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