Taiwan’s largest annual religious pilgrimage has been simplified this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials have taken steps to make sure disease prevention is a priority, but organizers are finding it hard to enforce the rules as the Goddess of the Sea passes through.
The Mazu Pilgrimage is a nine day, eight night religious procession that takes place every year. An idol of the sea goddess Mazu is transported on a palanquin from Zhenlan Temple in Central Taiwan to Fengtian Temple in the South and back again. This year, organizers delayed and then streamlined the pilgrimage in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the silver linings to the downsized festival is that Mazu is getting where she needs to go much faster. The procession arrived at its first stop three hours ahead of schedule. This tunnel, which is usually packed to the gills, took just three minutes to traverse.
During the pilgrimage, people prostrate in front of Mazu’s palanquin, receiving her blessings as she passes overhead. Organizers had prohibited that this year… but then they eased the rules to allow people to crawl under it during breaks. A few devout worshippers decided that wasn’t enough… they made a break for it, diving under the palanquin before they could be stopped.
This 80-year-old man is the father of former Legislator Yen Ching-biao. He’s a respected member of the community, so participants carry Mazu’s palanquin over him.
Despite the organizers’ best efforts, prevention practices have slipped. Food is left uncovered and out in the open, while people crowd inside the Changhua County Government building to rest. Fear of COVID-19 has seemingly been outmatched by local faith.