Maintaining a safe distance in every activity has become the new normal after the coronavirus pandemic. And to adhere to the notion, this Roman Catholic Priest in Detroit had a quirky take on holy rituals. He used a water squirt (which we Indians call a pichkari) to spray holy waters and bless the Easter flowers, food and passersby. Blessing of Easter baskets is customary in many churches. People carry baskets or boxes containing food and flowers to the churches, and the priest sprinkles holy water on them. Amid the pandemic, Father Tim Pelc did not want the parish kids to miss out on the ‘Easter feels’. That’s when he decided to go ahead with the idea of the water-pistol.
How Did It Start?
Tim Pelc wanted to do something that would allow him to observe the Easter customs and maintain the protocols of social distancing at the same time. Therefore, he consulted with his friend, who also happens to be an emergency doctor. After discussions, he performed the ritual of sprinkling water while reading the Holy Bible, wearing masks and gloves. St. Ambrose Parish had posted pictures of the same on Facebook which didn’t receive much attention in the beginning.
Blessing of the Easter Foods, April 11, 2020Adapting to the need for social distancing, St. Ambrose continued it's…
St. Ambrose Parish यांनी वर पोस्ट केले रविवार, १२ एप्रिल, २०२०
Once one of the pictures was posted on Twitter, it took the internet by storm. The tweet has garnered about 573K likes and 129K reshares within a span of just three days.
A Priest giving social distance blessings with a squirt pistol and what, I'm assuming, is Holy water. 2020 folks. pic.twitter.com/iDnYs33hs9
— Jeff Barnaby (@tripgore) May 15, 2020
Also Read: This Portuguese Priest Turns Into A DJ At Night To Cheer People During The Lockdown
What’s More?
The celebration of the Holy Week of Easter happened almost virtually this year. In order to combat the spread of the virus, many churches all across the world live-streamed their masses and services. Apart from Easter celebrations, popular international festivals like Germany’s Oktoberfest and Spain’s San Fermin have also been postponed.
Also Read: The 5000-Year-Old Tomb Of Queen Meresankh III In Egypt Is Now Offering A Free Virtual Tour
As thousands of people have prayed from their homes this Easter, the Almighty has definitely listened to them. We believe that he will use his magical powers to heal the world from this deadly pandemic soon.