Communal spoon still used in Greek communion

A Greek church and its followers insist that no disease can be transmitted through Holy Communion, including new coronavirus.

coronavirus pandemic has overturned some of oldest religious rituals across world, including going to church.

Lined up one-by-one, Christians wait to receive Holy Communion while maintaining required social distance to prevent spre of COVID-19.

Holy Communion is a centuries-old ritual that sees priests dipping a spoon into a chalice and into mouth of worshippers.

But in a ssaloniki church, a priest does something that would make epidemiologists shudder - once he gives communion to one person, he dips same spoon back into chalice and into next person's mouth.

Since beginning of coronavirus pandemic, scientists have said that virus can spre through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks, or by a person contaminating ir hands and n touching ir face.

But Far Georgios Milkas, a ologist and priest in norrn Greek city of ssaloniki, said re was no danger of transmitting virus by using same spoon for many people.

"In holy chalice re aren't bre and wine. re are body and blood of Christ,'' Milkas said.

Holy Synod, church's governing body, said that suggesting illness or disease could be transmitted by Holy Communion constituted blasphemy.

When Greece imposed a lockdown to curb spre of coronavirus, churches were forced to close and Christians couldn't go to mass for nearly two months.

When ban on religious services was lifted on May 17, thousands of people flocked to churches across country.

After ordering churches to close, government has been more circumspect during lockdown easing and has avoided commenting on sensitive issue of communion.

In scientific community, concern is tempered by knowledge that going directly against powerful Orthodox Church into which an overwhelming majority of country's population is baptized, could be counter-productive.

Symeon Metallidis, associate professor of pathology and infectious diseases at Aristotle University of ssaloniki, who treated country's first known case of COVID-19, said people can't be stopped.

"Is re a danger of transmission through communion? My scientific view is 'yes.' If someone believes because of ir faith that y can take communion, y will. You can't stop anyone," he said.