The language of Nationalism can carry the same significance  as that of religion or of faith for it has to do with deepest individual and collective meanings and loyalties.
“The ordinary concepts which we connect with the word religion are: entering a temple, going to a church, belonging to a church sect or religious movement, and having particular symbols or ideas about God, particular sacramental and ritual activities. All this is the concern of religious groups. And when we speak of the world religions, we usually think of these groups and what characterizes them: their ideas and their practical and imaginary symbols. But if we look deeper, we must say that religion is larger than this. Religion – namely, an ultimate concern about the meaning of one’s life and the meaning of ’being’ as such – also appears in other forms. It may appear in a painting which has no religious content in the traditional sense – the painting of a stone, or a portrait, or a scene, or clouds. Or it may appear in philosophy as an ultimate concern through which the philosopher tries to understand reality. Or it may appear as a political idea. The idea of democracy has achieved such a character for some Western nations as has communism for some Eastern nations, and nationalism for almost all nations.” Paul Tillich Ultimate Concern: Dialogues with Students (1965).  
https://masonmennenga.com/writings-1/2018/5/9/the-difference-between-belief-and-faith.