Good Friday is part of Holy Week, the week before Easter Sunday. It falls between Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday. Good Friday is the most important day of this week, as it commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Given the day’s significance, it seems odd that we would use the word good to refer to this day. However, there is a, well, good reason …
No, Maundy Thursday is not a typo for Monday Thursday. Maundy Thursday—also known as Holy Thursday and Sheer Thursday, among other names—is a Christian holy day that commemorates events known as the Washing of the Feet and the Last Supper. This day is part of the Holy Week leading up to Easter. Maundy Thursday comes after Holy Wednesday, and is followed immediately by Good Friday, …
As anyone who is familiar with Christian holidays knows, winter is jam-packed with important observances. Christmas is well known, but there are many occasions with great religious significance leading up to spring that are less familiar to many: Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and Lent. In the simplest sense, all of these days are lead-ins to the central Christian festival of Easter. Some are …
Depending on where you live, Christmas comes at a time of year that is cold, dark, and not very pleasant. What makes it all bearable, though, is that you can get together with friends and family to share meals, exchange gifts, and just hang out. But, what happens when the conversation starts to run dry? Don’t fret, we put together a list of some of …
The Christmas season has arrived, and the signs of it are everywhere. Outside, it’s getting colder, stores are filling with people shopping for gifts, and pretty lights strung around trees and rooftops make the whole world seem magical. The holiday cheer might even spread to your phone. Thanks to emoji, there’s a way to send your nearest and dearest a little bit of the holiday …
People in the Western world debate many things, from whether cheesecake is actually a cake to which airplane seat is the best—aisle or the window? What year it is generally does not fall into the category of debated facts. However, how to refer to said year and the past years from ancient history—BC and AD or BCE and CE—does. Both sets of abbreviations have history. One …
As you read about the Pope in the latest news, you may begin to wonder about his name. After all, what does pope actually mean? And how does a pope get his name after he assumes the papacy? The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, and thereby the world leader of the Catholic Church. The word comes from the Latin pāpa, which means “father.” He is …