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You might have to go without the wine if you are a Christian and are looking to celebrate the Lord’s Supper in Bihar. The Bihar government has cancelled the exclusive licence extended to

churches to make sacramental wine to be offered during prayer services stating that it is a violation to complete liqour prohibition in the State.  The churches were earlier exempted because

of religious reasons allowing them to use wine during prayer services, reports _The Telegraph._ “All kinds of liquor are banned under prohibition and use of sacramental wine was not in

conformity to it. There were chances of its misuse so the licence given to the winery for its production has been cancelled,” Excise commissioner Aditya Kumar Das told _The Telegraph._ The

Christian community, taken aback by the decision, expressed concerns over the future prayer service saying that the wine was being precisely used for symbolic purpose during prayers and not

to get drunk.  “I am at a loss for words to react on this issue. Maybe we will represent our case to the state authorities and appeal to them that use of sacramental wine is an integral part

of our religious fabric, and it should be allowed in Bihar, just like it is done universally.” Father Devasia Mattathilani, spokesperson of the Patna Archdiocese told _The Telegraph. _ The

relief was given to the churches even during the previous prohibition period from 1977 to 1980. Around 150 churches in the State obtain wine from a winery at the Xavier’s Teachers Training

Institute campus in Patna that has been producing and bottling wine since 1960s.  Church sources told _The Telegraph_ that the issue would be brought into the notice of the national church

bodies who will decide the future course of action. (Feature Image Source: Pixabay)