Ebola: Catholic Church resumes normal practices on Holy Communion, Sign of Peace

The Catholic Church in Nigeria has lifted the suspension placed on receiving of Holy Communion through the tongue and handshakes as a sign of peace in the event of the Ebola virus outbreak in Nigeria.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria at the weekend asked all priests and lay faithful to revert to the normal practice following the WHO’s declaration in October that the country is Ebola-free.

The church also directed that holy water founts at the entrance of churches be filled again with holy water.

Part of the circular signed by the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, which was circulated to all Catholic Churches in Lagos Archdiocese, and across the country, reads:

I refer to our special circular of August, 2014 on the outbreak of Ebola Virus in which we directed that the 'sign of peace' through pastoral handshake be omitted, and the holy water fonts be left dry and permitted in the interim, the reception of Holy Communion in the hand, as an extraordinary practice while the Ebola alert was on. We thank God that the steps we took to contain the spread of the Ebola Virus, have been most helpful as Nigeria is now declared an Ebola free nation. To this end, we hereby direct that the church reverts to the normal and ordinary practices prior to the Ebola disease saga."