Setting up Prayer Spaces in Emergencies: Preliminary Guidelines

Abstract

In emergency situations, religious aspects are or become very important for some victims and often for rescuers. In the face of crisis or danger, people face spiritual anxiety and loss and seek solace, but often the conditions to meet this need are simply not in place, as it is not yet foreseen in Lithuania’s emergency preparedness plans. Emergency management only addresses the physical needs of the victims. Psychological first aid is sometimes provided, but spiritual assistance is very rarely provided, and this need is not reflected in any of the planning phases. This paper presents initial guidelines for establishing a prayer space that can meet the spiritual needs of people in distress. It outlines what infrastructure elements should be present in a prayer space, how the logistics are developed, what challenges and problems may arise, and suggestions on how to address them. When setting up a prayer space in an emergency situation, it is necessary to take into account the local religious diversity and design the interior accordingly. A prayer space can be multi-faith and therefore its interior design should be easily adaptable or changeable. It is important to ensure the size of the space, comfort, the provision of necessary religious facilities, the compatibility of prayer times and the availability of spiritual staff. This practice helps to meet the spiritual needs of all victims and to create an atmosphere of peace and support, even in the most difficult circumstances. The study also considers the importance of prayer in emergency situations and the need for training of spiritual personnel. In the first case, it is observed that prayer has not only a spiritual but also a psychosocial effect; in the second case, spiritual personnel must be prepared not only to respond to the spiritual needs of the victim but also to be able to deal with the emergency situation. The discussion on the installation of a prayer space suggests the creation of an interreligious or multifunctional space, where not only Catholics but also other religions can pray. Interfaith training of professionals is particularly relevant, as the number of people of other religions in Lithuania is growing, and this could ensure that spiritual assistance can be provided to people of other religions in the future. The article also makes recommendations to various institutions that could contribute to the implementation of the issue raised.