Prayers
through the
pandemic Text by ISHAAN BATRA and TIMOTHY HUNG Art by SELENA CAO
ORGANIZED RELIGION ADAPTS TO COVID-19
P
ALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL sophomore Abdullah Naviad recalls kneeling on a patterned prayer rug with six feet of space surrounding him, reciting his prayers in the sun-beaten asphalt lot of the Mountain View Palo Alto Musallah — an unrecognizable scene to pre-pandemic Mosque attendees. Naviad is one of countless people of faith in Silicon Valley whose religious practices have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. From shelter-inplace orders to bans on indoor gatherings, COVID-19 safety regulations have restricted the ability of followers of all religions to attend churches and temples, conduct communal prayers and celebrate religious holidays. These restrictions have sparked legal battles and debates in the U.S. over whether the severity of COVID-19 safety regulations should be indiscriminate or flexible to the
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needs of religious practitioners, who may be especially reliant on their faiths during this uncertain and unprecedented time.
“While my religion and the worship that we do is very important, I do not think that churches should be exempt from COVID-19 regulations,” wrote practicing Religious regulations Christian and Palo Alto High School junior Last summer, California Gov. Gavin Harin Kim in an email to Verde. Newsom prohibited indoor worship When California’s ban on indoor services in purplechurch services was tier counties, the lifted, Kim’s church most restrictive of The pandemic is did not rush to return California’s color- something that has to normalcy. coded system based “While our church on COVID-19 impacted us all. We has been allowed to do conditions. In can find hope within in-person sermons, response, numerous we have waited until lawsuits were filed all the turmoil.” it was safe for other challenging the — ELEANOR WANG, senior businesses, such as stringent new restaurants, to have restrictions. people,” Kim wrote. “I In February, the U.S. Supreme Court believe that a physical place is not needed ruled in South Bay United Pentacostal Church in order to take part in worship … It can v. Newsom that California could not enforce be done capably over an online platform.” its ban on indoor church services and had to reduce the severity of the restrictions to Community adaptations the level of essential businesses such as retail Many religious members of the Palo stores and shopping centers. Alto High School community have felt the This case, and the more recent ruling impact of the pandemic on their practices. against California’s restrictions on at-home Naviad’s mosque has adhered to religious gatherings in Tandon v. Newsom, COVID-19 restrictions by holding prayers which took place this April, has spurred in an untraditional location. debate over whether religious services “The prayers are held in the parking lot should be deemed an essential business. outside due to the building being closed,”
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