Coronavirus: Churches told to drop holy communion practices by Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health is now recommending that churches do not use communal cups for communion and to avoid shaking of hands. Photo / File

Churches have officially been advised to stop giving holy communion on the tongue and the sharing of wine in one cup, as the coronavirus outbreak continues around the world.

The Ministry of Health is calling on all New Zealanders to play a part in what it says is the global effort to contain the deadly disease.

"Faith communities should ensure that the practices that they use do not put their community at risk.

"In particular, we do not recommend sharing of communion cups or shared dipping of hands in holy water."

The Ministry has also advised against members of a congregation receiving a communion wafer on the tongue - a practice which sees a priest, for example, placing a wafer on a person's tongue before moving on to the next.

"People who are unwell should not attend and should avoid personal contact such as shaking of hands."

The shaking of hands is in reference to the sign of the peace - shaking hands or hugging other members of the faithful.

CATHOLIC CHURCH FOLLOWING OFFICIAL ADVICE

Father John O'Connor, Acting Director National Liturgy Office, said today that Catholic church leaders in New Zealand had yet to be directly told the latest advice by health authorities.

However, he acknowledged they had been strictly monitoring the situation and recommendations given by the Ministry Health on its website.

Earlier this week, Father O'Connor told the Herald: "The key point is that we are guided by the Ministry of Health and not what other countries or other churches are doing."

Today's advice comes as churches from various denominations around the world have already made changes to their traditional practices to help prevent the risk of Covid-19 spreading further.

The Diocese in Rome has stopped the sign of peace at its services and asked that people receive communion in the hand and not on the tongue.

French dioceses have also implemented the same new rule.