The Archbishop of Australia, His Eminence Makarios, issued an encyclical, where he called on the faithful to strictly follow guidelines and directions issued by public health officials regarding the global coronavirus outbreak.
Among others, His Eminence stresses that “…Since many Christians are asking if the virus is transmitted through Holy Communion, I responsibly assure every faithful person that up until now in the history of our Church, there have never been any cases where an epidemic of infectious disease has been transmitted through Holy Communion.
“However, the Holy Archdiocese of Australia understands the reservations and insecurities of some people, who refrain from receiving Holy Communion out of a fear that this will cause the transmission of the virus. All those who abstain from receiving Holy Communion during this period of crisis, are certainly not considered to be indifferent to, or opponents of, the faith and the Church. We understand their position and do not desire that, under any circumstances, they fill their conscience with feelings of guilt. Besides, the spiritual life is about freedom without force, it leads to internal joy and peace of the soul only when it has nothing to do with situations that give rise to coercion and pressure.”