Introduction

Lights, Camera, Action! This is the traditional cue to the actor at the beginning of a take during filming. In the Philippines, popular personalities in show business, politics, religious groups, and other institutions create a strong connection to the public in general. Through various media platforms, the personality and message of these celebrities are imparted which can influence either positively or negatively any individual. Celebrities can have a tremendous influence on the knowledge we retain, the attitudes we adopt, and the decisions we make, including those that affect our health (Hoffman et al., 2017). Internet celebrities thrive through this connection because users often crave a social network for support. Internet celebrities efficiently grow audiences through their personality and create a community of like-minded individuals (Gilmore & Fleming, 2018).

Filipinos have their favorite celebrity in various fields and usually consider them as their model—worthy of admiration and respect. They serve an important purpose in their everyday life such as entertaining them during dull moments; source of inspiration to do better in their studies and work; and motivate them toward the attainment of a meaningful life. This treatment then places the “models” with a bigger responsibility to perform at their best so as not to disappoint their followers.

During this COVID-19 pandemic, everything has changed. The everyday life and sociological ways of many Filipinos are greatly affected by the continuous lockdowns and health restrictions imposed by the government. One aspect of human interaction that became evident was how the religiosity of Filipinos was expressed in response to the pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis triggered significant changes in various religious traditions concerning their respective practices and traditions that have to conform to the absence of face-to-face gatherings (Baker et al., 2020). Just like the experience of many people worldwide, religious creeds and beliefs not only allow us to understand but they influence the meaning of many events occurring in everyone’s life. Faith or broadly understood spirituality is a force that helps to overcome the mental crisis as well as facilitate adaptation to the disease or the restrictions resulting from it (Kowalczyk et al., 2020). The faith of many Filipinos was tested but remained powerful at all costs.

It is popularly known that Filipinos are indeed “religious” people as the country is heavily influenced by Christianity. The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86% of the population is Roman Catholic, 6% belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2% belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations (Miller, 2021). The country is currently celebrating this year, 2021, its 500th year of Christianity which commemorates the arrival and foundation of the world’s largest religion. This deep-rooted influence of religion on Filipinos played a vital role in facing the negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

The country’s popular celebrities were not exempted from this catastrophe and it is for this reason that this paper is conceptualized. It was my goal to unearth their deepest beliefs, practices, and realizations after having contracted COVID-19 and how their religious convictions played an important role in their process of healing and recovery. It is important to note how the public looks up to them as a source of inspiration since they occupy a higher level of social status due to their popularity and/or excellence in their respective fields. As emphasized by Adler et al. (2021), it is especially important to focus on individuals who have greater power than the general public to shape the course of the pandemic and the public good in general. Thus, their avid followers and the public in general, who have placed them on a pedestal, can hopefully learn from their life-threatening experiences. Their testimonies then can be a validation that faith—a deeper relationship with God—can make a lot of difference in overcoming any crucial obstacles in life.

The Religiosity of Ordinary and “Popular” Filipinos

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the pre-colonial religion of the Filipinos was already an integral and essential part of their racial identity. The indigenous religious beliefs of different tribes is expressed through animism—the belief that objects, places, living, and non-creatures possess a distinct spiritual essence. Early Filipinos believed that everything, including their ancestors, fields, rocks, seas, mountains, and other natural phenomena, were inhabited by spirits known as “Bathala,” “diwata,” or “anito” which are more powerful than them. Through an intermediary of the priest known as “babaylan,” sacrifices and rituals are being offered to intercede for healing in times of sickness or request for a bountiful harvest (Reyes, 1985). Aside from their social structure, they believed in an invisible society that coexists with them and is inhabited by the spirits of their dead ancestors, deities, and lesser gods. Pre-Hispanic Filipinos honored these spirits with rituals and feast days because these supernatural beings were considered responsible for the significant events in their life (Almocera, 2005).

When the Spaniards arrived and colonized the country, there was a shift from an indigenous to a more structured and “Christianized” spirituality. There was the adoption of new beliefs and practices due to the persistent evangelization of foreign missionaries. Filipino Catholics have learned to draw strength from a wide variety of Catholic practices and attitudes to help them manage daily challenges and hardships. For the majority of Catholics, their religious faith encompasses a wealth of formal and informal options for seeking God’s help, guidance, and miracles (Lagman et al., 2014).

Being religious is tantamount to saying that they are maka-Diyos (pro-God). Maka-Diyos refers to a value that firmly connotes faithful obedience to the will of God. It is manifested in two ways—firstly, in their prosocial behavior which is characterized by a strong link toward helping in-group and close others (Batara, 2015), and secondly, in their quality of relationship with God through active participation in various rituals, practices, traditions, and other worship activities (Cordero et al., 2021). It is evident for many Filipinos how prosocial they are especially during times of calamities. Despite the negative impact of many calamities such as numerous typhoons, strong earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and currently the COVID-19 pandemic, these always lead to Filipinos initiating relief operations for the sake of fellow and needy victims. They never fail to show the bayanihan spirit which remains intact even in extreme challenges. The bayanihan is derived from the Tagalog root word “bayan” which means town or nation. It is an ancient Filipino custom or trait characterized by mutual help and concern which has become the backbone of family and village life (Ang, 1979).

Regarding the Filipinos’ quality of relationship with God—the utmost belief in the power of prayer; the firm adherence to the Church’s doctrines, teachings, and beliefs; and the active participation in various rituals, practices, sacramental celebrations, and other religious activities are living testament on this religiosity. There are about a hundred different fiestas and festivals celebrated in the country every year. Every town, every city, and every province honors different patron saints, which means every fiesta celebration is unique and distinct (Philippine Primer, 2019). Examples of these popular celebrations are the Feast of the Black Nazarene, Sinulog Festival, Ati-Atihan, Dinagyang, Santacruzan, Marian Feasts, and many others.

The religiosity of selected Filipino celebrities creates a strong impact not only on their respective followers but on the public in general. In their respective fields, they carried out the essential values that are supposed to be embodied by authentic models. There are different theories involved in why an individual can make a strong attachment to celebrities; one of which is the so-called parasocial interaction. Parasocial interaction (PI) is defined as a one-way relationship with a person, most often of higher status, whom you know intimately but who hardly knows you, if at all. Different researchers describe PI as an “imaginary relationship” between media users and figures and can be extended to celebrities of all types (Stever, 2009). This theory can have a positive outcome wherein a follower can improve his/her well-being by making the celebrity the source of filling one’s social needs. This is true, especially for followers who do not have established social interaction interests or skills (Jarzyna, 2020).

Another explanation of this phenomenon is reflected in the “uses and gratifications theory” (UGT). It explains the reality of seeking specific media celebrities to achieve self-fulfillment (Severin & Tankard, 1997). In UGT, people use media relationships to relieve boredom, fight loneliness, or give focus and direction to their lives. Through mediated relationships, they usually find romance, understanding, inspiration, communion, and identity that provide these needs (Stever, 2009).

The Popular Idols of Filipinos

Throughout Philippine, celebrities have been part and parcel of significant events in their respective fields which have been witnessed by the majority of Filipinos. In politics, Ninoy Aquino was a prominent journalist who became a senator. As a political rival of President Ferdinand Marcos, he was arrested during the declaration of martial law and endured 7 years of imprisonment. He was then exiled to the USA for 3 years and assassinated in 1983. His death started a cluster of events and ignited the flame of love for the country by Filipinos. This is where another popular personality rose to the occasion—Jaime Cardinal Sin.

The Catholic Church’s local head Jaime Cardinal Sin led the way for a peaceful revolution known as EDSA People Power. The success of the nonviolent struggle of the Filipino people for freedom and justice put an end to the 20-year-old Marcos dictatorship (Gorospe, 1988). Through the courageous act of convincing the public to come to EDSA and asking to support the protesters through prayers for those who could not attend, the Cardinal awakened the spirit of solidarity among Filipinos. It was such a fundamental inspiration for everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation.

In local show business, Coco Martin’s drama series entitled Probinsyano is considered the longest-running drama series on Philippine television, with more than 1,400 episodes aired as of 2021. This actor is idolized by many because of his outstanding performance and amicable personality on and off the camera. Actress Angel Locsin also occupied such stardom. She was included in the list of Asian Heroes of Philanthropy for raising funds to help COVID-19 frontliners in the country.

Other remarkable celebrities that brought pride and honor to the country are Lea Salonga (Music—who had major roles in hit Broadway musicals such as Miss Saigon and Les Misérables, and voiced some Disney movies); Manny Pacquiao (Sports—the only eight-division world champion in boxing; Miss Universe winners—Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018); and just recently, Hidilyn Diaz (Weightlifting—first Filipino Olympic gold medalist). These excellent personalities undoubtedly provided joy and inspiration to every Filipino, most especially during difficult times.

Data and Methods

Data

The testimonies of six selected famous Filipino celebrities form the main data and the subject of discussion for this research. This purposive sample was chosen based on the common characteristics—have contracted COVID-19 as validated by the official positive test result from the virus; have undergone quarantine and treatment toward total recovery; have openly exposed and narrated their battle against the disease through various forms of media; and are publically popular based on the huge number of followers in their respective fields as attested by social media accounts, media appearances, and public perception. The respective transcripts of the interview were extracted from different sources such as news reports, online magazine feature articles, and official social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) of the participants themselves which are open for public information. The sample includes two showbiz personalities, a cardinal, a vlogger, a news anchor, and a lay preacher. Table 1 presents the demographic profile of the participants and followed by a brief description of their COVID-19 journey.

Table 1 Demographic characteristics of participants
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Method

This study involved qualitative research with an in-depth analysis of participants’ interview transcripts so as to achieve the aims of this research. It utilizes one of the popular data analysis tools in qualitative research called interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The IPA is a qualitative approach that aims to provide detailed examinations of personal lived experience, and it produces an account of this experience in its terms rather than one prescribed by preexisting theoretical preconceptions (Smith & Osborn, 2015). With this approach, the researchers are provided with the opportunity to reflect upon and understand the innermost experiences of the participants. What appeals to researchers in these diverse fields is IPA’s explicit commitment to understanding phenomena of interest from a first-person perspective and its belief in the value of subjective knowledge for psychological understanding (Eatough & Smith, 2008).

Aside from being a data analysis tool, IPA is a very fitting research methodology in the field of public health since it focuses on exploring and understanding the experience of individuals with particular health conditions in the clinical setting in order to inform physiotherapy practice and the development of services (Cassidy et al., 2011). It is important to note that the topic of this paper is primarily the experience of COVID-19 by the participants in light of their religious beliefs. Turpin et al. (1997) recommended that six to eight participants are appropriate for an IPA study as this size allows for examining similarities and differences between individuals. As mentioned, there are six participants in this study which is sufficient enough as an acceptable IPA sample. The transcripts of the interview had undergone the four stages of IPA which are presented and described in Table 2. These IPA guidelines are formulated and popularized by Pietkiewicz and Smith (2014).

Table 2 Basic guidelines of IPA and brief descriptions
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Ethical Considerations

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were performed under the guidance of the institution’s Research Ethics Review Committee which followed the checklist involving the category of Internet Research. There is no need to make the participants’ identities anonymous since all of them are local celebrities and/or popular personalities who voluntarily agreed to interviews through different media platforms: online, broadcast, and print. Their transcripts of interviews were published on these different platforms and have been widely circulated online in the public domain. Their testimonies are shared with everyone for the reason of informing their fans/followers and the public in general concerning their current condition. The information that they have provided also served as a reminder to all regarding the importance of practicing health protocols regularly during this COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the author also gained informed consent by sending communication letters online to the source Web sites, which includes the verified social media accounts of the celebrities. All the sources were also properly cited and credited in the references section.

Results and Discussion

Appendix 1 presents the synthesized results of the data analysis using the IPA as a tool (see Appendix 1). Figure 1 visually presents the major themes arising from the conducted celebrity interviews (see Fig. 1). As mentioned, the original transcripts of the interview from the six participants are analyzed using the stages mentioned above. The first column shows a short extract from the transcript with some highlighted words/phrases implying that these are of greater significance. Before highlighting these words, it is important to note that these excerpts were read multiple times for familiarity. The Filipino language responses were already translated into English online. The second column contains the exploratory notes and comments. This is where relevant insights and thoughts are formed to describe the highlighted words. Emerging themes are found in the third column. These themes are words/phrases that express what the notes/comments represent in general. The last column then is the synthesis of what the whole transcript is trying to convey by clustering the emerging themes into major and minor (subthemes) categories. Non-relevant themes are excluded. The major themes then are rephrased appropriately, described comprehensively, and used as the focus of discussion since they are identified as the most significant themes that were drawn from the data.

Fig. 1
figure 1

An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the major themes arising from the transcripts

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The IPA resulted in three major themes which were extracted from the transcripts of the interview. It should be noted that the minor themes are also important in the analysis since they contribute to tracing the overall picture of the participants' experience. However, the major themes epitomize the concrete realities that describe the issue as well as the situation of the participants. The major themes include total dependence on the Divine; therapeutic social support; and sickness as purposeful and transformative.

Total Dependence on the Divine

I thought my life was over. In those cathartic moments when I surrendered to God everything, a very unexpected thing happened to me. I saw death’s face and noticed I was no longer afraid. All fear was gone. In its place was this profound trust in God’s affection for me…” Sanchez (2021a).

Through our prayers and God’s protection, I hope we survive all these trials. I was very prayerful. My prayers were more intense. “You gave me this. You have a purpose, go ahead.” It’s more of, just please spare the others. I think this will be an important reminder that after this, it should be a different life… It’s not of my strength, it is all the strength of our Almighty God, who is giving it to me. ABS-CBN News (2020).


All the participants unanimously invoke the name of God during their battle against COVID-19. As implied from the transcripts of the selected participants, Sanchez highlighted that on the brink of death, surrendering everything to God took away that great fear and prepared him to accept anything, even death, since he felt the assurance that God will take care of everything. In the same way, de Leon unceasingly prayed for God’s protection and depended that His strength will be the key to his own survival at that trying moment of his life.

In the perspective of contemporary social sciences, religion is characterized by a consensus of different ways which include: sharing the beliefs that constitute the body of doctrine of the group; participating in rituals and acts of devotion; acquiring religious information; experiencing changes or results in everyday life derived from the other aspects of religiosity; and experiencing direct contact with the ultimate reality (Ahmadi & Ahmadi, 2018). This “ultimate reality” basically points out the belief and intervention of God as expressed from the testimonies of the participants in this study. The presence of God is the recognition of a transcendent being who has the power to make a difference during a difficult situation. Koenig et al. (2012) support this claim by emphasizing that religion involves beliefs, practices, and rituals related to the transcendent, where the transcendent is God, Allah, Hashem, or a Higher Power in Western religious traditions, or to Brahman, manifestations of Brahman, Buddha, Dao, or ultimate truth/reality in Eastern traditions. The “religiosity” of the participants is seen here as their last resort of hope toward healing given the fact that the treatment of COVID-19 was not yet fully established since it was a newly discovered disease. Moved by their faith, entrusting everything to God in that crucial moment of their lives is one of the keys to survival. Thus, religion enables a realization that confidence in God’s love may operate in tandem with the belief in God’s guidance and involvement in daily lives and may alleviate the individual of the pressure of bearing the full burden of life’s outcomes (Upenieks et al., 2021). The participants may have also realized that their “popularity” as local celebrities means nothing and is useless when placed in a near-death situation. This is where the idea of “dependency” comes into play. By necessity, critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) have a high level of dependency, which is linked to a variety of negative feelings, such as powerlessness (Yang, 2016). The popularity of these celebrities may bring them “power”—the capacity to be in control of any given situation, but in times of near-death experience, that power is stripped. As testified by Iza Calzado, one of the participants, “I came to that realization that, in life, all we need are the simplest and the most basic things when you’re stripped off of everything, and when you’re in a life and death situation….”

In recent years, interest has grown among sociologists of religion as well as sociologists of medicine about the plethora of alternative health therapies now consumed by Americans and prayer is one of these (Trier & Shupe, 1991). Prayer is an intimate act of communication to God, the Absolute, or any Higher Being which expresses one’s total dependence. Praying is one of the religious/spiritual (R/S) practices that is commonly used by patients to cope with illness and other stressful life changes. It helps maintain one’s faith at all times, whether it be done personally or as a community.

Positive outcomes have been identified regarding the power of prayer. In a literature review conducted on 12 studies, prayer was considered a positive factor in seven of these, and several positive effects of prayer on health were identified, such as: reducing the anxiety of mothers of children with cancer; reducing the level of concern of the participants who believe in a solution to their problem, and providing for the improved physical functioning of patients who believe in prayer. Prayer, thus, is a non-pharmacological intervention and resource that should be included in holistic care for patients’ well-being (Simão, 2016). In addition, a large volume of research shows that people who are more R/S have better mental health and adapt more quickly to health problems compared to those who are less R/S. These possible benefits to mental health and well-being have physiological consequences that impact physical health, affect the risk of disease, and influence response to treatment (Koenig, 2012).

Therapeutic Social Support

I am very grateful to the many, many people who pray, assuring you that you are not alone, that’s why I could say for the survival either mentally of those who go through this crisis this connectedness what we call dialogue is important, your existence depends on a rediscovery of the reality that you are not alone. Patinio (2020).

It is important to have friends who will continually check on you. Let’s take one step at a time… Today is better than yesterday. Tomorrow will be better than today. We can survive this, don’t be hard on yourself… My strength comes from the love and prayers that are sent to me. Sembrano-Aguinaldo (2021).


The significant role played by social support is the next major theme that the participants credited during their COVID-19 journey. Cardinal Tagle expressed his deep gratitude to millions of his fellow Filipinos who did not let him feel “alone” through their prayers and that the sense of “connectedness” assured him of the much-needed support as he deal with the infection. Sembrano also identified directly her source of strength which was no other than the love and prayers coming from other people, most especially those who do not know her personally. The realm of social support, which comes from the “kapwa” (other person), has contributed significantly toward their healing and full recovery as reflected in their testimonies.

The concept of “kapwa” is one of the essential components of Filipino virtue ethics. It is not merely a distinction between the self and the other as separate entities. Enriquez (1992) described “kapwa” as the collective values shared with the whole of humanity and the deep respect for the dignity and inherent worth of a fellow human being, and “humanness at the highest level.” This notion of connection toward others is also the common ground between the diverse doctrines and beliefs of world religions. Donovan (1984) pointed out that the Dalai Lama (the highest spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism) explained this commonality:

I maintain that every major religion of the world—Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism—has similar ideals of love, the same goal of benefitting humanity through spiritual practice, and the same effect of making the followers into better human beings. All religions teach moral precepts for perfecting the functions of mind, body, and speech. All teach us not to lie or steal or take others’ lives, and so on. The common goal of all moral precepts laid down by the great teachers of humanity is unselfishness. The great teachers wanted to lead their followers away from the paths of negative deeds caused by ignorance and to introduce them to paths of goodness.


The essential role of “kapwa” is thus a key point for rendering social support which can contribute to healing. Healing is described generally as the process of becoming sound or healthy again after getting sick. However, a broader definition of it is referred to the process of bringing together aspects of one’s self, and body–mind–spirit, at deeper levels of inner knowing, leading toward integration and balance with each aspect having equal importance and value (Dossey et al., 2005). This definition implies that healing does not only concerned with the physical and mental aspects of the person, freeing from a particular disease, but rather considers his/her “wholeness.” With this, healing then may not only come from the prescribed medicine and the treatment procedure by the physician but since it considers the “wholeness” of the human person, it can be achieved by taking into consideration the physical, emotional, and psychological/mental aspects. All these other aspects can be drawn in, by one way or another, through the provision of social support from the “kapwa.”

Social support is generally described as any process through which social relationships might enhance health and well-being (Leahy-Warren, 2014). It is extended by an individual through relationships with other individuals, groups, and the community. In the physical aspect, social support, whether from a valued individual or trusted group, has caused to enhance immune function and reduce the physiological consequences of stress. In 1905, Dr. Joseph Pratt, an internist from Boston, gathered a group of tuberculosis patients together to educate them about hygiene concerning their illness. This “support group” provided early evidence of the power of this group in physical health and healing (Towey, 2016).

In the Philippines, similar social support groups are established in major hospitals such as the Lung Center of the Philippines COPD Support Group which is aimed at the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Incorporated which is devoted to helping with the person living with AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), and the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) with 22 support groups that present information, provide comfort, teach coping skills, help reduce anxiety, and provide a place for people to share common concerns and emotional support, especially for cancer patients and their families (Philcancer, 2014). These sample groups do not only assist patients in their needs related to their disease but also offer regular counseling to relieve patients from the stigma of their condition. With this, the patients are motivated to manage well their chronic conditions by sticking to the treatment regimen and gained a sense of empowerment and hope for possible healing.

In terms of the emotional aspect, social support can offer empathy, concern, acceptance, or encouragement to the person who is undergoing any kind of crisis. Mentor (2015) called this linkage between the two aspects as socio-emotional which can span the spectrum of how people interact with others to how they manage communication or cope with adversity, and stress, establish a positive relationship, and the capacity to develop relationships with peers, oftentimes through communication. When a struggling person receives encouraging and motivating words from others, most especially from a relative or a person of authority, that person can feel unloaded from a heavy burden. The person realizes his or her value/worth, since special attention is freely given by the other party.

Social support also helps in alleviating the effects of emotional distress and can enhance self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to the love and respect for oneself that are generated by individuals based on self-evaluation and the perceived respect, support, and approval from others to function (Li et al., 2021a, 2021b). It can also help in establishing “attachment”—a secure emotional bond between people over time and space (Ainsworth, 1979). When this bond is settled, the person feels comfortable amid pain and suffering.

In the aspect of psychological/mental health, social support from different sources can buffer the negative effect of low levels of resilience on mental health, especially in a brand-new context, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is based on the stress-buffering model (Li et al., 2021a, 2021b). The stress-buffering model asserts that social support protects against or moderates the detrimental effects of life stress on mental health (Cohen, 2004; Thoits, 2011).

Resilience, on the other hand, is being adaptive to a stressful experience. Filipinos are known to be resilient by nature, and this is proven during the many natural disasters that have hit the country numerous times. On average, 20 typhoons visit the Philippines annually and leave trails of devastation in their wake which proves the very vulnerable position of the Philippines in terms of disaster vulnerability. These disasters do not only result in physical injuries and material damage but also psychological harm. Despite the country’s situation, the people keep their good disposition in everyday living (Ang & Diaz, 2018).

Social support may also come from the various activities offered by other individuals or groups that would help the patient divert his/her attention to these alternative and fruitful “distractions” than just focusing on the sickness or the unfortunate situation. This support from others can help the patient minimize anxiety and thus, prevent falling into depression—a psychological disorder, with several implications for physical health as well, that has been seriously damaging human health in modern society (Chong et al., 2020). It usually happens when negative thoughts, ill feelings, and inappropriate actions become rampant and uncontrollable. In synthesis, Southwick et al. (2005) posited that positive social support of high quality can enhance resilience to stress, help protect against developing trauma-related psychopathology, decrease the functional consequences of trauma-induced disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and reduce medical morbidity and mortality.

Sickness as Purposeful and Transformative

The bottom line, it made me realize, in this pandemic, we should stop thinking about ourselves. We should start thinking about other people. It’s not about you, it’s about the people around you… Ganal (2020).

May I share? I live very differently today. Because I know that thread can snap anytime, for the first time in my life, it’s natural for me to live in detachment, humility, and sacrifice. When I wake up early each morning, I’m blown away by grace. I inhale and almost laugh. “I’m alive. That means You still want me to serve today,” I tell God, “I will lead the way…” Sanchez (2021b).


“There must be a reason behind this sickness and lessons to learn!” This statement of realization capsulizes the last major theme of the study. Gonzaga expressed the unconditional value of becoming responsible for one’s behavior, that each one of us must consider the effects of our actions not only on ourselves but most especially on the people around us. She highlighted the value of social responsibility after having discovered the purpose of contracting the disease.

On the same note, Sanchez vowed to continue his service to God and others by leading them to the right path in life. His outlook on life was transformed due to the near-death experience. Sickness is indeed an avoidable part of life but just like other kinds of human experience, it leaves us lessons regarding realities in life and all the more, hopefully, transforms us into someone better.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. In the religious sense, health is characterized as having a life that is directed to God and that includes the goods and goals that are received and attained, respectively (Messer, 2011). Good health is a resource to support an individual’s function in wider society, rather than an end in itself. A healthy lifestyle provides the means to lead a full life with meaning and purpose (TFP, 2020). Disease or sickness, on the other hand, is an abnormal condition of an organism that interrupts normal bodily functions, often leads to a feeling of pain and weakness and is usually associated with symptoms and signs (Biology Online, 2021). The absence of disease, physical or mental, is generally proof of good health. In the same way, the absence of good health implies that the person is sick or has a disease.

Religion can provide things that are good for health and well-being, including social support, existential meaning, a coherent belief system, and a clear moral code (Eckersley, 2007). Given coping with one’s illness, it can provide a reasonable framework to enhance coping resources, facilitate access to social support, and promote social integration (Siegel et al., 2007). Religiousness allows people to understand the meanings of events as part of a broader purpose or project, through the belief that nothing happens by chance and that events in life are determined by a superior force. This behavior can lead to personal growth, gain more wisdom, balance, and maturity (Dull & Skokan, 1995) if the superior Being is perceived as benevolent, loving, and compassionate; but if this is seen as a punishing act of a superior force who has determined everything about their life, then it usually worsens the condition of these patients. Thus, sickness is seen as purposeful given the religious beliefs and traditions of every member of the group.

The different religious traditions also considered sickness as a form of human suffering. Their respective perspectives reveal the central and enduring role that suffering is seen as an inevitable and inalienable part of corporeal existence. It is experienced by individuals and by groups and the suffering of one person impacts those around them, their families, and their communities. In each faith tradition suffering tends to be regarded as a disruption or disharmony—of the body, of the self, and, in South Asian traditions, of cosmological order (Fitzpatrick et al., 2016).

However, Christianity also highlights that suffering is not simply a natural consequence of sin but has an intrinsic value, that is, it causes transformation. During the celebration of the first World Day of the Sick on 11 February 1993, Pope John Paul II proclaimed: “In the light of Christ’s death and resurrection illness no longer appears as an exclusively negative event; rather, it is seen as a “visit by God”, an opportunity “to release love, in order to give birth to works of love towards neighbour, in order to transform the whole of human civilization into a civilization of love” (John Paul II, 1993) - which was based upon an earlier Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris (John Paul II, 1984). During this pandemic, those people experiencing fear, suffering, or illness often experience a “spiritual renewal” in which the development of spirituality will create a mature attitude based on truth and freedom (Kowalczyk et al., 2020).

What are these truths and freedoms all about? The truth is that sickness and death, like suffering, are a permanent part of life and will always be. The negative impact of COVID-19 is experienced worldwide and causing more people to suffer regardless of race, religion, gender, or societal status, anybody can contract the virus. Even if one is healthy until reaching old age, death will still come in due time. A mature attitude concerning freedom is described as realizing the limitations of our bodies as well as our actions. We are mortal beings and with this, “living each day as if it is our last” is an attitude worthy to have regardless of one’s religious belief. The true essence of freedom is considering the effects of our actions not only on ourselves but on others. Suffering, then, as caused by sickness enables us to transform our deepest perspectives regarding the realities of life and motivates us to rehabilitate and turn away from evil, thus leading to renewal and conversion. For Christians, Cordero (2021) emphasized that the most significant reality is girded toward a good God who created us as ‘by nature’ to be good. The experience of suffering gives us the chance to go back and rediscover this goodness.

In addition, this theme of “sickness as purposeful and transformative” can also be associated with the noble work and sacrifice of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the pandemic. The majority of the respondents expressed their high regard and appreciation for these frontliners whose dedication to their everyday duties is worth emulating and it also brought a kind of transformation to them as well. The celebrities were able to realize there are indeed people who can ‘go beyond’ in performing their duties and even risk their lives for the good of their patients and public health in general. With the HCWs example, the sick can have a clearer understanding of the purpose of life and everyone can be transformed into having a renewed and meaningful perspective in life.

Limitations

The limitations of this study include the small cohort size. On the other hand, since the data analysis tool utilized IPA, a small size of six is acceptable due to the in-depth nature of the qualitative analysis tool. The study also focused on local celebrities and some cultural factors that may be distinct from other foreign ones which had influenced their beliefs and behaviors in battling the dreaded disease. With this, the themes are not to be treated as general representations. Also, it may be difficult to determine if the same themes are also evident or will play a factor in other religious groups or atheists. The religiosity of the respondents may have been so evident wherein this may not be the same reaction for other patients/celebrities who are affiliated with other religious groups.

Conclusion

The discussion here is not comprehensive, and further research is needed especially concerning other relevant principles/theories involving how religious beliefs affect one’s disposition during a crucial health crisis. In the same way, more discussions are needed regarding the extent of influence celebrities have on their followers, most especially in terms of religious influence. Still, I hope that the narratives of experience by the participants in dealing with COVID-19, motivated by their religious beliefs, and coupled with the extracted themes—total dependence on the Divine, therapeutic social support, and the purposeful and transformative effects of sickness—are significant enough to contribute to this growing literature about how culturally famous celebrities faced such a crisis, which, in turn, can create a significant influence on their followers who always look up to them as “models” in society, thus worthy of inspiration.