VOA标准英语2010-Thousands of Pilgrims Join Good Friday Pr

Christians² around the world are observing Good Friday, marking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Robert Berger | Jerusalem 02 April 2010

Christians pilgrims hold wooden crosses as they walk past a Jewish man wearing a prayer shawl through Jerusalem's Old City, 2 April 2010

It was a sea of Christian¹ pilgrims in the narrow cobblestone alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City. The faithful came to the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Sorrows, from all over the world.

Carrying crosses, singing hymns³ and reading from the Gospels, they retraced⁴ the footsteps of Jesus to the 14 Stations of the Cross.

It was a big turnout, as Eastern Orthodox and Western Churches marked Good Friday on the same day for the first time in years.

"I just feel that I'm part of the spiritual world here, closer to that, by walking on these streets here in Jerusalem and visiting the sites here," said Spiro Polaris, who came from Baltimore, Maryland in the United States.

Sally Stanfield of Washington, D.C. said Jerusalem on Good Friday brings the Bible to life.

"It's very exciting to put the physical reality with what you've read all these years," she said. "And being here, you feel this is a prayed up place and it's very holy."

Israeli troops and anti-terror units guarded the route, but that did not bother Katy Fitzpatrick of Washington State.

"I expected it and, you know, it seems like they're not restricting any movement and people are free to come and go as they please, and everybody seems safe and that's the goal," she said.

The procession wound up at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher⁵, the traditional site of the crucifixion. The church also contains an ancient stone tomb said to mark the place where Jesus was buried. It is there, on Easter Sunday, that Christians will celebrate the resurrection.

 

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

3 hymns   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At first, they played the hymns and marches familiar to them. 起初他们只吹奏自己熟悉的赞美诗和进行曲。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821
• I like singing hymns. 我喜欢唱圣歌。 来自辞典例句

4 retraced   

v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯

参考例句：

• We retraced our steps to where we started. 我们折回我们出发的地方。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We retraced our route in an attempt to get back on the right path. 我们折返，想回到正确的路上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sepulcher   

n.坟墓

参考例句：

• He said softly,as if his voice were coming from a sepulcher.他幽幽说道，象是从坟墓里传来的声音。
• Let us bend before the venerated sepulcher.让我们在他神圣的墓前鞠躬致敬。