Celebrating love and the start of Lent ❤️
When Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday coincide
Hi Religion Unplugged readers,
Today is both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. The two holidays haven’t taken place on the same day since 2018, and this event only happened three times last century.
Valentine’s Day is a day primarily for couples to celebrate their love, often going out to dinner and exchanging sweets. Ash Wednesday, observed primarily by Catholics, marks the first day of Lent and is honored with fasting. For many, Lent is also accompanied with abstinence from sweets, alcohol and other indulgences.
So what’s a Catholic to do?
In today’s top story, executive editor Clemente Lisi reports on the ways different Christians are responding, and how they’ll manage to celebrate the conflicting holidays.
Valentine’s Day And Ash Wednesday Coincide This Year: What’s a Catholic To Do?
Not everyone will be enjoying chocolate this Valentine’s Day. For the first time since 2018, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day. In fact, this rare occurrence is taking place once again in less than a week. It has happened three times in the last century – 1923, 1934 and 1945 – and will happen again in 2029. by Clemente Lisi
Female Shooter Killed After Opening Fire At Joel Osteen’s Texas Megachurch
Authorities said a woman opened fire with an AR-15 on celebrity televangelist Joel Osteen’s Texas megachurch — one of the largest in the country — before two-off duty police officers shot and killed the suspect. The officers’ actions, police said, averted what could have been a bigger tragedy. by Clemente Lisi
Why An EV Radio Problem Has Religious (And Political) Implications
Here’s another matter seemingly unrelated to religion. Why care about a pending bill in Congress deals with electromagnetic fields in hybrid and electric vehicles? by Richard Ostling
Jack Valentine: Who Is The Mysterious English Legend That Leaves Behind Gifts?
Forget celebrating Valentines Day with cards, red roses and chocolates, the eastern English country of Norfolk has a very different custom dating back centuries. This mysterious, sometimes mischievous, character placed little gifts on doorsteps, knocked and then disappeared before the door was opened. Enter Jack Valentine. by Angela Youngman
Inside The Gospel According To ‘Fargo’
(REVIEW) The series deserves applause for dealing with difficult social and theological topics and for the ways it gets them right. But its agonizing repetitiveness and its social and theological missteps need to be noted as well so that we make sure we can actually solve the problems it is so eager to critique. by Joseph Holmes
Anglican Church Helps Change Lives In Uganda Through Farming
A modern farming campaign launched six years ago by the Anglican Church of Uganda to transform lives affected by the the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda has started paying off. As a result, farmers have received quality seeds and hybrid animals such as pigs and cattle to rear. by John Semakula
Marina Abramovic: The Spiritual Roots Of Her Radical Art
Inspired by a variety of religious and mystical traditions, the artist Marina Abramović has spent the last 50 years pushing her body and mind to their limits in performances that have captivated audiences around the world. This spring, one of the largest retrospectives of the artist’s work opens at The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. by David Trigg
5 Religious Super Bowl Ads That Made Headlines
Super Bowl ads are not all secular. Religious organizations have often used the annual big game as a platform to spread their message. On other occasions, religious themes have been used in a funny way to sell products. Here’s a closer look at five that stood out. by Clemente Lisi
Filipinos Embrace Civic Unity Through Religious Diversity
An alliance of civil organizations — known as the “Team BBM 2022 Coalition” — has rebranded in recent weeks into what’s known as the BLESSED Movement. Known by its acronym BLESSED under the leadership of Chairman Herbert Antonio Martinez, this group has transcended political affiliations in an effort to becoming a quasi-religious unifying force that brings together people from diverse backgrounds across the country. by Jerico Joshua M. Kahulugan
2024 Presidential Election: Everything You Need To Know About The Candidates
Former President Donald Trump is poised to win the Nevada caucus that’s scheduled for Thursday — dealing a major blow to former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and putting him closer to securing the Republican nomination. by Clemente Lisi
Noted Muslims Condemn Hamas As israel Continues To Seek Release Of Hostages
The swelling number of Islamic clerics and Middle Eastern politicians condemning Hamas continues to grow since the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel. Canadian-based imam was the latest to do so. Tariq Abdulhaleem called for Hamas’ leadership to be prosecuted for facilitating what he called “genocide in Gaza.” by Gil Zohar
‘Cabrini’ Visually Stunning (But Boring) Toxic Outrage
(REVIEW) Angel Studios’ latest film “Cabrini” has haunting visuals and solid messages, but can’t seem to care about the real-life people the movie is based on beyond their status of victim or oppressor. The film follows Catholic nun Francesca Cabrini who, after witnessing disease and poverty in the slums of New York among Italian immigrants, embarks on a daring journey to help hundreds of orphaned children. by Joseph Holmes
🏈 Faith And Football: Would Jesus Bet On The Super Bowl? 🔌
In this week’s Weekend Plug-in, Bobby Ross Jr. highlights the rise of sports betting and people of faith’s stance on it. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column directly in your inbox on Friday mornings!
Thanks again for reading!
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