Greek Orthodox communion is taken from a shared spoon; church authorities and the faithful insist it can't spread coronavirus because it's not bread and wine but the body and blood of Christ. Scientists disagree.
In this Sunday, May 24, 2020, photo, a Greek Orthodox priest distributes Holy Communion during Sunday Mass in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, using the traditional method of a shared spoon. Contrary to science, the Greek Orthodox Church and its followers insist it is impossible for any disease, including the coronavirus, to be transmitted through Holy Communion.
A communal spoon presents “fairly significant dangers,” said Dr. Nathalie MacDermott, an academic clinical lecturer for Britain’s National Institute for Health Research at King’s College London. “Regarding the issue that is unjustifiably raised from time to time about the supposed dangers, which in these blasphemous views are said to lurk in the life-giving Mystery of Holy Communion, the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece expresses its bitterness, deep sorrow and diametrical opposition,” it said in a May 13 circular on social distancing measures in churches.
In Ethiopia, which has the largest Orthodox Christian flock outside Europe, the ritual is unchanged, as it is in the Georgian Orthodox Church. In Greece, a firebrand priest, former Metropolitan Ambrosios, said he had excommunicated the education minister, prime minister and the civil protection deputy minister — the first for suggesting the coronavirus could be transmitted through saliva during Holy Communion, and the other two for closing churches during the lockdown. The Holy Synod, however, said only it had the authority to excommunicate.
After ordering churches closed, the government has been more circumspect and has avoided the sensitive issue of Communion. The limited spread of the virus also has reduced the risk of a renewed outbreak, at least for now.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Communion unchanged in Greek Orthodox Church despite virusOne by one, the children and adults line up for the centuries-old ritual of Holy Communion, trying to keep a proper social distance. The priest dips a spoon into the chalice of bread and wine, which the faithful believe is the body and blood of Christ, and puts it into the mouth of the first person
Lire la suite »
Communion unchanged in Greek Orthodox Church despite virusOne by one, the children and adults line up for the centuries-old ritual of Holy Communion, trying to keep a proper social distance. The priest dips a spoon into the chalice of bread and wine, which the faithful believe is the body and blood of Christ, and puts it into the mouth of the first person
Lire la suite »
Communion shared-spoon ritual unchanged in Orthodox Church despite virusThe Greek Orthodox Church insists no disease, including the coronavirus, can be transmitted through Holy Communion, and keeps using a communal spoon.
Lire la suite »
Coronavirus quietly started spreading as early as January, CDC saysBy early February, there was "cryptic circulation" of the virus.
Lire la suite »
Could a fifth of America’s colleges really face the chop?Eight American colleges were already closing each year before the pandemic hit
Lire la suite »