Over the forty days of Lent, many Christian churches refrain from saying “alleluia.” The word, along with its variant “halleluja,” is the transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “Praise Yahweh” (or simply “Praise God”). “Alleluia” and “hallelujah” imagine a worshiper erupting in joyful praise. The more penitential character of Lent can make such celebratory… Read More