Catholics told to avoid kissing cross

Catholics told to avoid kissing cross

MALAYSIA: Malaysian Catholics have been advised not to kiss the cross during this year's Easter ceremonies in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly SARS virus, it was reported on Tuesday.

Instead, they have been told to simply bow before the cross, the Kota Kinabalu diocese said in a circular to all churches in the capital of the eastern Sabah state on Borneo island.

Worshippers have also been advised to bow to their fellow Christians instead of shaking hands during the "sign of the peace" ceremony, the circular said.

During Holy communion, where churchgoers share the ceremonial breaking and eating of bread, the bread can be placed on the hands instead of the tongue, it was reported by the Star newspaper as saying.

Malaysia has reported four "probable" cases of the rapidly spreading atypical pneumonia known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which has killed more than 150 people worldwide. --DPA