The “Suneung” university entrance exam is a major event in the education-obsessed South, and officials take extreme measures, from rescheduling flights to pausing construction, to ensure students can give their best performance.

At a church in Seoul’s wealthy Gangnam district, parents gathered for a nine-hour prayer marathon, with specific requests to God tailored around the structure of the multiple choice exam, which will be taken by 522,670 pupils this year.

Pastor Lee Chan-soo, who has held “Suneung prayer sessions” since 1992, said he tried to use the sessions to prepare parents to face any exam disappointments with equanimity. “The Suneung isn’t everything in life. It’s just the start,” he said. “They are still our loving children and God’s children regardless of the test scores.”

At the Bongeunsa Buddhist temple, one of Seoul’s largest, head monk Wonmyung was trying to comfort parents, who were performing rituals to help their children. Some parents bowed 108 times before the altar – which in Buddhist theology should result in their wishes coming true.

For parents who are unable to pray in person, many churches and temples stream the sessions live on YouTube. Yoido Full Gospel Church, one of the largest churches in South Korea with about 480,000 members, is holding a YouTube live for the entire duration of the exam, featuring gospel songs and the faithful speaking in tongues.