Good Friday his advisers, decreed that Good Friday that year would be a holiday. This was Castro's response to a request made personally to him by Pope Benedict XVI during the latter's Apostolic Visitation to the island and León, Mexico that month. The move followed the pattern of small advances in Cuba's relations with the Vatican, mirroring Pope John Paul II's success in getting Fidel Castro to declare Christmas Day a holiday. Both Good Friday and Christmas are now annual holidays in Cuba. In Hong Kong, despite the transfer of sovereignty from the UK to China in 1997, Good Friday continues to
Good Friday processions in Baliuag the streets in the previous years. In the Lenten procession, religious fervor and piety compelled the town people of Baliuag to launch over a hundred richly adorned giant floats depicting the passion of Jesus Christ. Held every Holy Wednesday and Good Friday, the procession starts at 6:00 in the Evening. The grand procession of more than 80 images became an anticipated attraction on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday. The 2013 Good Friday 96 massive carriages carrying life size dioramas depicting a scene in the life of Jesus were paraded all over town after sunset. The solemn rite on Good Friday,