Amid security threats of possible Hezbollah attacks, tens of thousands visited Jerusalem on Good Friday to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus of Nazareth at Calvary. The religious visitors came from Spain, Poland, the Philippines, Brazil and other African nations. Fewer local Christians however were seen compared to previous years due to sporadic militant assaults from neighboring countries.

A cosmetics line called "Looking Good For Jesus" has been pulled from a leading department store in Singapore after Catholic residents protested the marketing gimmick as blasphemous. Reports said the retailing giant Top Shop in the Lion City, which is home to about 4. 4 million Christians, had no choice but to clear its shelves of the products. The makeup line sold items like "Virtuous vanilla" lip balm and a "Get Tight with Christ" hand and body cream, featuring a picture of Jesus Christ between two women.

fter their widely popular 'Thriller' dance video attracted over 10 million on YouTube, inmates at a prison in Cebu, Philippines are at it again; this time with their dance number that will be performed during the Sinulog Festival honoring the baby Jesus on January 20. Around a hundred dancing inmates of the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) participated in a video posted at YouTube on December 21. It is only been viewed a couple of thousand times, compared to the 'Thriller' (Michael Jackson's hit song) video posted in August last year, which has been viewed over 10 million times worldwide.

Two men who took off with some beer from a local grocery store left cash on the counter after they were told that Jesus was watching them. According to police reports, the suspects walked up to the cashier at a local Smith's store with some beer they planned to purchase. The clerk, however, refused to sell them the beer as it was past 1 a. m. , the limit for beer sales.

Long-standing rivalries between Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests broke into a brawl during holiday cleaning on Thursday inside the church of the Nativity. The Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic authorities and Roman Catholic religious groups jointly administer the basilica, which is considered holy by Christians who believe it sits over the site in Bethlehem where many believe Jesus was born. When any one of those groups thinks that their turf has been encroached on, it causes problems.