The Virus and the Famous: Narratives of Religious Experience by Selected Filipino Celebrities Who had COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed our lives, whether that be for ordinary citizens or those occupying higher social status. The experience of sickness and suffering however, can give meaning and can pose a challenge to our religious beliefs and practices. This article explores in depth the experience of battling COVID-19 by selected Filipino celebrities who are a significant part of the Filipino culture and are admired by the general public. This article draws inspiration from their narratives about how they faced, struggled, and recovered from the dreaded COVID-19 disease. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the transcripts of their interview revealled three major themes: total dependence on the Divine, therapeutic social support, and sickness as purposeful and transformative. These themes may contribute to future research in the discussion of how valuable are the life lessons during such a crisis, most especially from popular personalities who are considered “models” by the public.