ALL THIS WEEK – NBC NEWS EXAMINES FAITH AS RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS ARE OBSERVED AROUND THE WORLD

Monday, March 29, 2021 –  As people around the world begin to observe religious holidays, NBC News will feature exclusive and in-depth reports covering all aspects of faith, beginning today, across TODAY, NBC Nightly News and MSNBC.

The week-long series “Keeping the Faith” will include an exclusive interview with the highest-ranking woman in the Vatican, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on religious institutions, inside the efforts by Catholic sisters to combat human trafficking, interviews with faith leaders, and much more.

Key programming highlights include:

 TODAY

  • In a TODAY Exclusive, NBC News correspondent Anne Thompson talks to the highest-ranking woman in the Vatican, Sister Nathalie Becquart, about her new role and the future of the Church. She will also explore how the pandemic has changed people’s relationship with religion and how they’re finding ways to connect during these unprecedented times on Weekend TODAY.
  • NBC News senior investigative and legal correspondent Cynthia McFadden spotlights hundreds of Catholic sisters combating human trafficking around the world from Western India to Grand Rapids, Michigan. 
  • As local religious institutions are helping to win the fight against Covid-19, anchor Craig Melvin will speak with faith leaders in Connecticut and his hometown in South Carolina about vaccine distribution inside their congregations.  
  • Bishop Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church and Rabbi Rachel Ain of Sutton Place Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan join TODAY for a live roundtable discussion.
  • TODAY senior international correspondent Keir Simmons digs through the archives of his past travels to take viewers on a visit to the Vatican in his TODAY All Day series “Incredible World.” He will go beyond the walls to share a behind-the-scenes look at the history, the art and the traditions of the Catholic Church. 

 NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT:

  • While there is new hope because of vaccines, anchor Lester Holt will share a personal essay about faith and rebirth, and how the world will grow from the lessons learned during the pandemic.  He also interviews the filmmaker of the faith-based film “The Girl Who Believes in Miracles,” who hopes the movie will fully fund a program for disadvantaged kids in Gainesville, Florida.
  • NBC News foreign correspondent Matt Bradley travels to Israel to explore how Jews and Christians there are celebrating religious holidays post pandemic.  
  • Ahead of Easter weekend, NBC News correspondent Kevin Tibbles reports on whether it is safe to worship indoors as the pandemic continues around the world. 
  • On Sunday’s Nightly News, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith speaks with faith leaders to draw parallels between Easter and what everyone is going through right now as we look ahead to a post-Covid life.

 MSNBC

  • NBC News and MSNBC correspondent Ellison Barber profiles Doris Whitaker, a Mississippi chaplain in the state’s largest hospital. After recovering from Covid herself, Doris sat by the side of 100 patients, many who did not survive, risking her own well-being to be there for strangers and to bring them faith during their final days. 

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NBC News contact:

Dana.Klinghoffer@nbcuni.com

NBC NEWS AND MSNBC

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