39 dead, 74 more infected as coronavirus devastates Lutheran Church

At least 39 members of the Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in New York have died from the coronavirus. Another 74 members of the church are also currently battling or have battled coronavirus infections.

Since late March, Pastor Fabián Árias​ of Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Midtown Manhattan has been busy making announcements of the dead, the sick, and comforting the bereaved because of the new coronavirus.

“In this moment it’s a very, very difficult situation because the family [member] is sick or the family [member] has died,” Árias told journalists in an interview.

In virtual masses broadcast on Facebook on Wednesdays and Sundays, Arias has been listing the names of the sick and the dead so his congregants can pray and draw strength from their community. Sometimes there would be pictures of the victims. The latest death was a week ago.

“We mention all names every Wednesday and every Sunday. We mention that for prayers,” Árias said.