The coronavirus is divine punishment, according to Valdemiro Santiago, head of the Universal Church of God's Power. And in a recent video, Pastor Edir Macedo called the COVID-19 pandemic Satan's work, claiming incorrectly that the virus was powerless against those who were not afraid of it. Macedo is the founder of the powerful Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (IURD), a worldwide network of evangelical churches. The multimillionaire also owns one of Brazil's most influential television channels.

Read more: Opinion: Economy vs. human life is not a moral dilemma

But the loudest voice in the crowd over the past couple of weeks has been that of Pastor Silas Malafaia, who is considered by many to be President Jair Bolsonaro's spiritual teacher. Like Bolsonaro, the leader of the Assembly of God Victory in Christ Church is extremely critical of the current economic shutdown.

"Will the coronavirus kill people? Yes, but even more people will die if there is social disorder. Churches are essential for those desperate, fearful and depressed people who have been turned away from hospitals," said Malafaia recently.

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Preaching to empty pews

Despite bans on public gatherings, many of Brazil's churches have remained open during the crisis. Still, most are empty, forcing evangelical preachers to broadcast online church services from their deserted houses of worship.

"The downturn has hit all of the churches; there has been a huge drop in attendance," said theologian and sociologist Clemir Fernandes. "The more good information people can get in the press, the more conscious they become of the risks. They see the numbers of dead going up."

Read more: What you need to know about the coronavirus

Beyond its megachurches, Brazil is also home to an endless universe of small congregations. Fernandes said many of those in the country's poorest areas are seeing an increase in attendance. "People aren't being irresponsible. The supermarket is far more crowded than the corner church. They feel safe in church," he said.

The numbers of Brazil's devout Catholics have been receding, with about one in three people now with other denominations

Science vs. faith

Occasionally there are reports about pastors downplaying the threat, or seeking to stamp out the virus with God's help. One church in the south of the country even promised it could immunize people against the deadly virus. "But that kind of stuff is just folklore, like a caricature," said Fernandes. "It's certainly not representative of the wider evangelical world."

Read more: Brazil is headed toward a 'perfect storm'

Instead, he said, the opposite is actually the case, with most churches being extremely open to the sciences. "Protestant evangelicals put business and prayer side-by-side every day, and they aren't about to give up either one," he told DW.

Fernandes believes the reason such obscure stories still appear in the news is largely due to the increased attention evangelicals have attracted since Bolsonaro came to power.

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Evangelical power structures

Just as evangelical Christians in the US stand behind President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro was the beneficiary of their electoral support in Brazil. And, like Trump, Bolsonaro was quick to downplay the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, to trumpet possible miracle drugs and to spread unfounded conspiracy theories — such as the one in which the virus is allegedly a Chinese attack on the West.

Francisco Borba Ribeiro Neto, a professor at the Catholic University of Sao Paulo, thinks the trend is only logical, and said Bolsonaro represents a type of "outsider fundamentalism." He says the idea attracts those who live according to traditional values and feel marginalized by current economic developments. The situation has also brought to life an attendant bogeyman. "Fundamentalists see a world full of dangers and hidden enemies. In it, our only salvation from evil is strict adherence to norms and doctrines. The pandemic only serves to reinforce this terrifying vision of the world," he said.

Borba Neto argues that those who reject social distancing and those who deny climate change share the belief that such issues pose a threat to existing economic structures. Oftentimes, he said, the stance is not even about business, but rather differentiating oneself from one's opponents: "To make them out as some kind of ideological scarecrow, one that is both dangerous and silly."

Business first

Religious sociologist Clemir Fernandes believes there is nothing but business calculus behind criticism of the shutdown from evangelicals like Malafaia. "Malafaia's ties to Bolsonaro are like that of any other businessman. He is a religious entrepreneur looking to protect his interests like everyone else," he said.

Still, Fernandes doesn't think downplaying the threat posed by COVID-19 is a sustainable strategy. Like elsewhere in society, Bolsonaro's support among evangelicals has begun to erode — even evangelical parliamentarians. And Fernandes said it's important to remember that there are many doctors and politicians among them who know a thing or two about science.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Gloves, phone, mask When will Germany mandate masks? They have been systematically used to combat the spread of the coronavirus in Asia, and now Germany's Robert Koch Institute has recommended that they be worn here. Jena was the first city in the country to make them mandatory. The law will make it illegal to be in public spaces and supermarkets without a mask — or a shawl or scarf used as one — beginning April 6.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Equipping first responders With a global shortage of face masks, people and institutions are increasingly making protective gear themselves. Tutorials are easily found on YouTube and Twitter. One of the people you can find online is Kerstin Bochow, the master wardrobe designer at the state theater of Cottbus, in the eastern state of Brandenburg. The masks her studio is making are for firefighters and the German Red Cross.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Smile! The artist Mansha Friedrich is also taking up crocheting needles to fight the coronavirus. Her handmade masks feature smiling faces, animal faces and other sunny motifs — and the cloth inlays are changeable. The Hanover-based artist says she doesn’t want to let the virus spoil her good spirits.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Color coordination The Czech Republic and Slovakia are a step ahead. Both countries made face masks mandatory in all public spaces in mid-March. Slovak President Zuzana Caputova and Prime Minister Igor Matovic set a good example here. Austria has since followed suit and made it mandatory to wear a mask while shopping.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Spring in China Face masks to prevent the spread of viruses have been a way of life in China for years, and they were also ordered early on in the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. This couple in Shenyang appears determined to keep the flame of romance alive despite the coronavirus — dancing passionately in the spring sunshine and ignoring the world around them.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Israel: No exceptions Israel is another country with strict rules. Police and the military are enforcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's curfews. Orthodox Jews are not exempted from the rules. Here, in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim, a masked police officer orders an ultra-Orthodox man to go home.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Art in Gaza In the heavily populated Gaza Strip, artists are trying to motivate their neighbors to accessorize, by painting their masks — as here in the neighborhood of Shuja'iyya. Authorities in Gaza have issued curfews and banned public events: Even the March 30 Land Day, an annual mass protest at the border with Israel, was canceled.

Asia to Europe: A world of masks for coronavirus pandemic Macron's missing masks French President Emmanuel Macron is seen here visiting a factory that produces protective clothing and face masks in Saint-Barthelemy-d'Anjou. Hundreds of French doctors have filed suit against his government for failing to provide them with sufficient safety equipment as they battle the pandemic. Many doctors have, nevertheless, decided to do without rather than leave patients untreated. Author: Astrid Prange



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