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 Appeal journalists from The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd organised a sporting carnival in aid of Melbourne hospitals. The proceeds from the appeal initially went to different hospitals each year, but from their third year proceeds have gone exclusively to the Melbourne Royal Children's Hospital. In 1942, Sir Keith Murdoch as Managing Director and Editor of The Herald agreed that The Herald and radio station 3DB should broadcast an all day appeal on Good Friday. In 1957, the Seven Network joined the appeal and presented a three-hour telethon on Good Friday afternoon. In 1960, the telethon adopted the day-long format which