Virginia pastor who dismissed social distancing orders dies after contracting coronavirus

Pastor Gerald O. Glenn, founder and bishop of the New Deliverance Evangelistic Church in Chesterfield, Virginia, died on Saturday evening after contracting the novel coronavirus, his church announced on Facebook.

Why it matters: Glenn snubbed social distancing guidelines and warnings about the danger of religious gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, even after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued a stay-at-home order on March 30.

• Mother Marcietia Glenn, the bishop’s wife, also tested positive for the virus, the New York Times reports, citing a Facebook post written by Glenn's daughter.

What they're saying: "My heart sinks as I learn this morning that Bishop Gerald Glenn, pastor of New Deliverance Evangelistic Church, died yesterday from COVID-19," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) wrote on Twitter. "He was a friend and pillar of Richmond faith community. May all do as much for so many."

Go deeper: God and COVID-19