Priest performs last rites of parishioner who died of Covid-19 in UAE

When a 64-year-old parish member of St Thomas Indian Orthodox Church passed away due to Covid-19 related complications, his family members were also battling the deadly virus at a hospital in Dubai.
Sharjah resident Kurian Varghese was under treatment for Covid-19 along with his wife and daughter. He was suffering from age-related ailments that were further compounded due to contracting the virus. A single member of the family - the deceased's son-in-law - now had to shoulder the responsibility of arranging the funeral service.
Ensuring Kurian is given a respectful burial, Rev Fr Ninan Philip, vicar and president of St Thomas Indian Orthodox Church in Oud Maitha, stepped in and volunteered to conduct the funeral service.
From receiving the body of the deceased from the hospital to digging his grave and burying him, Fr Ninan, along with another priest and an altar boy, performed all the steps required to give the deceased an honourable burial.
"This was the first Covid-19 death in our parish, and it was heartbreaking to conduct a funeral service like this. I pray we never have to be subjected to such a situation again. Since there weren't many workers, we decided to step in and help fill the 10 feet pit that was dug for the coffin. This was indeed the first experience for us," said  Fr Ninan.
"We conducted his burial on June 10 at the Jebel Ali Christian Cemetery, according to the guidelines prescribed by the Community Development Authority (CDA). His son-in-law was the only family member who could attend the funeral. We performed the last rites respectfully and are grateful to the government and the CDA.
"With proper precautions, we can all stand together and overcome this pandemic. We pray that we are granted relief from this at the earliest," added Fr Ninan.
Reshma Regi George, another parishioner of the church, said:  "Everyone deserves a decent burial. Even during this pandemic situation, this right cannot be taken away. We are really thankful to the UAE leaders and authorities for allowing to conduct burials and prayers at the graveyard. Our sincere gratitude to the team who did a commendable job by offering their service at a time when many are hesitant to help due to the fear of contracting the virus."
saman@khaleejtimes.com