Days like Maundy Thursday and the 2nd Pentecost should not be ‘holy days’ or public ‘holidays’ because of a Christian content to which the public has no relationship, said priest,Per Anders Nordengen.
“Most people no longer know why we celebrate Easter and the Pentecost. These have become a ‘fun’ holiday, and few have a relationship to why we have these days off,” says the priest and lecturer Nordengen to Vårt Land newspaper.
“Of course, we’ll have days off, and as many days off as today,but call them spring break or something else. Like other countries,Good Friday and Christmas Day should remain ecclesiastical holidays,’’he said.
So-called ’’second days’’, such as Christmas Day and the 2nd day of Pentecost, still have a practical function, according to Ann-Helen Fjeldstad Jusnes of the southern Hålogaland diocese.
‘’The second days emerged as a consequence of major geographical distances in Norway. In order for all who want to to be able to worship,we need them because we are so decentralised,’’ she said.
Leader of the Professional Theologians union, Stig Jørund Arnesen, does not believe it makes sense to call the days anything else.
‘’This wouldn’t solve anything. It’s just bad,’’ he said.
In 2018, there are seven ecclesiastical holidays that leave Norwegians free.
Four of them remain, Christ’s Ascension Day on the 10th of May, the 2nd Pentecost on the 21st of May, the 1st Christmas Day on the 25th of December,and the 2nd day of Christmas (Boxing Day) on the 26th of December.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
