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BELFAST — President Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to salute the 25th anniversary of its U.S.-brokered peace accord. But it will be a hollow celebration. Power-sharing between British unionists and Irish nationalists, the central vision of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, is failing. Northern Ireland has for nearly a year had no elected government at Stormont, the grand parliament building overlooking Belfast

Recently hospitalised Pope Francis will miss the traditional Good Friday Way of the Cross procession at the Colosseum, and instead will watch from his home at the Vatican due to unseasonably cold night-time temperatures in Rome, the Holy See said. "Due to the intense cold of these days, Pope Francis will follow the Way of the Cross this evening from (the) Santa Marta hotel, uniting in prayer with those who will gather with the Diocese of Rome at the Colosseum,'' the Vatican said in a brief statement. Francis went ahead with an early evening prayer service at St. Peter's Basilica...

ABSTRACT: Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep stripelike lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion his wrists were nailed to the patibulum, and after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post, (stipes) his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily...

To fulfill the Sign of Jonah, Jesus had to be in the grave for three days and three nights. This contradicts traditions which say that Jesus died on a Friday afternoon. There is a resolution to this problem.

“Why?” (Matthew 27:11-50) Why? That is the question of the day here on this Good Friday. We hear the question raised twice in our Gospel account. First, when the crowd is demanding that Jesus be crucified, Pontius Pilate asks, “Why, what evil has he done?” And then second, when Jesus is crucified, he himself asks, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These “why” questions are understandable, since none of this makes any sense--until we know the real reason for the “Why?” This whole entire episode--the trials, the beatings, the crucifixion: Why? Why did this take place? Why...

President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland this month, marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday accord, the White House said on Wednesday. The US-brokered Good Friday Agreement helped end sectarian violence in Ireland. Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, from April 11-12 “to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago” and to underscore US readiness to support Northern Ireland’s economic potential, the White House said. Biden then will travel to the Republic of Ireland from April 12-14. Signed...

The prophet Isaiah said it so beautifully, hundreds of years before Jesus’ death: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). What a message! We sinned. He died. We deserved the punishment. He took it on Himself. That is the meaning of the cross. As expressed by Peter, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; you have been healed by His wounds. ....

In a social experiment by Mark Dice, random beachgoers in San Diego, California are asked if they’ll sign a petition to ban the Bible. Many of their reactions will shock you. This comes as a New York Times piece called on Good Friday for the elimination of the belief in God, claiming the Almighty is responsible for “war and violence.” Brain Force Ultra is back in stock at 40% off — get yours today!

It is amazing how visual the Gospel of the Passion is. “Look!” you are told, again and again. “Behold the Lamb of God.” “Behold the Man.” “Behold your King.” “Like this,” St. John will describe, as though you could actually see some gesture he is making while he preaches. No one has ever seen God at any time, but now the Incarnate Son, who resides in the bosom of the Father, He reveals God to us. For the Word of God, who is God, by whom all things are made — He has become Flesh. In Him God tabernacles among...

“Evil Friday Is Also Good Friday” (Luke 23:44-56) The theme for our Lenten journey this year has been “You Meant It for Evil, But God Meant It for Good.” We have seen how God can just plain grab something evil and use it for good, in his larger plan. No one could see it at the time, but that’s how God works. We see God working this way in our reading tonight from Luke 23. Something evil was happening on the day our Lord Jesus was crucified. But God used it for good--for incredible, tremendous good--which is why call this...

dear friend, this Good Friday and Passion Week are you a hider? Are you one who hides from Almighty God in the cloak of demonic darkness (Gen. 3:6-11; John 3:19-21; Eph. 2:1-3)? Are you hiding in your traditions, family, culture, political party, skin color, "good" works, vices, social justice crusades, career, global movements, conservatism, liberalism, marxism, religiousness, abortion rights, pro-life passions, greeds, creeds, violence, gangs, humanitarian institutions, genders, sports, movies, etc., etc.? Dear friend, if so,, what are you hiding in that will keep you from coming to the ETERNAL Light of Almighty God your ETERNAL RIGHTEOUS Creator, who so...

ABSTRACT: Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep stripelike lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion his wrists were nailed to the patibulum, and after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post, (stipes) his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily...

Juneteenth to replace Good Friday for day off -- thank you Biden Heard this from a federal credit union worker.

Another Easter without Mass: What happened to Catholic Ireland?May the blood of the Irish martyrs serve to inspire the Church, so that the Irish clergy may once more fulfill their vocation to lead souls to God instead of away from Him, and may the underground Church continue to grow in size and fervor.DUBLIN, Ireland, April 2, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) –– For the second year running, the Irish government has brought about something which would have made the previous persecutors of Irish Catholics so very proud: The prohibition of public worship during Holy Week and Easter.Yet the blame cannot fall solely at...

“The Light Shines in the Darkness” (John 1:1-5, 9-14) Tonight we’re doing a traditional Good Friday evening service called “Tenebrae.” The Latin word, “tenebrae,” means “shadows” or “darkness.” This is the Service of the Shadows, the Service of Darkness--moving to complete darkness at the end of the service. This reminds us of the darkness that came over the land when Christ was hanging on the cross, the great darkness that occurred when the author of life was put to death. And then his lifeless body was placed in the tomb, and night fell, and all was darkness and shadows. The...

Good Friday—a holiday in just 10 states—is celebrated by most Christian denominations, with fasting and somber worship services that often end in silence.Before Christians joyously celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, they first must make a gruesome stop at a hill called Calvary. Two days before the trumpets sound, and churches—many opening for the first time in a year—fill their sanctuaries with lilies, dogwood, and alleluias, we first must witness the hideous trial of the sinless Lord, the bloody brutal scourging by Roman soldiers and his anguishing suffering and suffocating death on the cross, a day called...

Whether we are talking about Anthropogenic global warming (AGW):The political forces looking to spend the climate trillions and the academia segment supplying the fear want to scrub the climate debate of anything but the scariest scenarios. They want an unwavering allegiance to vigorous spending on climate policy, no matter its effectiveness. - SDAor COVID-19, there is only one acceptable position that “reasonable people” are allowed to hold. And you know what that is because it’s pounded into your brain via the Media, the Academy and Politicians (MAP) on a 24/7 basis. The MAP will happily provide the specifics on the...

The Bible says that Pilate couldn’t care less about Jesus. Pilate actually interviewed Jesus and also sent him to King Herod for examination. The testimony of the Bible says that none of these men, rulers in Judea, were able to corroborate the false claims... “Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I...

Pentecost Reminder: The Church was Born on Good Friday It is not traditional to celebrate a person’s birthday weeks after they were born.  Likewise, it is not Traditional (as in Catholic Tradition) to celebrate the ‘birth of the Church’ on Pentecost – 52 days after the Church was born on Good Friday, as unanimously taught by the Fathers of the Church.The practice of Catholics baking birthday cakes for the Church on Pentecost Sunday is lamentable. ‘Homilies’ proclaiming the birth of the Church on Pentecost, like the related birthday cakes, are constructed from a recipe with non-Catholic ingredients. We need more...

To anyone who missed it. Microsoft released an ad featuring celebrity-cult 'artist' Marina Abramovic. They quickly regretted it. First they closed the comments. They then set the video to private. See here: Mircosoft Marina Abramovic Ad Here is the video with commentary: Microsoft Video of Satanist Marina Abramovic On Good Friday (5 mins)