To help prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Church of England has made the decision to prohibit the use of the Common Cup for Holy Communion.
Instead of passing around the cup of wine during the Eucharist, the Anglican cathedral will no longer do so during Holy Communion.
The Common Cup, which is traditionally reused multiple times and passed from one person to another, is used for individuals to drink wine or grape juice as a representation of Jesus’ blood.
The Church of England has also advised worshippers to avoid shaking hands during the ‘Sign of the Peace’.
With the Common Cup practice being discontinued, congregants will only partake of bread or wafers, symbolizing Jesus’ body.
A spokesperson stated, ‘St Paul’s Cathedral is closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and adhering to all government and Church of England guidelines.’
‘Measures taken include the removal of the Common Cup during services, increased cleaning routines, and provision of hand sanitizer for staff catering to the public.’
‘Despite this, the Cathedral continues to remain open and has welcomed visitors and worshippers this week.’