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Good Friday
Pope Francis skipped the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome's Colosseum, the Vatican said, adding to concerns about his frail health during a particularly busy liturgical period. Francis had been expected to preside over the Way of the Cross procession, which re-enacts Christ's Passion and crucifixion, and composed the meditations that are read aloud at each station. But just as the event was about to begin, the Vatican announced that Francis was following the event from his home at the Vatican. It was the first time he had skipped the traditional, evocative event in his 11-year papacy, an event that St. John Paul II famously skipped just before he died in 2005. "To conserve his health in view of the vigil tomorrow and Mass on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis will follow the Via Crucis at the Colosseum this evening from the Casa Santa Marta," a statement from the Vatican press office said. The 87-year-old Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battlin
Sri Lanka was put on high alert on Friday and security beefed up in major cities across the country, with special surveillance around the Churches having Good Friday services, according to a senior police official Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said over that 6,000 police personnel, over 3,000 military soldiers and over 400 elite special task force members had been deployed across the country on the occasion on Good Friday. "We have identified 2,268 churches having Good Friday services to provide special security, Thalduwa said. Police have also set up a special hotline to report any suspicious movements near the churches. The police said they were taking all precautions in view of the fifth anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed 270 people, including 11 Indians. Meanwhile, the Magistrates Court in central Colombo's Maligawatta has issued a summons to former president Maithripala Sirisena to appear before the court on April 4 to record a statement. T
Violence against Christians in Manipur and other parts of India was raised during the special prayers on the occasion of 'Good Friday' at the St Joseph's Metropolitan Cathedral here by Latin Catholic metropolitan Archbishop Thomas J Netto. Netto said that Christians in various parts of the country, especially in Manipur and north India, were being subjected to "cruelty and violence by dark forces" and alleged that there was no effective intervention against it by the authorities. "So, there is a need to take steps against such evil powers," he said. Auxiliary Bishop Mar Thomas Tharayil of the Archeparchy of Changanacherry under the Syro Malabar Catholic Church, as part of his prayers on the occasion, said fear weakens man and it is easier to subjugate a person who is scared. He said that if even one person in a country lives in fear, it should be seen as a failure of the nation. The Christian community in Kerala observed 'Good Friday' in accordance with traditional customs and bel