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March 21, 2008

A time for religious observances by almost every faith

This is a sacred time for people of many faiths with the celebrations of Purim, Good Friday, Easter and Mawlid al-Nabi.

Catholics commemorated Jesus Christ instituting the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper in Holy Thursday services.

Protestants and Anglicans refer to the day as Maundy Thursday, recalling the mandate -- or mandatum -- that Jesus gave while washing the feet of his disciples that they should be servants.

The Jewish festival of Purim, or Feast of Lots, began at sundown (6:58 p.m.) Thursday. The holiday celebrates the rescue of the Jews of ancient Persia from a plot to destroy them. It is associated with reading the Megillah, or Scroll of Esther, noise-makers, exchanging gifts and partaking of special pastries known as hamantashen.

For Muslims, Thursday was Mawlid al-Nabi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. For followers of Baha’i, it was Spring O-Higan, which celebrates the symbolic crossing from the shore of illusion to the shore of enlightenment to overcome one’s ignorance and to honor the six paramitas of generosity, morality, patience, endeavor, meditation and wisdom.

For followers of American Indian religion, Thursday marked the Spring Feast, celebrating the coming and going of the seasons through prayer, song and storytelling.

For Christians, today is Good Friday. It marks the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus, observed by Protestants and Catholics. It is also the Feast of Naw-Ruz, the Baha’i New Year, and Norooz, the start of the Zoroastrian New Year. It is the most somber day of the Christian calendar, preceding Easter Sunday.

Locally, the annual Good Friday Walk will be held Friday morning, with several stepping-off locations. Registration is at 8 a.m. in each locations except for the the Coventry site.

Here are the locations:

* Calvary Baptist Church, 747 Broad St., Providence. Call 461-7509.
* St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, 239 Oxford St., Providence. Call 781-7210.
* People's Baptist Church, 1275 Elmwood Ave., Cranston. Call 467-8220.
* Haven United Methodist Church, 200 Taunton Ave., East Providence.
* St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 50 Orchard Ave., Providence. Call 751-2141.
* St. Teresa's Roman Catholic Church, 275 Manton Ave., Providence. Call 831-7714.
* St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church, 549 Plainfield St., Providence. Call 943-2300.
* SS. John and Paul Roman Catholic Church, 341 South Main St., Coventry. Call 821-4780.

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 6:40 AM | Permalink

Comments

Why they call it Good Friday | March 20, 2008 8:13 PM link

Open Minded | March 21, 2008 10:13 AM link

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