Posted on 07/22/2009 5:23:11 AM PDT by markomalley
Swine flu has spurred the Church of England to revive a rule drawn up more than 450 years ago when bubonic plague swept the land.
As concern mounts about the spread of the virus, which has killed at least 29 people in the UK, some Anglican churches have begun to allow “intinction” or dipping bread in communion wine rather than sharing the chalice, while others have stopped offering wine altogether. The practices are permitted under the 1547 Sacrament Act, introduced after the plague, which requires both bread and wine to be given “except necessity otherwise require”.
In London’s Southwark diocese parishioners have been advised to hug rather than shake hands as a “sign of the peace”, while in Chelmsford they have been discouraged from using shared holy water stoops to dip their fingers and make the sign of the cross.
Similar practices have emerged in the Catholic church, with some priests now passing bread into worshippers’ hands rather than on to the tongue.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
What would Shakespeare do?
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