As the fear of the spread of Ebola virus sweeps across Nigeria, Catholic priests have been told to skip the traditional rite of peace during mass.

The rite of peace, also known as the sign of peace, involves shaking hands of fellow congregants, online newspaper, Premium Times, reported.

According to Catholic Online, the sign of peace is intended for religious communion and mutual charity among member

In a statement released by the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Adewale Martins, entitled: The Outbreak of Ebola Virus – a pastoral approach, Martins said the rite is optional.

He said: “Taking into consideration the fact that this rite is optional, we shall henceforth omit it i.e. not invite people to offer the sign of peace. When you get to this rite, skip it. Note also, that the recent Circular from the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments acknowledged this when it stated: ‘It is completely legitimate to affirm that it is not necessary to invite ‘mechanistically’ to exchange the sign of peace.’”

The Archbishop told priests to maintain the traditional hand to mouth method of giving Holy Communion until a decision is reached on the issue next week when the bishops of the province meet.

Catholic churches in Lagos adhered to the church’s effort to checkmate the spread of the Ebola virus as the “sign of peace” ritual which entailed shaking of hands with fellow brethren, was virtually skipped at Sunday masses.

CEOAFRICA  which visited some parishes in Yaba, Badagry, Ipaja, Ojoo areas of Lagos observed that priests discouraged this part of the mass as a precautionary step to avoid the spread of the disease.

This development, obviously, was in tune with a recent circular to priests issued by the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, instructing that since this rite was optional, citing the recent Circular from the “Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments,” it should henceforth be omitted.

Meanwhile, Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese, Archbishop Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin, has called for caution and prayers with the hope that the spread of the disease will be curtailed.

CEOAFRICA also gathered that a meeting to deliberate on the diocese’s way of addressing the Ebola scourge is scheduled to hold this week.

Similarly, Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has called for precautionary steps to avoid spread of the disease.

Meanwhile, The Primate of the Church Of Nigeria Anglican Communion, the Most Revd Nicholas Okoh, on Sunday in Abuja said the church would from September roll out measures to its faithful as pre-condition to ward off the rampaging Ebola virus.

But before September, he said, the church would start to implement some measures in the conduct of its Holy Communion service.

He, therefore, announce the suspension of the shaking of hands during exchange of the peace, and also the age - long mouth method of administering communion.

Primate Okoh while delivering a sermon at the Cathedral Church Of The Advent Life Camp, Abuja, said communicants would from Sunday dip bread in the wine and into their mouths. This is aimed at preventing the spread of the disease.

Communicants adhered strictly to this instruction while receiving the communion in the church yesterday.

The Primate said other stringent measures would be announced in September after the meeting of the Church in council in Enugu.

He said it was exigent for the church to take drastic measures to curb the fast spread of the deadly disease.