• Menu
  • Menu
  • News
  • Subscribe now
    Digital subscription Print subscription Print+Digital (Bundle)
  • Logout
Digital subscription
Print subscription
Print+Digital (Bundle)
Trending
UAE holidays 2022 UAE weekend change Golf in UAE MS Talks Year of the 50th
  • Latest News
  • UAE
    • Weekend change
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Year of the 50th
      • News
      • UAE's Progress
      • Photos
      • Videos
      • People
      • Culture
      • Milestones
      • Future
    • Health
      • Why Worry
    • Transport
    • Science
    • Weather
    • Ask the Law
    • Games
    • Reader Complaint
    • UAE's Hope Probe
  • Living In UAE
    • Visa+Immigration
    • Housing
    • Phone+Internet
    • Banking
    • Transport
    • Health
    • Education
    • Relocate
    • Ask Us
    • Safety+Security
  • UAE Success Stories
  • Business
    • Banking
    • Aviation
    • Property
    • Energy
    • Analysis
    • Tourism
    • Markets
    • Retail
    • Corporate News
  • Best Buys
    • Electronics
    • Home and Kitchen
    • Offers
    • Consumables
    • Lifestyle
  • Your Money
    • Saving and Investment
    • Budget Living
    • Taxation
    • Expert Columns
    • Community Tips
    • Cryptocurrency
  • Food
    • Cooking and Cuisines
    • Guide to Cooking
  • Games
    • Daily Crossword
    • Sudoku
    • Word Search
    • Spell It
    • Play
  • Play Games
  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy & Baby
    • Learning & Play
    • Child Health
    • For Mums & Dads
    • Ask Us
    • Games
  • Discounts
  • Magical Dubai
    • Dubai Life
    • Live the Luxury
    • Culture and History
    • Adventure
    • Staying Connected
  • World
    • Gulf
      • Bahrain
      • Kuwait
      • Oman
      • Qatar
      • Saudi
      • Yemen
      • Games
    • Mena
    • Europe
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
      • India
      • Pakistan
      • Philippines
    • Oceania
    • Offbeat
    • Coronavirus
    • Infographics
    • Games
  • Special Reports
  • Photos
    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Readers' Photos
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Eds
    • Letters
    • Off the Cuff
    • From the Editors
  • Sport
    • UAE Sport
    • Horse Racing
      • Dubai World Cup
    • Cricket
      • IPL
        • Chennai
        • Delhi
        • Punjab
        • Kolkata
        • Mumbai
        • Rajasthan
        • Bangalore
        • Hyderabad
        • Schedule
        • Live Scores
        • Point Table
        • Top Scorers
      • ICC
      • T20 World Cup 2021
        • Schedule
        • Live Scores
        • Point Table
        • Top Scorers
    • Motorsport
    • Football
    • Tennis
    • Rugby
    • Golf in UAE
      • UAE
      • World
      • Photos & Videos
      • Course Reviews
      • Eagle Eye
      • Learn to Play
      • Gear
  • Entertainment
    • Hollywood
    • Bollywood
    • Pakistani Cinema
    • South Indian
    • Arab Celebs
    • Music
    • TV
    • Books
    • Theatre
    • Arts+Culture
  • Expo 2020
    • News
    • Photos
    • Pavilions
    • Visit the Expo
    • Experience the UAE
    • Entertainment
    • Videos
    • Buy tickets
  • Going Out
  • Auto
    • News
    • Test Drives
    • Car Culture
    • Auto Care
  • Lifestyle
    • Health+Fitness
    • Community
    • Fashion
  • GN Reach
  • Jobs
  • Tech
    • Electronics
    • Gaming
    • Media
  • Videos
    • How-To
    • Best Of Bollywood
    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Business
    • Sport
    • Community
    • Technology
  • Travel
  • GN Focus
    • Special Features
  • Ms Talks
  • The Kurator
    • Share
    • Dare
    • Flair
  • Bayat Chapters
  • Gold-Forex
  • Notifications
  • Gold/Forex
  • Prayer Times
  • Cinema Listing
  • Buy Expo Tickets
  • About Gulf News
  • Contact us
  • Work with us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Gulf News store
  • Advertise with us
  • Reach by GN
  • GN Focus
  • Gulf News epaper
  • Sitemap
  • Have your say
    • © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2022. All rights reserved.
    Lockdown tests faith in COVID-19-hit Philippines

    Photos

    Login / Sign Up
    Logout
    Saturday, January 22, 2022
    Gold / Forex

    Photos News

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Readers' Photos
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Sports
    All Sections

    Lockdown tests faith in COVID-19-hit Philippines

    After months of livestreaming mass, churches in the Philippines are beginning to reopen

    Published:  October 10, 2020 13:21 AFP  and  Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor
    1 of 15
    faith gallery
    Manila: After months of livestreaming mass to millions of faithful from behind closed doors, churches in the Catholic-majority Philippines are beginning to reopen. But strict coronavirus rules mean worship is still far from normal, and the contagion spreading across the deeply religious country has forced churches to get creative to meet the spiritual needs of their congregations. Image Credit: AFP
    2 of 15
    faith gallery
    In the usually packed Baclaran Church in the capital Manila - which has the highest number of infections in the archipelago - temperature guns, hand sanitiser, contact-tracing forms and uniformed security guards greet the faithful wearing masks and plastic face shields. Social distancing rules limit three people to pews that normally sit 10 and every second bench is left empty in the cavernous church where thousands of worshippers once flocked for mass. Image Credit: AFP
    3 of 15
    faith gallery
    Face coverings must be worn at all times - even when believers take the piece of bread given to them during the Holy Communion by a priest or minister who is not exempt from the protocols. Holy water fonts - into which people used to dip their fingers to make the sign of the cross - are dry and covered with a white cloth. Image Credit: AFP
    4 of 15
    faith gallery
    Religious icons are in storage or behind fences to prevent people from touching and kissing them - a common practice believed to help cure the sick but that could now help spread COVID-19. Image Credit: AFP
    5 of 15
    faith gallery
    "It feels so strange," said Rachel Mendioro, who is eight-months pregnant with her first child and is praying for a safe delivery. "Seeing few people (inside the church) gives you a different vibe. It really tells you that the world is facing a problem right now." Image Credit: AFP
    6 of 15
    faith gallery
    With churches in Manila limited to filling only 10 percent of their seating capacity and many still fearful of infection, online mass remains popular. Services livestreamed on the Baclaran Church's Facebook page receive as many as 50,000 views - a five-fold increase from before the pandemic. Image Credit: AFP
    7 of 15
    faith gallery
    Elsewhere in the country, drive-by communion services have been introduced and some priests are visiting the homes of their congregants to hear confession. Image Credit: AFP
    8 of 15
    faith gallery
    A church lay minister distributing communion to catholic faithful inside their vehicle at a drive thru communion space in Angeles City, Pampanga. Image Credit: AFP
    9 of 15
    faith gallery
    Image Credit: AFP
    10 of 15
    faith gallery
    Other churches have opted to hold their services entirely online until the health crisis eases. Teejay Bagasbas, 51, and her family may have to wait until next year before they can attend a service at the conservative International Churches of Christ. Image Credit: AFP
    11 of 15
    faith gallery
    Teejay Bagasbas and her family attend an online religious service at their home in San Juan City, suburban Manila. Image Credit: AFP
    12 of 15
    faith gallery
    For now, they sit in their courtyard and watch the livestreamed version, taking communion using pre-packaged bread and grape juice made by local company Holy Cup, which has reported a three-fold increase in sales during the outbreak. "If there is something good that is brought about by the pandemic (it) is that the church was brought into each other's homes," Bagasbas said. Image Credit: AFP
    13 of 15
    faith gallery
    Susan Montealegre owner of local company Holy Cup, showing their product, a pre-packaged bread and grape juice in Manila. Image Credit: AFP
    14 of 15
    faith gallery
    For now, they sit in their courtyard and watch the livestreamed version, taking communion using pre-packaged bread and grape juice made by local company Holy Cup, which has reported a three-fold increase in sales during the outbreak. "If there is something good that is brought about by the pandemic (it) is that the church was brought into each other's homes," Bagasbas said. Image Credit: AFP
    15 of 15
    faith gallery
    But virtual worshipping is not for everyone. "A lot of people... feel the connection is not as intense or not as real," said Victorino Cueto, rector at the Baclaran Church. The virus offers a new perspective on how people can practise their faith and the church should be quick to adapt to it, said Cueto. "Covid has shaken all of us and faith is not immune from the whole process," he said. "Every crisis is an opportunity so I think the pandemic is asking us to reimagine what our faith is now." Image Credit: AFP

    Trending

    • Sania Mirza retirement: Highs and lows of her life

      Sania Mirza retirement: Highs and lows of her life

    Latest In

    • Brazil: Rio, Sao Paulo postpone carnival due to COVID

      7 minutes ago

    • Priyanka Chopra welcomes baby through surrogacy

    • Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas welcome baby

    • Booster shots in US cut severity of Omicron variant

    • Flat, deflated Team India lose ODI series to Proteas

    Go back to top
    Network links:
    • Baby & Child
    • Friday
    • Inside Out
    • Watch Time
    • Wheels
    • getthat
    • GN Tech
    • Jobs
    • About Gulf News
    • Contact us
    • Work with us
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Gulf News store
    • Advertise with us
    • Reach by GN
    • GN Focus
    • Gulf News epaper
    • Sitemap
    • Have your say
    Find us on Social
    © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2022. All rights reserved.
    This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you. Both on your website and other media. To find out more about the cookies and data we use, please check out our Privacy Policy.
    Share on Facebook
    Share on Twitter
    Share on Whatsapp
    Share on Mail
    Share on LinkedIn
    Close
    Gulf News

    Get Breaking News Alerts From Gulf News

    We’ll send you latest news updates through the day. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon.

    Subscribe No Thanks
    Continue reading Gulf News
    Dear Reader, please register to read gulfnews.com

    Dear Reader,

    This section is about Living in UAE and essential information you cannot live without.

    Register to read and get full access to gulfnews.com

    Create your account
    or login if you already have one
    First name is required.
    Last name is required.
    Please enter a valid email address.
    Password should have minimum 7 characters with at least one letter and number
    Passwords do not match

    By clicking below to sign up, you're agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

    Login your account
    New to Gulf News? Sign up now
    Please enter your email address.
    Please enter your password.

    Forgot password

    or