Study of holy water consumed to treat gastrointestinal ailments in gold deposit areas of May-Hibey, Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, holy water is used to treat various ailments. This study examined the safety of holy water in May-Hibey, NW Tigray, Ethiopia consumed to treat gastrointestinal ailments. Sensory observation, compositional and elemental analyses of rock samples, and analyses of physicochemical properties and inorganic constituents of holy water samples were conducted. Sensory observation revealed that the water had a musty taste and rotten egg-like odor. Its consumption as drinking rituals caused instant vomiting and loose bowel. Geological studies of rock samples via X-ray diffraction revealed Si (62.456%), Fe (15.441%), and S (7.912%) as major elements. Physicochemical analyses of the holy water samples showed that temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, total alkalinity, total hardness, and concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, and sulfate were above the permissible limits of the World Health Organization and the Ethiopian Standards Agency. These imply that holy water is unsafe and may cause health complications. Patients believe instant vomiting and diarrhea after drinking rituals are parts of the treatment process. But such effects might be due to the high sulfate content and other chemical properties of the holy water. Studies for establishing the physiological effects of holy water on patients with gastrointestinal ailments are required.

Key Considerations: Social, Structural and Community Dynamics of Cholera Transmission and Mortality in Ethiopia

“…Holy water from natural springs Holy water is a common element of ritual prayers, spiritual cleansing and healing rituals among Orthodox Christian and Muslim Ethiopians throughout the country. 31,62 Holy water is frequently consumed, poured over or bathed in by people who are sick (including with gastrointestinal diseases 63,64 ) or who exhibit symptoms of a wide range of mental illnesses and spiritual afflictions. Holy water collected from natural springs is often stored for ritual use in churches, monasteries and mosques throughout the country.…”