Church-goers actually only know empty holy water fonts from Good Friday, but the corona pandemic has also imposed some restrictions on the faithful. No more chants in the service, no more handshakes when greeting the peace, no sign of the cross with holy water when entering the church.
In the meantime, people are singing again and you can nod to each other when you hear the greeting of peace, but the issue of water has not yet been resolved. The only thing that is certain is that not everyone wants to dip their fingers in the basin during pandemic times. There is now a solution in Bamberg Cathedral. The “Holy Drop”, a free-standing tap on the holy water font, automatically and contactlessly dispenses a drop of consecrated water when someone puts their hand under it.
And no, there is no risk of confusion, emphasizes Birgit Kastner, the main department head for art and culture in the professorship: The Holy Drop “differs significantly from the disinfectant dispensers due to its high-quality design”.