Greek Orthodox mark Good Friday with solemn bier processions
Nafpaktos, Greece AP The procession of “Epitaphios,” symbolising the bier that carried the body of Jesus to His grave, took place across Greece on Friday, which was Good Friday in the Orthodox Christian calendar. The solemn processions, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where […]
Philippines’ Catholic devotees nailed to crosses to re-enact crucifixion
Cutud, Philippines Reuters Catholic devotees were nailed to crosses in sweltering heat north of the Philippines capital Manila on Good Friday in a re-enactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Around 20,000 Filipino and foreign tourists flocked to San Pedro Cutud village in Pampanga province to witness this annual display of devotion, which the Roman Catholic Church […]
New York City’s Mayor gets baptised in jail by Rev Al Sharpton on Good Friday
AP New York City Mayor Eric Adams marked Good Friday by receiving a jailhouse baptism from the Rev Al Sharpton, joining in on the religious rite with a group of men incarcerated at the troubled Rikers Island jail complex. The ceremony came as part of a visit to the jail complex where Adams was scheduled […]
Outspoken Cuban priest cries foul as country marks Good Friday
Havana, Cuba Reuters Cuban Roman Catholics held public processions across the Communist-run country on Friday to mark Good Friday, but there was at least one exception in Havana where 150 of the faithful were relegated to the church parking lot. Father Lester Zayas Diaz, 45, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish of Vedado, told […]
In Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians observe scaled-down Good Friday rituals
Jerusalem AP Hundreds of Christians participated in a customary Good Friday procession through the limestone walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, commemorating one of the faith’s most sacred days with noticeably thinner crowds amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The procession, which normally draws thousands of foreign visitors, was unusually local — mostly Palestinian Christians, joined by some […]
Pope skips Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum to preserve health, Vatican says
Rome, Italy AP Pope Francis skipped the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum to protect his health, the Vatican said, adding to concerns about his frail condition during a particularly busy liturgical period. Francis had been expected to preside over the Way of the Cross procession, which re-enacts Christ’s Passion and crucifixion, and composed the meditations […]
Good Friday
Remembering Jesus’ sacrifice…
Joyous Holy Week celebrations around the world
AP From dressing as Roman soldiers in Antigua, Guatemala, to carrying palm fronds on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, Christians around the world are celebrating Holy Week. Christians pause along the Via Dolorosa, a route that is believed to be the path Jesus walked to his crucifixion, on Good Friday in the Old City of […]
After bronchitis, cold weather forces Pope to skip outdoor service
Rome, Italy Reuters Pope Francis presided at one indoor service on Good Friday, but doctors ordered him to skip an outdoor evening “Way of the Cross” procession at Rome’s Colosseum after being hospitalised last week for bronchitis. Francis was following the service from his residence in the Vatican as a precaution after the temperature fell […]
Essay: An unfathomable love
CHRIS GILBERT reflects on the meaning of Easter…