BECAUSE
OF CORONAVIRUS, CHURCH MAY SWITCH TO COMMUNION FROM DISPOSABLE
SPOONS
Interfax-Religiia,
9
March 2020
The
Russian Orthodox Church has still not taken special measures of
protection from
the coronavirus, although it considers such a possibility.
"We
discussed this question at the latest session of the Supreme
Church Council. We
decided that we will not issue any orders or resolutions of a
prophylactic
nature, but if the scourge affects Russia or if it reaches other
countries of
the canonical space of the Russian Orthodox Church, then of
course we will
respond to it," the head of the Department for External Church
Relations,
Metropolitan Ilarion, reported on the program "Church and World"
on
the Rossiia-24 television channel.
He
said that Orthodox persons believe that viruses and illnesses
cannot be
transmitted through communion.
"But
if it comes to some kind of prohibitions or to some
recommendations, which we
are obligated to follow, then I do not rule out that in some
circumstances, for
example, they will use disposable spoons for communion, as is
already done now
when, for example, a priest visits a seriously ill person in the
hospital who .
. . is prescribed complete isolation and who has weakened
immunity," the
metropolitan said.
He
did not rule out the introduction in the future also of other
cautionary measures
in RPTs churches, including wearing medical masks.
Responding
to a question whether it is not simpler to close churches during
the epidemic,
Metropolitan Ilarion declared that for now the church has not
considered such
an option, except in those places where the scourge has already
arrived and
where urgent actions are required. "But naturally the church
will respond
to those requirements that are put forward by responsible
governmental
structures," he added.
The
metropolitan expressed concern about the spread of the "virus of
panic," which has penetrated those places where there is no
coronavirus,
through, among other things, the news media. As a believing
person he noted
that panic never helps, but what helps is the effective use of
medical means,
cancellation of air travel with countries where there has been
an outbreak of
the virus, and inspection of citizens who are coming from those
countries. (tr.
by PDS, posted 9 March 2020)
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