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Tag: Good Friday

  • Good Friday: Obaseki tasks Christians on sacrifice, passion for national rebirth

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called on Christians to imbibe the virtue of selfless service in commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ at Calvary.

    Obaseki made the call to mark Good Friday, a holiday in the Christian calendar which marks the end of the 40 days Lenten season. It is celebrated by several Christian denominations across the world.

    He noted, “As Christian faithful celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary, I urge everyone to take this opportunity to reflect on the significance of this day, the solemnity of selfless service and the passion for the downtrodden.

    “As we go about our activities to mark this day, we should not forget to make sacrifices for the development of our nation. This is necessary to set Nigeria on the path of progress.”

    Obaseki added, “Good Friday brings to the fore, the love of Christ for mankind, for which he gave his life. So also should we remember to be our brother’s keeper, upholding the spirit of togetherness and sacrifice for the greater good of all.

    “The spirit of sacrifice as exemplified by Jesus Christ who offered himself for mankind on the cross of Calvary should be a lesson for all Christians. Genuine love for humanity can only be expressed when we take the teachings and examples of Christ to heart.”

    Obaseki urged Christians to use the occasion of Good Friday to pray for peace and progress of the country, noting, “It is only when there is peace that meaningful progress can be achieved. We must all work towards ensuring peace in our neighbourhoods, state and country.”

     

  • Dapchi: Pray for Leah Sharibu’s safe return on Good Friday, CAN tells Christians

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on all churches and indeed Christians to use the occasion of the forthcoming Good Friday celebrations to offer prayer to God for the freedom and safe return of Leah Sharibu who is still held Boko Haram captivity.

    Good Friday will be celebrated tomorrow, March 30.

    The organisation also reminded the Federal Government and the security agencies of the need to free Leah and other captives from the captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists.

    The President of CAN, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, in a statement by his Special Assistant, (Media & Communications), Deacon Adebayo Oladeji said the call for prayer for the release of Leah was in line with the Passion Week when Jesus Christ, with passion, willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of the world.

    CAN also called on all Christians to use the Passion Week to pray for the country “to be free from all forces of darkness and for those who have lost their relations or property during the recent terror and herdsmen attacks.”

    He said, “Following the trials, Jesus Christ, though sinless, was scourged by the Roman soldiers, and then forced to carry His own instrument of execution (the Cross) through the streets of Jerusalem along what is known as the Way of Sorrow.

    “Jesus was then crucified at Golgotha on the day before the Sabbath, was buried and remained in the tomb until Sunday, the day after the Sabbath, and then gloriously resurrected. It is referred to as the Passion Week because in that time, Jesus Christ truly revealed His passion for us in the suffering He willingly went through on our behalf.

    “What should our attitude be during the Passion Week? We should be passionate in our worship of Jesus and in our proclamation of His Gospel! As He suffered for us, so should we be willing to suffer for the cause of following Him and proclaiming the message of His death and resurrection.

    “It is in the light of this, that the leadership of CAN is calling on every Christian nationwide to stand in the gap for that innocent girl, Leah Sharibu, at 12 noon on Good Friday, asking God to send His angels to deliver her from captivity as He did for Apostle Peter who was jailed unjustly.”

    Ayokunle said, “It is high time security operatives lived up to the expectations of the people.

    “They should stop all the terrorist abductions and the Fulani herdsmen killings or resign from their offices to give room for those who could guarantee our security and safety.”

    Recall that Sharibu was among the 105 female students of Government Science Technical School, Dapchi, Yobe State who were kidnapped on February 19.

    CAN also called on the Federal Government to put every measure in place to facilitate Leah’s release.

    The organisation also demanded that Nigerians should apologise to its former President and Founder of World of Life Bible Church in Warri, Delta State, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, over wrong accusation.

  • Station of the Cross: Drama as ‘Lagos Jesus’ collapse [Videos]

    Station of the Cross: Drama as ‘Lagos Jesus’ collapse [Videos]

    There was a mild drama on Friday when ‘Jesus’ acted by one Mr. Dominic Akubuilo of Holy Family Catholic Church, Festac Town, Lagos dramatically fell down during a procession organized by the church to mark Good Friday and reenact the Stations of the Cross.

    Carrying a heavy cross made of woods, Akubuilo whose back was whipped severally by supposed soldiers dramatically fell down at the ninth station and this took sightseers by surprised especially when some of the organisers began to splash water on his face to resuscitate him.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmj9fRu-M1A

    It was until the ‘Lagos Jesus’ stood up and continued carrying the cross that it became obvious that ‘the collapse’ was only an apt acting of Jesus’ fall by Akubuilo who has been doing this for the church for about four years consecutively.

    The occasion which is observed yearly in Catholic churches commemorates Christ’s last day on earth as a man.

    The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation to his death among other series which eventually ends with his body being laid in the tomb.

    At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ’s last day. Specific prayers are recited, and then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete.

    The reenactment procession commenced at the Holy Family reenactment exactly at 1:00pm at the church which is located on 22 Road, 2nd Avenue Festac Town, proceeded to Agboju area and then ended at an event center situated on 32 Road, Festac where he was crucified.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0tzh4hPlq4

    According to Okonkwo Valentine, President of the Young Christian Workers Movement (YCWM), Holy Family Catholic Church, said the procession is a way of evangelising, dramatising the rejection Jesus went through and letting people see the pain.

    “The event took place over 2000 years ago and according to the church calendar, the same person, [Jesus] that was celebrated last week Saturday, when everybody was shouting ‘hail-the-king’ is today wanted dead on Good Friday by scribes and Pharisees”

    Speaking on the preparation for the passion drama, Okonkwo said it was energy sapping and pocket draining while thanking God for the grace of the good support given to YCWM by its members.

    “Majority of the funding for the project came from within the movement and they only did it based on their own volition without anybody having to compel them. And we are not just talking about money but also time and talents.”

    Okonkwo advises Christians at large to learn from Jesus in the course of the passion drama how to be selfless in life, “Jesus died for us even while we are still sinning, if our activities are based on selfish motives things will not go well.” He added

     

     

     

     

  • Good Friday: Imbibe Christ’s virtue of selflessness, cleric urges Christians

    Good Friday: Imbibe Christ’s virtue of selflessness, cleric urges Christians

    A cleric, Rev. Ifeanyi Okonkwo, has urged Christians in the country to imbibe the virtue of selflessness in order to live above materialism and get-rich-quick syndrome.

    Okonkwo spoke on Friday during a homily in a Good Friday Service held at the Anglican Church of Ascension, Achara Layout, Enugu.

    “Only when we live selflessly like Jesus Christ did, by sacrificing his life on the cross; the urge to acquire wealth uncontrollably can be checkmated,’’ he said.

    The cleric also noted that selflessness involve giving as well as a heart of charity and sharing with others.

    “A selfless heart is the heart that seeks to give and does not seeking for his own personal gain; just as Christ exemplified,’’ he said.

    He, however, urged Christians to show the light by being selfless in order for the country to move forward.

    “Our lives as those that follow Christ must tell of our master’s wish that anyone who wants to lead others must be a servant to all,’’ he said.

    The cleric prayed for the nation’s leaders and for the recovery of the nation’s economy.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Good Friday is celebrated by Christians as the day Jesus Christ died to redeem mankind from sin and condemnation of God.

    Many Christians all over the world observe the day with worship, solemnity and sobriety.

     

     

    NAN