A small band of Christians is planning a rally in Washington, D.C., in a bid to make Good Friday a national holiday.
Organizer Sharon Jones, a New York-based missionary, recalled growing up observing the holiday in her native Britain.
A small band of Christians is planning a rally in Washington, D.C., in a bid to make Good Friday a national holiday.
Organizer Sharon Jones, a New York-based missionary, recalled growing up observing the holiday in her native Britain.
Alas, more and more stores are open in Britain on Good Friday. However, I can tell you that in our local mall in King St, Hammersmith, London, the churches will be joining together as in previous years to put on a 30-minute Good Friday service in the mall, with the agreement of the mall owner.
Well, I don’t see how that would pass any sort of “separation of church and state” muster.
#2:Yeah, like Christmas and Thanksgiving do.
2, it’s not government.
I’m thankful that in my state, Kentucky, state government shuts up shop at noon for Good Friday and most liturgical churches offer afternoon services as well as evening services. Can’t imagine why the ACLU hasn’t been on us like a junkyard dog about it, but so far, so good.
Not recognizing Good Friday is not something new in this country. Remember that Abraham Lincoln was shot while attending a play on Good Friday. I remember when I learned that in elementary school I was amazed — why would they even ALLOW a play to be put on on Good Friday back in those more religious days, much less attend one? But a good portion of Protestant society did not conduct special services on Good Friday or single it out as a special day.
And, Catholic Mom, what denomination was Mr. Lincoln?
Not Catholic, that’s for sure. 🙂 My actual first thought upon learning the circumstances of the assasination was “well, no wonder he got shot!”
But the point is that playhouses were open on this day and packed with theater attenders and this was normal.
Sorry, Catholic Mom, I didn’t intend to imply that he was RC. I was actually hoping, with your vast knowledge of people and events from that era, that you might know the answer to my question.
Oh, I thought you were making the point that Lincoln was not a member of any denomnation, which is true. His parents were Baptists which means he certainly wasn’t baptized as a child and I’m not sure that it’s even known if he was ever baptized. He never joined any church although he occasionally attended a Presbyterian church. He certainly knew the Bible very well (probably because of his upbringing) and quoted it extensively. He also clearly felt that the will of God was worked out over history and that certain things were predestined by God to occur.
Thanks Catholic Mom. Actually, I did suspect he wasn’t a churchman of any stripe, but didn’t know. Thanks for the background.
Just what we need. Another opportunity for holiday sales.
No. 12, Exactly. I don’t want to see Good Friday turned into another Easter bunny extravaganza.
I don’t even want to think about Good Friday merchandise.
I, too, am in the be-careful-what-you-wish-for camp.
I’ve never had trouble getting time off from university or work to attend services. Perhaps I’ve been lucky that way. Truth be told, if there’s a holiday to be had, I’d rather it be Easter Monday.
Seriously, I think it is a mixed blessing that our society has forgotten Holy Week and Easter. On one hand they are missing out on the most profound event in the history of the cosmos. On the other, I look at the secularization of Christmas and I think it may be for the better.
And I recall reading once that Lincoln was married to Mary Todd in an Episcopal ceremony. Ford’s Theater suggests it wasn’t any deeper than that. As I like to say “If Lincoln had been catholic he’d be alive today…well no, not exactly.”
Catholic Mom (and others):
What would be the impediment to attendance at the Theater on Good Friday? As far as I know the requirements are fasting and abstinence (one small meal and no meat) on Good Friday (and Ash Wednesday) as well as abstinence (no meat) for the Fridays of Lent. Some of us are more “strict” and are abstaining from meat for all of Lent.
I have never heard anything about “no theater”. Now if somebody chose to “give up theaters for Lent” then, OK. Personally, I have been very strict with Lenten fasting and abstinence. I gave up things for Lent but I would have NO problem with attending a show on Good Friday (after the Noon to three PM service of course).
Maybe I am missing something in the “rules for Lent.”
Thanks for any education!!
I don’t think there is any official rule for it — it’s just that in the Catholic tradition the day is (or certainly was when I was a kid) treated with such solemnity that people would never schedule any kind of festivity or party or entertainment on that day. The church itself is stripped and darkened, with the crucifix and other statues or icons draped in black. Good Friday is the only day of the year that mass is not celebrated and even baptisms cannot take place except in case of imminent death. Traditionally (before the Vatican II changes) it was a true fast day so you certaintly weren’t going to parties or other events where refreshments were served.
I remember that where we used to live (we moved 6 years ago) the moms had a tradition of having a big group Easter egg hunt for the 20 or so little kids in our neighborhood. Most (actually probably all now that I think of it) of the moms were Catholic. It was usually the day before Easter but one year for whatever reason that day didn’t work for the host family (or a deluge was forecast or something). So they proposed having it on Good Friday since the kids had the day off from school. A lot of people were not comfortable with that but eventually we did it with the rationalization that it was “for the kids.” It did feel very strange though.
Then again, I’m also involved in whippet racing (like greyhound racing but for fun, no money, and all participants win or lose go home to sleep on the sofa — which isn’t to say it isn’t highly organized and competitive.) One year for various reasons they only day they could schedule the National (draws top racers from all over the country) was on Easter. The president of the club at that time was a big Irish Catholic guy. A couple of people asked him whether or not it was appropriate to spend the day on the racing field and his comment was “after mass, why not?”
In Lincoln’s case there was the particular fact that “Our American Cousin” was a comedy. I for one would not go out of my way to see a raucous comedy on film or stage on Good Friday. That may be just me. Though it must also be said that Lee had just surrendered and the whole of Washington was in a festive mood.