Good Friday

Malawi has a strong Christian population and from this Good Friday is observed as a National Holiday.  The government offices and many business close for the day.  The Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church across cooperated in performing the Stations of the Cross.  It began at the Lutheran Church and hundreds of people processed through town stopping to observe each station.  A truck with loudspeakers led the way with people singing.  Actors performed the stations and various people read passages.  It went right through town and took almost 2 hours to complete.  The most dramatic part was the frequent handing of the microphone to a group of young girls that would cry and sob before the Station passage was read.  Immediately afterwards the Good Friday services were held at the Catholic parish making the entire event about 5 hours long.