Religious Studies Professor Explains the Intricacies Behind the Good Friday Catholic Worship Services

Did you know that Easter is the earliest and most central of all Christian holidays—more ancient than Christmas—and that the Good Friday worship service is historically the most controversial of Holy Week services? 

In an article for The Conversation, Joanne Pierce, professor of religious studies at Holy Cross who specializes in Christian liturgy, details the ceremonial elements of the Catholic worship services for Good Friday and explains the important changes they have undergone throughout time. 

"Prayers and symbols have the power to bind people together in a common purpose and identity," says Pierce. "But without understanding their context, it is all too easy to manipulate them in support of dated or limited political and social agendas."

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.