A Poisoned Chalice?

You'd Think The Alcohol Would Kill The Bugs!

Uh oh... Something's rotten in Denmark, er... England.

Poisoned chalice? Swine flu hits church wine
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The archbishops of Canterbury and York are recommending that churches stop sharing the chalice at communion over swine flu fears, the Church of England said Thursday.

The archbishops wrote a letter to all Church of England bishops with the recommendation. It follows government advice not to share "common vessels" for food or drink so as not to spread the virus.

In the Anglican Church, worshippers commonly drink from the same chalice during communion. The chalice is wiped before the next person drinks from it.

For churches that still wish to offer both bread and wine, the archbishops recommend the priest dip communion wafers in the chalice before handing them out to those taking communion.

"The Department of Health have recently advised us that 'in a pandemic it makes good sense to take precautions to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink,'" the archbishops write in the letter.

Oh, dear... Someone's stray spittle might be carrying the swine flu bugs!

Just remember the immortal words of Danny Kaye in 'The Court Jester': (More or less...)

Hawkins: I've got it! I've got it! The spittle with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?
Griselda: Right. But there's been a change: they broke the chalice from the palace!
Hawkins: They *broke* the chalice from the palace?
Griselda: And replaced it with a flagon.
Hawkins: A flagon...?
Griselda: With the figure of a dragon.
Hawkins: Flagon with a dragon.
Griselda: Right.
Hawkins: But did you put the spittle with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?
Griselda: No! The spittle with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!
Hawkins: The spittle with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.