Responses of Faith Communities To The Pandemic

Pandemonium has been caused by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has affected places in varying degrees. Questions have been raised on how religious groups and leaders are contributing – positively and negatively – to the present Coronavirus chaos. Safe religious gatherings, adjusting to new traditions, advocacy, and promoting effective communication are some of the challenges that are being addressed by religious leaders.

Nurses pray on a hospital helipad.

Governments around the world have been prompted by the rising spread of the Coronavirus to impose lockdown orders and implement social distancing measures to fight COVID-19. Important religious holidays and festivals were celebrated unusually. Salient practices and prayers are being held in the confinement of people's houses. 

In response to the pandemic, the Great Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia closed for Umrah visitors and banned touching Kaaba on March 5th, after which it was partially reopened on March 7th. On March 20th, both the Great Mosque of Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi were closed to the public, and continued even during Ramadan. Religious leaders in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have strongly urged people to pray in their homes and avoid congregational prayers. Muslims throughout the world celebrated  Eid el-Fitr in their homes due to the restrictions.

The cathedral of Saint John the Divine, which belongs to the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of New York has volunteered itself to be used as a hospital for Coronavirus patients, and will be cared for by the Samaritan's Purse health workers who have offered their services. In-person worship has been suspended in the Church of England and in the state church, as well as in other Ecclesiastical provinces of the Anglican communion in the world. During the traditional Christian season of Lent, many Christian denominations cancelled the liturgies normally held in the Holy Week.

The Catholic Church in Nigeria donated its hospitals to be used as isolation centers by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC. In the bid to control the spread of the virus, many Catholic dioceses have advised elderly Christians to stay home rather than attending the normal Sunday Mass. Various church denominations have provided services available via the radio, television and online live-streaming. 

The Hindu festival of Holi was celebrated cautiously before enforcement of lockdowns started. The festival of Panguni Uthiram, which is usually connected with processions, was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Many other Hindu festivals and various regional Hindu new year days all have to be celebrated at home by Hindus worldwide.

Jewish festivals of Purim and Passover were celebrated within people's houses because of the pandemic. The chief rabbi in the United Kingdom advised that the worship in synagogue by Jews be suspended.

Despite efforts of several communities of faith to ameliorate the unusual present state, religious leaders that are unwilling to cooperate are aiding the spread of the virus. Some tell their followers that the Coronavirus is just political propaganda by the government, insisting that COVID-19 is not real.

Some faithfuls believe that the pandemic has been sent by God as a punishment, suggesting it is a period for everyone to be penitent. However, faith communities are taking steps to support the government through their services, both in rural and urban areas. They are reaching out to people on the importance of washing their hands and use of sanitizers. Simultaneously, they have created means of providing food and other requisites to vulnerable families during quarantine. Members have also been encouraged to assist the vulnerable around them.

Faith-based institutions and religious establishments have offered some compromise in an effort to palliate the current situation, while adjusting to the new reality. Their assistance has been not only for people who have the same beliefs as them, but inter-faith based as well. The pandemic has not just increased the inter-faith dialogue, but has shown that more should be done. The Coronavirus knows no religion, which is why we all need to come together to fight it, uniting everyone in this period and beyond.

Blessing Stephen is a prefrosh from Nigeria. She loves writing, and is interested in educational equity and girls' rights. She plans on studying medicine.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views or positions of Converge Interfaith.