A priest carries a cross during the annual procession of the Station of the Cross on Good Friday the Catholic Church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues, in Paris, France, April 10, 2020.
Credit:
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
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The coronavirus has fundamentally changed how we live our lives — but perhaps most heartbreaking is how it's changed how we deal with death. And, every year, thousands of Catholic worshipers travel to the east side of Mexico City to watch a live reenactment of the stations of the cross. This year, as Mexico and much of the world is implementing social isolation measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, local authorities have decided to cancel the much-anticipated event. Also, why do pandemics happen? That's a question religious thinkers have been trying to answer for a long, long time.
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Buddhists believe the path to enlightenment requires periods of detachment from the world — so self-quarantine offers an opportunity. Karma Lekshe Tsomo, a Buddhist nun and social activist, speaks with The World's Marco Werman about the role of meditation and reflection during the spread of COVID-19.
The Trump administration is requiring additional approval for funds sent to the World Health Organization. And, Spain considers a permanent universal basic income. Thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers have been expelled from the US with minimal processing, as the Trump administration cites the coronavirus in sidestepping international law. Plus, some tips on how to celebrate April holidays when you're unable to gather with family and friends.
Composer and Italian classical piano superstar Ludovico Einaudi teamed up with Greenpeace in 2016 to perform a concert in support of the campaign for a marine sanctuary in the North Pole’s international waters.
The pope, the Vatican — a tiny city-state surrounded by Rome — and the church in predominantly Catholic Italy have all been forced to modify centuries of tradition because of the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The coronavirus has fundamentally changed how we live our lives, but perhaps most heartbreakingly, how we deal with death. Around the world, centuries-old burial rituals are being stopped. Gatherings to mourn someone’s death are limited. Even something as simple as a hug for a grieving friend is now essentially out of bounds.
Wajahat Ali is a writer and lawyer whose Islamic faith was tested last year when he learned his 3-year-old daughter had liver cancer. He tells The World's host Marco Werman what his family's journey taught them about living through great challenges — and maintaining one's faith.
Some rabbis think videoconferencing technology such as Zoom is a good platform for bridging the gap during the pandemic. Others make the opposite case.
The reenactment of Jesus' crucifixion has long been an important tradition for the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa. But with stay-at-home measures in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Passion play's actors are performing for a virtual audience.
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