Description
A Good Friday Service in which the events of Holy Week are reported through the eyes of modern television commentators.
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Extract:
SUNDAY
This is Sky News!
Good evening, here is the news for Sunday.
Our Current Affairs Correspondent in Jerusalem has reported huge numbers of travellers converging on the Holy City in preparation for Passover and the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread. A spokesman for the Jerusalem Guild of Street Traders said that visitors to the City at this time of year traditionally increased the population from 50,000 to almost half-a-million. He added that he was very optimistic that this year the bumper crop of tourists would give the local economy a much-needed boost in the midst the worst recession to hit this country in a generation.
Foreign news now, and it was reported today that the Emperor Tiberius will be holidaying in Naples, this year. His Imperial Majesty is expected to be joined by other members of the Imperial Family and by chosen members of the Senate during the course of the summer. The Emperor is well known to be a keen water-skier - so watch out all you would-be galley-slaves!
And finally There was an unexpectedly early entertainment for the large Festival crowds today when a young man made a mock-triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The man, who is believed to be a Rabbi, and formally a carpenter from Nazareth in Galilee, was joined by a large group of followers. Many other people quickly joined in the fun by pulling palm leaves off nearby trees and throwing them, along with their own cloaks, onto the road as the procession passed by. Some people in the crowd started to shout "Hosanna" and claimed that the man, whom they called Jesus, was the same man who had allegedly raised people from the dead and cured many other people of a variety of illnesses. A spokesman for Caiaphas, the Chief Priest, said that Bank Holiday crowds are easily distracted by this sort of thing and doubtless they found the spectacle of a man on a donkey pretending to be a long-lost King very amusing. He added that he felt sure that 'King Jesus' would prove to be a passing fad.
And now the weather
MONDAY
This is Sky News!
Good evening, and here is the early evening news for Monday.
The Roman authorities have reported a marked increase in petty street crime during the build-up to the Festival period, this year. A spokesman for the Governor said that many travellers who have not been able to book their accommodation in advance are arriving in the City carrying large sums of money. He warned all visitors to be on their guard against pickpockets and other petty criminals who are known to target Jerusalem at these busy times.
Meanwhile, Jewish Temple Guards and Roman Riot Police were placed on stand-by earlier today following a violent confrontation between traders and money-changers, operating in the Court of the Gentiles, and a young man thought to be the same 'King Jesus' who spectacularly rode into the city yesterday on a donkey. In one particularly aggressive outburst he is said to have overturned the tables of the traders dealing in doves and even to have tried to chase people out of the Temple. Onlookers claimed afterwards to have heard the man shout "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you have made it a den of robbers." The matter was reported to the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law, but the situation was soon defused when the young man sat down and peacefully began to address the large gathering of people who had witnessed his earlier outburst.
Wine traders are reported to be charging record prices for some of their more popular vintages, this year, as people shop for the Passover meal on Thursday and the Bank Holiday weekend With forecasters predicting hot sunshine throughout the Festival period, store owners are clearly hoping that it will turn out to be a sizzling BBQ weekend!