Bishop Who Refused to Close His Church Saying "God is Larger than this Virus" Dies of Covid-19

An American bishop who defied social distancing and continued to hold church services in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic has been killed by the disease, according to reports in the US.

The New Deliverance Evangelistic Church in Virginia on Sunday announced Bishop Gerald Glenn had succumbed to Covid-19.

Bishop Glenn tested positive for the virus together with his wife, Marcietia Glenn, their daughter Mar-Gerie Crawley said in a video. This was after he ignored warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid mass gatherings and maintain social distancing.

On March 22nd, Bishop Glenn displayed his large congregation and vowed to continue holding church services.

“I firmly believe that God is larger than this dreaded virus. You can quote me on that,” he said, adding that that “people are healed” in his church.

He added that he would keep his church open “unless I’m in jail or the hospital.” “I am essential. I’m a preacher — I talk to God!” he said, adding that he was not afraid to die.

The church has asked people to allow the “first Family to grieve in their own way.”

“While they are mourning the heartbreaking earthly absence of their family patriarch & spiritual father, they also have family members who are struggling to survive this dreaded pandemic,” the church said through Facebook on Sunday.