PARISHIONERS in Barrow and Ulverston will no longer be able to share the communion chalice amid fears of coronavirus.

Catholic churches will also remove hymn books and priests are told to no longer shake hands with parishioners at the end of a service.

Catholic parishioners attending churches throughout Cumbria this Sunday will be asked not to shake hands during the service and to refrain from following the traditional practice of blessing themselves with holy water from stoups at church entrances.

The moves are part of a raft of measures introduced this week by the Catholic Bishop of Lancaster, Rev Paul Swarbrick, in a bid to slow down transmission of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

Other measures introduced include no longer offering the congregation a shared chalice and removing hymn books from pews.

The diocesan chancellor, Canon Paul Embery, based in Ulverston, said that the Diocese of Lancaster is following public heath guidance, and recognises its responsibilities as a member of society.

He added: “We are supporting government efforts to slow down the spread of the virus, which in our case includes measures such as sanitising handles on church doors and asking clergy to observe best hygiene practice.

"We are also developing a protocol for priests who may fall ill, or who have to self-isolate, so that funerals and other events can still take place as normal.”

Similar measures are being implemented at Anglican churches.

Rev Carl Harding, the Priest-in-Charge of the South Barrow Ministry, said: "We are still using the shared chalice but we are advising parishioners to 'self-isolate' so if they are symptomatic then they won't use the chalice.

"It's mostly common sense. We are still using the hymn books."

The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion, was instituted by Jesus during the Last Supper; giving his disciples bread and wine during a Passover meal, Jesus commanded his disciples to "do this in memory of me" while referring to the bread as "my body" and the cup of wine as "the new covenant in my blood".

The elements of the Eucharist, sacramental bread (leavened or unleavened) and sacramental wine (or by some grape juice), are consecrated on an altar (or a communion table) before being handed out to parishioners to be consumed.