Common Utensils in Religious Ceremonies: Safety Issues

B a c k g r o u n d . The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the issue of the safety of using shared utensils in religious ceremonies. Compilation and systematization of the reports of specialized experts and scientists made it possible to reveal the role of the Eucharistic cup, altars, protective glass for objects of honor, crosses in the spread of infectious diseases. As far as we know, this scientific investigation is the first attempt in domestic religious studies to involve in the study of issues of religious-infectious safety messages from the specialized scientific literature in the field of infectious diseases. The study of the sphere of freedom of religion is introduced into the context of the religious studies problem "religious security-danger". M e t h o d s . The deduction method is used to formulate conclusions regarding the role of the common communion cup in the possible spread of measles and the COVID-19 virus. The dialectical method is used to investigate differences of belief. R e s u l t s . The monitoring of messages from the official websites of religious organizations in Ukraine (Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, UOC) regarding the introduction of precautionary measures in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic was carried out, the information was summarized. On the basis of data on the role of shared utensils in the spread of infectious diseases with airborne transmission, an assumption was made regarding the importance of the shared Eucharistic cup and spoon in the theoretical transmission of the measles virus during the communion procedure. C o n c l u s i o n s . Previous conclusions about the importance of the role of memorial objects in the spread of infectious diseases have been refuted.