May 2020. This particular pandemic has led to unlimited effects across the board, many of which have trickled down into religious and spiritual matters. In most cultures, there is a deeply engrained process surrounding death. Whether this is tied to religion or not, there is a spiritual element to the process which is arguably essential in beginning the grieving period. A funeral is the first step in creating acceptance and closure for those closest to the deceased. Covid-19 has made this impossible though. For the sake of containing the virus, ordinary events such as grieving have taken on a brusque tone. As well as making it more difficult for families to find peace, it is saddening for those who have spent a lifetime practicing their religion to have to forfeit the final stage of their spiritual journey. In a devoutly Catholic country such as Italy, receival of the last rites is the final sacrament and is seminal in acceptance of death for both the sick and their family. Yet infection control —– together with a shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment) has made securing this final sacrament from a priest increasingly difficult. Priests are having to decide whether to visit the infectious or not. In Italy alone (as of the second week of April), it is thought that some 90 priests have sadly lost their lives to Covid-19.
May 2020. Covid 19 and Religion in the UK
