Churches offer gluten-free bread for communion

Holy communion is being transformed by churches fearing the spread of infection and wanting to meet the dietary requirements of parishioners, reports news.com.au.

The ritual has long been celebrated in different ways by different churches, some only serving bread, others using individual cups rather than a shared chalice.

Now, even the more traditional Catholic and Anglican churches are changing the way they practise the ritual, according to Mike Grieger, whose Australian Church Resources organisation sells gluten-free and low-gluten altar bread to more than 2000 churches of different denominations.

"There is a greater move away from the common cup of wine for those that were using them, in case of spreading cold sores, or if someone has a sniffle, for example," Mr Grieger said.

"Those serving communion are publicly cleaning their hands with those sanitary squeeze bottle things.

Catholic Dean of St Stephen's Cathedral in Brisbane, Father Ken Howell, said some parishioners who could not eat wheat brought their own gluten-free wafers.

He said at times when there had been flu epidemics some churches had stopped distributing communion wine from the chalice.

Father Howell said church members distributing communion wine and wafers discreetly sanitised their hands.