It was reported that the Catholic church of Italy reintroduced handshakes as a 'sign of peace' when it comes to mass. Business World said that this was because of the relaxation of the COVID-19 measures.
According to the Italian Bishops' Conference, the handshake is a step towards restoring the usual form of exchange when it comes to the sign of peace.
Handshakes as a Sign of Peace
The article said that the gesture usually comes after the 'Lord's Prayer' and before communion as an expression of common faith. During the pandemic, the gesture was abolished as it went against COVID-19 safety protocols. As such, instead of the gesture, the church directed the churchgoers to instead look at each other or bow their heads.
It added that even with the gesture, the parishioners are still directed to sanitize their hands before entering the church.
Sign of Peace
According to Ascension, the "sign of peace" is a relatively young tradition within the Catholic Church as it was only added half a century ago. The gesture is usually accompanied by the phrase "Christ's Peace be with you" or simply "Peace be with you." The earliest record of the gesture was by St. Justin Martyr in 155 AD who wrote, 'When the prayers are concluded, we exchange the kiss' (CCC 1345).
The article said that Pope Benedict XVI explained how the Catholic church came about the practice. The pope said in his Sacramentum Caritatis that it is because the nature of the Eucharist is a sacrament of peace. Also, it is a sign of mankind's desire for peace.
During the pandemic, especially at its height, the practice was omitted by the churches to protect the parishioners.
Also Read: Christians Become a Minority in England, Raises Questions for Disestablishment of Church of England
Italy During COVID 19
According to the World Economic Forum, the country was fourth when it came to the highest death toll back in 2020.
Even though the country is a considerably wealthy region, the deaths during the pandemic came from several factors. These factors include the elderly population, social structure, an underfunded health system, and a lack of structural preparedness.
As for the elderly population, the article said that the country had the oldest population in Europe with 22.8% of its population belonging to the 65 year old and higher demographic. Also, it is one of the countries with the highest life expectancies at 83 years old.
It added that as such, the problem occurred as even though the Italians lived love lives, they were not healthy as more than half of the age group had at least two underlying health conditions and almost half took about five different medications every day.
As for the country's healthcare, it apparently faced more than two decades of constant cuts, an issue that proved to be fatal during the pandemic. There's also the lack of doctors, nurses, and hospital personnel as a result of the cuts. The article said that the cuts came from a past effort of the government to contain its national debt.
The first wave of the pandemic alone took about 35,000 Italian lives.
Related Articles: Top Biblical Sites You Should Consider Visiting To Deepen Your Christian Faith
