The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a test for religious followers in Japan to keep their faiths alive after it cut worshipers off from regular services and communal ritual prayers.

To minimize the risk of spreading the virus, numerous Christian churches around the country have suspended Sunday services, and mosques have discouraged Muslims from gathering.

Though televised sermons and alternative services have become more common, religious leaders and experts fear the prolonged public health crisis will weaken the role of religion in communities.

“We haven’t been able to gather at a church for three months,” Isao Kikuchi, the archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo, said on May 17 during a Mass streamed on the internet.

“We are barely moving onto the next phase of the (pandemic) right now, and we cannot help but think of a possibility of having an actual Mass at a church together,” Kikuchi said, speaking on behalf of followers at the church.

For 440,000 Catholics in Japan, attending church for Sunday Mass is a vital ritual, a re-enactment of the Last Supper, where the faithful receive bread and wine.

The Archdiocese of Tokyo, which has 100,000 followers in its jurisdiction in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, has suspended its public Mass since Feb. 27.

“Jesus was with his 12 disciples at the Last Supper,” Kikuchi said. “Getting together is a very important factor for a Mass.”

Masses on YouTube have drawn between 10,000 and 40,000 views. But some elderly followers find the platform difficult to access.

The Archdiocese of Nagasaki, which has 60,000 followers, had suspended public Masses until May 15.

A woman in her 90s in Nagasaki said she has been unable to watch a streamed Mass and has kept praying at home.

“I feel God is closer when I’m at a church,” she said. “I was lonely because I couldn’t get together with other people to pray.”

About 1,700 Protestant churches and mission chapels belong to the United Church of Christ in Japan. A number of them, especially the ones located in areas around Tokyo, have suspended face-to-face worship services.

Shinji Matsutani, chief editor of a Christian newspaper, said churches often function as a community.

“Attending a worship service is a valuable and fun opportunity for senior citizens to chat with others. I wonder if many followers have felt isolated,” Matsutani said.

About 150,000 to 200,000 Muslims are believed to live in Japan.

Since March, the Tokyo-based Japan Muslim Association has suspended collective worship services, which were usually held on every Friday.

The month of Ramadan, in which Muslims traditionally fast during daylight hours, has been a particular challenge for Muslims this year, due to restrictions on movement imposed by the pandemic. The Ramadan observances are due to end May 22-23.

In normal circumstances, Muslims during Ramadan gather at a mosque after sunset, have a meal together and offer a prayer.

But the pandemic has taken that away from them.

“Praying five times a day, which is core of our belief, can be done alone. But getting together with others deepens one’s faith and a spirit of brotherhood," said Naoki Maeno, a Japanese Imam and representative of the association.

The association has tried online meetings and other things to connect followers, but it “feels lonely and I cannot deny that,” Maeno said.

Shunichi Miyajima, an associate professor of religious studies at Hokkaido University, said that one physically feels a sense of belonging and togetherness by worshiping in a group.

By doing so, members of the community have a stronger bond with each other, and each person accepts their own existence and actions positively, Miyajima said.

Some rituals entail more social and economic functions, Miyajima said. For instance, the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, provides a space for Muslims worldwide to meet and share ideas.

Christians discuss their daily life at churches, while Buddhists reaffirm ties of relatives at funeral services.

Historically, people are drawn to religion because it presents an alternative viewpoint to scientific and logical thinking.

With physical gatherings called off due to the coronavirus, each religion is being tested to show “what role it can play,” said Miyajima, who added, “the raison d’etre of religion is called into question during the pandemic.”

(This article was written by Keita Mano and Kensaku Nishida.)