Record number google ‘prayer’ in search for spiritual comfort
‘The increase is due to an intensified demand for religion: we pray to cope with adversity’
Jordan Kelly-linden, Gabriella Swerling
Camilla Tominey
THE pandemic has seen Google searches for “prayer” rise by 50 per cent, as people turn to God for comfort in times of crisis even in areas that do not have deeply religious populations.
Jeanet Sinding Bentzen, associate professor of economics at the University of Copenhagen, who led the study, found that the number of “prayer” searches in March 2020 was more than 50 per cent higher than in the previous month as it surged to the highest level ever recorded, surpassing all major events that call for prayer, such as Christmas, Easter and Ramadan.
The rise appeared to coincide with the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring a pandemic on March 11.
“Search-shares for prayer rose around mid-march for most regions, even for the most secular,” said Prof Bentzen, who analysed data for 95 countries. “The increase is not merely a substitute for services in the physical churches … [But] due to an intensified demand for religion: we pray to cope with adversity.”
The Roman Catholic bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Rev Mark O’toole, who is chairman of evangelisation and discipleship for the Catholic Bishops Conference, said: “It is not surprising that we have seen a resurgence in religious fervour … People are asking fundamental questions about life and death.” While the pandemic has caused the closure of places of worship, it has not stopped the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, from regularly visiting patients. Last month, he blessed a newborn baby during a visit to St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
The Rev Ellen Eames, from Walworth, south London, fell ill following the birth of her son, Alexander, so asked for a hospital chaplain to baptise him. She said she was astonished when the Archbishop arrived at her bedside and told her “it was extra special to have such an important visitor”.