The Catholic Church reintroduced handshakes during mass, according to a report Saturday.
The continued loosening of pandemic-era protocols by the church was relayed in a letter from the Italian Bishops’ Conference, publicized by the country’s public broadcaster, RAI, and other Italian media.
“It will be possible to restore the usual form of exchanging the sign of peace,” the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) said in a letter to bishops published on its website.
Handshakes typically occur with the “sign of peace,” which comes after the Lord’s prayer and before the sacrament of Holy Communion in the Catholic mass.
During the pandemic the greeting was prohibited, and last year the CEI partially restored the greeting but only through eye contact or a bow of the head.