Coronavirus Is Changing The Rituals Of Death For Many Religions

For centuries, Hindus gathered to burn corpses on funeral pyres along the Ganges River. Jews received condolences at home during a seven-day mourning period. Muslims huddled together to wash the corpses of loved ones in Iraq and across the Arab world.

But global burial rituals are being dramatically changed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The World Health Organization in its March 24 guidance on burials of COVID-19 victims says dead bodies are generally not infectious. But its recommendations that relatives not touch or kiss the body and government rules on social distancing to prevent the spread of disease have upended important funeral and death rituals in virtually all of the world's faiths.

Just as the United States now restricts gatherings for funerals, so do countries and religious authorities around the world.

Here, some of NPR's foreign correspondents share details of how COVID-19 has changed traditions in the countries they cover.

Iraq: Days of delays for some burials

In Iraq, relatives participate in washing the bodies of their loved ones and preparing them