Searches for “prayer” are skyrocketing during the coronavirus pandemic.
The report, by Jeanet Bentzen, an economist at the University of Copenhagen, found that in March 2020, searches for prayer hit the highest levels that they have in the past five years. Data from Google Analytics shows that the rise began early in the month, but did not begin to climb dramatically until the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic on March 11.
The report found that searches for prayer tend to spike in countries recently hit by the pandemic and coincide with announcements showing increases in the number of cases of the COVID-19 virus. These increased searches also extend to the terms “God,” “Allah,” and “Muhammad.”
Bentzen argued that the increased searches for prayer likely indicates an increased number of people actually praying. She pointed to other world events where, locally, Google searches for prayer spiked: In Iran, the funeral of Gen. Qassem Soleimani prompted the biggest jump for prayer searches in January. In Australia, the “Pray for Australia” campaign during the January wildfires bore similar results.
Bentzen concluded that the pandemic is encouraging “religious coping.”
“The rise in prayer intensity supersedes what the world has seen for years,” the report said. “The COVID-19 is still far from its peak and it only just reached the developing world. Furthermore, as more and more people loose their loved ones, the demand for religion is likely to rise. It is highly likely that the rise in prayer intensity will continue.”
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The increase in searches for prayer is likely the result of many factors, Bentzen said, noting that many countries declared lockdowns or encouraged social distancing in mid-March, which led to churches moving their services online.
“A factor pulling in the opposite direction is that the COVID-19 resulted in temporary church closures, to limit infection rates,” she said. “Thus, part of the intensified searches for prayer may cover a move from prayer in the public to prayer in the private.”
As the coronavirus spreads, many world leaders have encouraged people to pray. President Trump declared March 15 a national day of prayer. Pope Francis has led the world in prayer several times, and on Friday, blessed the world in a prayer asking for deliverance from the coronavirus.
“God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace,” Francis said. “Lord, bless the world Give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts.”
