Recitals of poetry and music are also banned for this reason. Under government jurisdiction, however, no small groups may meet in public buildings or private homes (including vicarages) unless they are support groups. Instructions for making ash (whether from palm crosses or something else) can be shared with congregations.” “Ministers may wish to encourage the imposition of ash within households, especially if public worship is not taking place.
The practice is recommended only in a church or churchyard, but worshippers are invited to impose ashes on one another at home. If ash is being produced locally, this should be done in a hygienic manner.” The temptation should be resisted to use a single-use implement to apply ash to the forehead. “If the minister accidentally touches the recipient, they must sanitize hands again. The use of oil may, therefore, be unnecessary. New C of E guidance for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, published on Tuesday, however, states that priests should sanitise their hands immediately before the imposition of ashes begins, stand at “arm’s length” from the recipient, and “sprinkle” the ashes on each recipient’s head “without touching them or speaking any words”. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.” In normal times, to mark the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, the priest would mark a cross on the forehead of each recipient and recite the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Churches may choose to reopen for Lent services, by which time the lockdown will have been reviewed by the Government. While government guidance permits places of worship in England to remain open under the current restrictions, many churches have chosen to close anyway to mitigate the risk of coronavirus infection. THE imposition of ashes will be permitted during Ash Wednesday services next month, with precautions, for Church of England churches that are open for public worship during the current lockdown, new guidance states.
0 kommentar(er)
