Avoid kissing religious images, Catholics told

MANILA, Philippines — The Diocese of Borongan in Eastern Samar yesterday said the Catholic faithful should avoid kissing religious images or wiping their handkerchiefs on these statues as a deterrent against the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The diocese’s chancery yesterday issued guidelines on how the faithful could protect themselves from being infected by nCoV acute respiratory disease.  

One is to “encourage greater restraint and prudence in the kissing of statues or images, or in wiping handkerchiefs on them,” said the diocese’s chancellor Fr. Neil Tenefrancia. 

The chancery also advised taking the communion host in the hand; discouraged people from holding hands during the prayer and singing of “Our Father,” and not to shake hands during the sign of peace in mass. 

They recommended the praying of the Oratio Imperata on the 2019-nCoV in all weekday and Sunday masses. The special prayer would be recited while kneeling down post-communion.