Next time you go to church, you may notice that the Holy water fonts will be empty.

Catholics use the water in the fonts to bless themselves as they enter church. Emptying the fonts is just one of the precautions the church is taking to combat the virus. Some bishops are also banning the distribution of consecrated wine through the common cup. Holy Communion will also be distributed to the recipients hand.

From HuffingtonPost.com:

“Given the frequency of direct contact with saliva in the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, every consideration should be given by each individual to receive Holy Communion reverently in open hands for the time being,” the Archdiocese of Chicago stated in guidelines issued Tuesday.

Italy has become the center of Europe’s coronavirus outbreak and Catholic bishops there have responded by cancelling Mass and encouraging the faithful to watch services from home. The Vatican has temporarily closed the Italian catacombs.

This isn’t the first time the use of fonts has been discouraged because of a virus. In this video, you see a creative solution that was born in Italy during a crisis with the swine flu.

Susan Saunders 3/5/20