Pastoral Care in the Face of Death and Post-Pandemic Grief in El Salvador

Abstract

Death is an event that all human beings will have to face sooner or later. The Holy Scriptures tell us: “It is appointed for men to die once” (Reina-Valera Bible, 1960, Hebrews 9:27). Although this statement belongs to Christianity and Judaism, it cannot be denied that, in all cultures and religions, death is a well-known fact. Each and every one of these views death from different perspectives. For some, it represents the total end of existence; for others, a step toward reincarnation; and for Christianity, the hope of being with Christ while awaiting the resurrection. However, there is one thing that cannot be denied across all religions and cultures: the psychological effects that the loss of a loved one brings to their family and close friends. When we speak of these psychological effects, we must mention that they are difficult in and of themselves, but they intensify even further when the death of a loved one is sudden, coming to be considered traumatic.