The cross-bearers of Christian Holy Week

The cross-bearers of Christian Holy Week

65 photos

The week week before Easter, the day when Christians commemorate Jesus’ resurrection, is celebrated as Holy Week in the many Christian traditions around the world. Part of these celebrations involve reenactments of the path Jesus took to his crucifixion and the pain and suffering he endured. Today, Good Friday, marks the day when Jesus was taken down from the cross after his death and placed in a tomb, where he emerges and ascends to Heaven three days later.

Some of the Christian faithful take these Holy Week reenactments more literally than others, including actors actually being nailed to crosses. Even though the Roman Catholic church frowns on such activities, no actions have been taken to stop the extremests from observing the suffering of Jesus in such a painful display of faith.

PLEASE NOTE: Viewers be advised that photos contain depictions of gore and violence.

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March 29 Photo Brief: Pope Francis prays for Good friday, German beaches get snow for Easter, North Korea takes aim for America

March 29 Photo Brief: Pope Francis prays for Good friday, German beaches get snow for Easter, North Korea takes aim for America

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Pope Francis presides over the first Holy Week of his papacy, beach-goers enjoy snow during the opening day of Strandbad Wannsee beach in Berlin, North Korea releases a picture of Kim Jong-un during an urgent operations meeting to put the country’s rockets on standby to attack U.S. military bases and more in today’s daily brief.

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March 28 Photo Brief: Pope Francis leads Chrismal mass, a supersized bottle of Czech wine and a cute baby elephant

March 28 Photo Brief: Pope Francis leads Chrismal mass, a supersized bottle of Czech wine and a cute baby elephant

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Pope Francis leads the Chrismal mass at the Vatican, the Czech Republic unveils their supersized bottle of wine, a baby Asiatic elephant shows of his cuteness and more in today’s daily brief.

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Curling like a champion

Curling like a champion

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The unique sport of curling remains mostly out of the spotlight. But every four years, that changes, says brothers Hunter and Caleb Clawson, of Clarksville. After each winter Olympics, the Potomac Curling Club in Laurel sees a huge influx in interest at its meetings and open houses. For now, it’s just a core group of devotees shuffling up and down the ice.

The Clawsons, trained by their father Eric for the past eight years, are competing in the International Curling Championships this week in Vancouver. On Sunday, the Clawsons did some training exercises and competed in a friendly match with other club members.

The video below was partly shot on a GoPro camera attached to a curling stone to give a rare perspective of the sport.

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Same-sex marriage hearings continue, Supreme Court weighs arguments on Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

Same-sex marriage hearings continue, Supreme Court weighs arguments on Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday concluded two hours of arguments about the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a 1996 law that denies married same-sex couples access to federal benefits, reported Reuters. It is expected in June that the Court will release its decision. On Tuesday, the court heard arguments for and against California’s gay marriage ban Proposition 8.

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