-
A prototype of a holy water dispenser invented by Luciano Marabese - Source: Reuters -
Related
An Italian inventor has combined faith and ingenuity to come up
with a way to keep church traditions alive for the faithful without
the fear of contracting swine flu - an electronic holy water
dispenser.
The terracotta dispenser, used in the northern town of Fornaci di
Briosco, functions like an automatic soap dispenser in public
washrooms - a churchgoer waves his or her hand under a sensor and
the machine spurts out holy water.
"It has been a bit of a novelty. People initially were a bit
shocked by this technological innovation but then they welcomed it
with great enthusiasm and joy. The members of this parish have got
used to it," said Father Pierangelo Motta.
Catholics entering and leaving churches usually dip their hands
into fonts full of holy water - which has been blessed by a priest
- and make the sign of the cross.
But fear of contracting the H1N1 virus has led many in Italy -
where some 15 people have died of swine flu - not to dip their
hands in the communal water font.
"It's great," said worshipper Marta Caimm as she entered the
church.
"Thanks to this we are not worried about catching swine flu. It
is the right thing for the times," she said.
Luciano Marabese, who invented the dispenser, said he did so out of
concern that fear of swine flu was eroding traditions.
And he is now blessing himself all the way to the bank.
"After all the news that some churches, like Milan's cathedral,
were suspending the use of holy water fonts as a measure against
swine flu, demands for my invention shot to the stars. I have
received orders from all over the world," he said.
