From Catholic churches to Jewish synagogues, Islamic mosques and other religious institutions, many of the faithful are being asked to adapt to changes to practices and rituals in the face of coronavirus.
At St. Frances X. Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Yucaipa, Calif., the holy water fonts have been left dry. Parishioners must now bring their own water and ask the priest to bless it.
Religious communities built on the idea of gathering, celebrating, greeting, grieving and praying in a spirit of togetherness find themselves trying to create distance to fend off the spread of illness.Across California, more than 80 people have been infected with the coronavirus. In the U.S., there have been at least 381 confirmed cases, with most centered in Washington state, where 108 people have tested positive and 16 have died.
, including washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. But the Islamic Center also encouraged avoiding certain practices, including some of the very things that Nettabai did the moment he showed up for worship.Islamic Center spokesman Omar Ricci, 51, said it was understandably difficult to forgo certain gestures, even if it is — as hoped — a temporary measure.
There, religious director Muzammil Siddiqi has told people to follow the health advisories issued by the county or state. Orange County declared a“It is advised to all people that if you are not feeling well, don’t come,” Siddiqi said. “You can do your daily prayer at home.” The small fonts or containers usually found at the entrance of a church or chapel will not be filled, nor will the larger baptismal fonts, officials say.“We are discontinuing that for now,” said John Andrews, media director for the diocese. “People dip their fingers in it and that’s one way infection or a virus can be spread.”
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia worked with that city’s health department and shut down all services and classes. “Communion wine may not be offered in our churches … until we can be confident that the danger of mass COVID-19 infections has abated,” Taylor wrote.Religious institutions have also been urging followers to not give in to prejudice.issued a statement Feb. 28 asking members of the roughly 350 churches that span the Los Angeles region to avoid scapegoating or blaming AsiansWithin the church, there have been no changes to Communion.
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