Mormons Ignore Social Distancing, Huge Group Greets Returning Missionaries

It's not just defiant beachgoers and people in parks drawing the ire of public officials for ignoring coronavirus guidelines -- Mormons are too, by the hundreds.

Utah state leaders -- including Senator Mitt Romney -- are under fire, along with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after a large crowd of Mormons flooded the parking area of a terminal at Salt Lake City Airport Sunday to welcome back around 1,600 missionaries.

The missionaries were returning early from the Philippines due to the global pandemic, but instead of arriving and going straight to their pickup rides and heading home to self-quarantine -- as advised by The Church -- a huge welcome party gathered to greet them and cheer their return.

As you can see ... no one is maintaining 6 feet of separation, or even 6 inches in many cases.

We're told those members who gathered ignored The Church's instructions for families to stay in their cars. The Church even tried to coordinate with the airport to lead missionaries to the parking lot, but that's where things went south ... because the greeters just gathered in the parking area.

We're told several of the missionaries' family members did follow guidelines, but clearly ... way too many did not. Romney, who is Mormon, has since rebuked their actions.

The missionaries are now under a 14-day self-quarantine, but so far, none has been tested. It's unclear if the large group of greeters are all quarantining as well.

As we've reported ... it's been a challenge from coast-to-coast, to keep people from ignoring the CDC and state orders to stay home and practice proper social distancing.