Trivia: The Burial of Pope John Paul II

The burial ceremony of Pope John Paul II was the first time that the British Crown Prince, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and the Archbishop of Canterbury were all concurrent;y in attendance at the funeral of a Pope.

The Flu Epidemic

15.This may seem to be off topic, but actually it is not.  Church services are gatherings of people, so anything which would affect the gatherings is a legitimate topic of discussion.  Currently in the United States and numerous other countries there are spreading influenza (“flu”) and norovirus  epidemics.

The H3N2 Influenza A virus is the predominant virus rapidly diffusing across the United States (as of today it has spread to 41 states).  As of 31 December 2012, 2200 persons have been hospitalized and over 18 children have died.  Annually, various forms of the flu kill an average of 36,000 persons in the United States alone.  The route of transmission of the H3N2 virus this time appears  to be East and Southeast Asia, to Australia and New Zealand, then to North America, Europe, and finally South America.  Basically, everyone.

The norovirus is not flu but is a gastrointestinal virus which causes vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, and stomach cramping.  It appears to be spreading in the following path: Australia to the United States, France, New Zealand, Japan, and Great Britain.  It lasts about three days and is not likely to kill anyone who is not already immunocompromised or debilitated.

There are numerous things which people can do to lessen their chances of contracting these viruses.

1.     Wash your hands often, especially after touching anything public such as doorknobs, hand rails, toilet handles, etc.

2.     If sanitary wipes or sanitary hand foam are provided, use them.

3.     Wipe your phone after someone else uses it.

4.     Wipe the handles of carts or baskets at shopping malls.

5.     Use your knuckle or the end of a pen to push the buttons on an elevator.

6.     Keep your hands away from your face, and out of your mouth, nose, or eyes.

7.     If advised to do so by public health officials, do not hesitate to wear a mask in public.

8.     Wash clothing thoroughly and machine dry.  Wash your hands after handling the clothing.

9.     Do not eat raw foods; thoroughly cook fish, meats, poultry, and seafood.  Wash fruits and vegetables under running water before processing them.  Wash your hands after handling uncooked food.

10. Avoid drinking from public fountains if at all possible.

11. Do not share cups, glasses, or eating utensils with other people, especially anyone noticeably sick.

12. If someone is repeatedly coughing or sneezing you might want to move away from them.

13. Sneeze into a napkin, handkerchief, or your shirt sleeve.

14. Before sitting on a public toilet, put down a paper seat cover.  If one is not available, lay down toilet paper on which to sit.

At least during the epidemics, it might be wise not to use a communal communion cup.  If everyone puts his or her mouth on the cup, medically it is the same as if everyone used the same toothbrush.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Sung Shang-Chieh: (b. 1901, China – d. 1944; aka: Song Shang-Jie; John Sung; Little Pastor) Evangelist, revivalist in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Over 100,000 converts. He worked with Watchman Nee. Wesleyan Methodist.

Pachomius: (b. ca 292, Egypt – d. 348; aka. Pakhom, Pachome, Pakhomius) Pachomius’ name in Coptic means “the falcon.”  He is considered to be the founder of Christian cenobitic monasticism.  After being involuntarily conscripted into the Roman army, he became a Christian and follower of the hermit, Palaemon.  Before Pachomius, Christian asceticism was solitary; he organized the hermits into communities.

Mary of Egypt: (b. ca. 344, Egypt – d. ca. 421; aka. Maria Aegyptica) Mary was not a prostitute but appears to have been a sexually promiscuous nymphomaniac from the age of twelve.  At age twenty-six, she underwent a religious conversion and became an ascetic.  She lived the rest of her life as a hermit in the desert near the Jordan River.

Lech Aleksander Kaczynski: (b. 1949, Poland – d. 2010) Anti-Communist President of the Republic of Poland.  He and his wife, Maria Kaczynska, died in an airplane crash in 2010. (Ninty-six people died in the crash.)

Spencer Perceval: (b. 1762 – d. 1812)  Perceval was an ardent opponent of the slave trade and served, from 1809, as the British Prime Minister until his assassination in 1812.