Posts tagged Holy Week
America In Moral Freefall: Have We Become A Pagan Society?

(OPINION) For many years now, it has been clear that America has been in a steep moral and spiritual decline, despite some genuine revival movements along with some holy pushback against the growing cultural insanity. But two recent examples confirm that we are now in moral freefall. What took place over Easter weekend is further proof of it.

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At Eastertime, Gaza’s Christians ‘No Longer Have The Energy To Suffer’

As Christians approach Easter, Baptists sheltered in the remnants of Gaza Baptist Church are so worn out they “no longer have the energy to suffer,” a leader there told the Christian Mission to Gaza. At the same time, Israel Defense Forces have decreased their attacks on Gaza in recent days.

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5 Facts About The Origins Of Modern-Day Easter Traditions

Easter is a holiday rich in religious significance, history and symbolism. At its root, Easter — also known as Resurrection Sunday — is a Christian festival commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus as described in the New Testament. Then where did eggs and bunnies come from?

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Good Friday Passion Plays Help Churches And Communities ‘Come Together’

Easter pageants have become an increasingly frequent sight on Good Friday around the world. The idea dates back to the Middle Ages when town guilds performed individual scenes telling the story to mainly illiterate audiences. Although these public events are still performed on an irregular basis, it was over a decade ago that the first contemporary Passion Plays began to be staged in the U.K.

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Bible Trumper: Former President Selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Holy Books

Trying to recover from under an avalanche of legal bills, former President Donald Trump said that he’s selling Bibles as he embarks on another White House run. “Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless the USA Bible,” he said in a video posted to Truth Social.

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Alban Buns An Easter Tradition That Dates Back Centuries

Hot Cross Buns have become synonymous with Easter in the United Kingdom and in many English-speaking countries around the world. Millions of these deliciously sweet spiced, slightly sticky buns are available everywhere with many supermarkets now offering variations ranging from chocolate to apple and cinnamon. 

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Holy Week Pilgrimage Draws Thousands Of Hispanic Catholics To New Mexico

For decades, the people of northern New Mexico have marked the Christian observance of Good Friday with a walking pilgrimage to the Santuario de Chimayó in the village of Chimayó, New Mexico. Referring to themselves as Hispanos, or Nuevomexicanos, they have lived in the region for generations.

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How Easter Became A Holy Time For Some Hindus And Muslims

Even though the days of slavery and indentured labor in South Africa are long gone, the Hindu and Muslim festivities that take place on Easter weekend have become beloved occasions for their respective communities. In a variety of ways, South African Hindus and Muslims have made the Christian holiday their own.

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Tornado Levels Indiana Church Building In Pre-Easter Tragedy

About 24 hours after the Winchester church met for its midweek Bible study, an EF3 tornado leveled its 50-year-old meeting place. The twister left a trail of destruction — but no deaths — across 25 miles of eastern Indiana, including Winchester, a town of 4,700 about 70 miles east of Indianapolis.

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Georgia County’s First Spanish-Speaking Church Reflective Of Hispanic Growth

Victor Lyons’ work in collecting information for the 2020 Census made it clear to him that Wilcox County reflected the burgeoning Spanish-speaking population of South Georgia. The pastor of First Avenue Baptist Church will officially add another title this Sunday as pastor of Iglesia Vida Abundantè (Abundant Life) Church, which will meet in First Avenue’s sanctuary.

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Jerusalem’s Tower of David Museum Gets Spectacular New Entrance

Comparable to I.M. Pei’s iconic pyramid that transformed the entrance to the Louvre, the glass-and-steel structure is a minimalist, less-is-more architectural triumph that redefines the orientation of the museum's galleries and just about everything else in this historic cultural hub. Located in a sprawling structure that once served as a palace and fort.

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Tattooing Has Held A Long Tradition Dating Back To Jesus’ Crucifixion

(ANALYSIS) Holy Week and Easter are perhaps the most important days in the Christian calendar. Many associate those celebrations with church services, processions, candles, incense, fasting and penances. However, there is another tradition that many Christians follow — that of tattooing.

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Some Theologians Call for ‘Liturgical Audit’ To Combat Antisemitism

Acutely aware of the painful history of Christian participation and complicity in antisemitism, and a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents nationally and globally, Christian scholars and clergy are calling for a new level of reflection and accountability for churches, starting from the pulpit.

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A Reflection On How Easter Shows Us A Path Back To The Garden, To A Better Way Of Being Human

(OPINION) The Easter story as John tells it basically sets the world on its head. It defies expectations. Jesus is a sovereign who — unlike Caesar or any other ruler — doesn’t lord it over his subjects, but instead suffers every vile indignity they suffer: pain, disappointment, humiliation, death.

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Israeli Government Coalition Collapsing Over Kosher Hypocrisy

(ANALYSIS) The Jewish state may be on the brink of declaring its fifth election in three years after losing a legislative majority. Member of Knesset Idit Silman of the Yemina Party resigned last week amid building tensions over her view that government facilities should enforce Passover dietary restrictions for everyone and that the Western Wall should not include an ecumenical prayer space for non-Orthodox Jews.

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New Lenten Cookbook Gives Catholics Tasty Choices For ‘Meatless Fridays’

(REVIEW) Since many Catholics — ones in America in particular — are so carnivorous throughout much of the year, a new cookbook out just in time for Lent focuses on the very dilemma of what to eat on Fridays this month. Scott Hahn’s book “The Lenten Cookbook” from Sophia Institute Press serves up easy-to-make meals this spring.

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Gonzaga's namesake saint inspires NCAA Tournament run during the pandemic

Gonzaga (the saint) and Gonzaga (the basketball team) are two different things. Nonetheless, the patron saint of Christian youth (who also died in a pandemic) can help inspire the school to capture its first national championship.

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Finding answers to the pandemic in the writings of Saint Pope John Paul II

(OPINION) Who’s to blame for the coronavirus pandemic? It’s not really a difficult whodunit to figure out. Just look to a system that rejects God and freedom: China’s Communist Party for the culprit.

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