Faith in an outbreak's shadow: Houses of worship in mainland China are closed. Protective cloth is over the grills in confessional boxes in the Philippines. Crowds have thinned at popular Japanese and Thai temples.
In this Feb. 10, 2020, photo, Catholic priest Fr. Joseph Arellano, right, looks at a man who forgot to take off his protective mask and tried to insert the host in his mouth during communion at a mass at the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Manila's Chinatown, Philippines. In a popular Catholic church in Manila, nearly half of the pews were empty for Sunday Mass.
Religious leaders should encourage Muslims to “trust the party” and avoid crowds, the Communist Party-controlled body that oversees China’s officially authorized mosques said in a statement. “We assimilate with parishioners and many other people. We know that the talk of the town is really this virus and it’s obvious that many are scared,” said the Rev. Siegfred Arellano, a priest at the Binondo church in the Philippine capital’s Chinatown.After consulting health experts, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines announced steps late last month to fight the virus.
Masses in Singapore’s Catholic churches have also been suspended indefinitely starting Saturday to contain the spread of the virus. The city-state has reported that 67 people have been infected, including a senior pastor and several members of the Grace Assembly of God church, which has shut down two premises and quarantined all staff.
Unlike public areas such as shopping malls, recreational centers and parks, discouraging the devout from going to their places of worship and imposing other restrictions on sacred sites can be extra sensitive. Amid the risks, some devotees consider going to religious gatherings as a test of faith.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Allure Podcast: Fashion Designers Philip Lim and Prabal Gurung on Asian-American Representation in Beauty, Fashion, and Film“Every opportunity you can, you show up. You speak up. You pull the chair out for each other. There's no such thing as a guaranteed free lunch right now for people of color.'
Read more »
No handshakes: Viral outbreak spooks Asian places of worshipTemporary restrictions and dwindling crowds in places of worship across Asia have underscored the extent of the scare over a viral outbreak that has permeated many aspects of life in the religiously diverse region
Read more »
New virus has infected more than 64,000 people globallyA viral outbreak that began in China has infected more than 64,000 people globally
Read more »
Consumer sentiment hits highest level since 2018 despite coronavirus outbreak - Business InsiderAmerican consumers were increasingly optimistic about the economy this month despite a deadly viral outbreak across at least two dozen countries.
Read more »
Shares step back as hopes of early end to coronavirus fadeGlobal shares eased on Friday, as investors were spooked by a sharp rise in the ...
Read more »
Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyondHere are the latest developments around the coronavirus outbreak:
Read more »