 8 nights. Everybody must please wear face masks and stay safe.

The procession is set to take off on the upcoming Thursday. The Dajia Jenn Lann Temple has stressed that it has coordinated the many details of the event with many other temples. Although the ban on public activities has been lifted, the temple has put in place a number of measures to reduce the total number of participants. These include canceling large-scale congregations, as well as reducing the number of rituals such as where the pilgrims collectively kneel down below the palanquin. The temple has also asked all participating pilgrims to keep a safe distance from one another. Asked about whether the temple will register all the participants' names, the temple did not respond.

The total number of followers cannot exceed 800 at a time. The rule is made in line with the government's regulations on limiting the number of people in a congregation to below 1,000. The banquet at the beginning of the procession is canceled as well, so is the celebratory event. We encourage the pilgrims to pay tribute to Mazu in their own time.

Many pilgrims are surprised by the announcement that the procession is set to take off in only three days. But they believe the temple is ready for the event, and that they themselves need to reduce activities such as having gatherings to have meals together in order to stay safe at a time when the pandemic is subsiding.

I was a little surprised. I had no idea (prior to the announcement). I think all those who follow along the Mazu statue will follow the disease prevention measures and refrain from eating together. I think we should pay attention (to health measures).

The upcoming Mazu procession will last 9 days and 8 nights as it did in past years. The procession will pass by over 100 temples in 4 counties. In the past, the procession attracted at least 2 million participants each year. The Daji Jenn Lann Temple has promised that it will enforce disease prevention measures and crowd control. Asked about whether the temple has communicated with the Central Epidemic Command Center about the upcoming procession, the temple said it will consult the center in the future for professional assistance.



大甲鎮瀾宮8號上午11點正式對外宣布，大甲媽遶境進香將於6月11號晚間11點準時起駕。

大甲鎮瀾宮副董事長 鄭銘坤表示：「新曆六月十一，就是這禮拜週四晚上就要來起駕，同樣九天八夜，大家一定沿途都要戴口罩，注意安全。」

起駕的時間就在這週四，大甲鎮瀾宮強調，早與各宮廟協調好細節，現在雖然國內疫情解封，但還是會做好千人以下的人數控管、取消大型聚會活動、減少"稜轎腳"等活動，也會要求信徒保持社交距離，但是否採取實名制來控制人數，沒有正面回應。

大甲鎮瀾宮副董事長 鄭銘坤表示：「所有的隊伍不要超過八百人，我們都照政府的規定，一千人以下。起駕宴今年也取消，包括在新港的祝壽大典，我們也改自由參拜就好。」

信徒聽到三天後，大甲媽就要起駕遶境的訊息有點驚訝，但認為廟方應該已做好準備，自己則是會減少人群聚集共餐的機會，即使疫情趨緩,也不能輕忽大意。

信徒 林小姐表示：「有點訝異啦！因為我是還不知道。因為要跟著大甲媽祖走，我覺得大家應該都會遵照(防疫管制)，不一起，大家一起共餐吧！我覺得這個東西，還是要稍微注意一下比較好。」

這次大甲媽祖遶境仍然維9天8夜行程，橫跨4縣上百間廟宇，以往每年至少吸引200萬人次參與，大甲鎮瀾宮廟方承諾會做好防疫及人數控管，但被問及事前是否與中央流行疫情指揮中心溝通過，鎮瀾宮方面強調，未來會諮詢及請求相關專業協助。