President Donald Trump came up with an unusual greeting Friday to those commemorating the day Christ was nailed to a cross: “HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY TO ALL!”

He later wished everyone a “great” Good Friday at his press briefing.

The jarring greeting referred to the most somber day of the Christian calendar. It marks the torture of Jesus and his death upon a cross. Easter, on Sunday, marks the celebration of Jesus’s resurrection. (The “good” in Good Friday refers to the day being “holy.”)

Trump’s wish was particularly jolting given that the nation’s death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 18,000 and continues to surge.

Critics pointed out again that, though Trump pushes the agenda of evangelical Christian leaders, he’s foggy about actual Christianity.

They pointed to Trump’s blooper during his presidential campaign when he spoke at Jerry Falwell Jr.’s Liberty University and quoted a Bible verse — to student snickers — from “two Corinthians.” The New Testament book is called “Second Corinthians,” as in the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. (Trump also swore twice during that speech.)

In an earlier video, Trump steadfastly declined to name his favorite Bible verse, saying, “I don’t want to get into verses.” And when asked if he preferred the Old or New Testament, he dodged: “The whole Bible is incredible.”

Others referred to Trump’s reported haziness about Pearl Harbor. Washington Post reporters Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig noted in their book, “A Very Stable Genius,” that when Trump was about to tour a Pearl Harbor memorial, he turned to John Kelly, then his chief of staff, and asked: “Hey, John, what’s this all about?”

HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY TO ALL! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2020

This is a solemn day for Christians. It's not called Happy Friday. Like not knowing what the significance of Pearl Harbor was, I'd suggest the President doesn't know what happened on Good Friday according to the scriptures. — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) April 10, 2020

“Happy” Good Friday? Is that like “Two Corinthians”? Fraud. — Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) April 10, 2020

I'm Jewish and I know that #GoodFriday is a day of reflection.



How about reflecting on the fact that your slow response to #COVIDー19 has cost 16K people their lives & counting. — Peter Morley (@morethanmySLE) April 10, 2020

This is a man who pretends to go to church. Happy? pic.twitter.com/FdabYp1dnZ — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) April 10, 2020

Good Friday is the day Jesus died. Not sure that is a "Happy" holiday for the people that commemorate it.



But I'm sure you already knew that, being a tremendous Christian.🙄



Sincerely,

The Third Corinthian — J-L Cauvin (@JLCauvin) April 10, 2020

"Happy Good Friday" isn't a thing, just as you don't say, "Happy Yom Kippur." Also not things: "Have fun repenting!" and "Enjoy your fasting." — Deirdre Wyeth (@DWyeth) April 10, 2020

STOP PICKING ON PRESIDENT TRUMP! HE EXPLAINS IN HIS OWN VOICE WHY HE CALLED IT HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY RIGHT HERE! pic.twitter.com/EX8hqGnizL — J-L Cauvin (@JLCauvin) April 10, 2020

“Once this Good Friday is behind us, and it will be sooner rather than later (except sadly for friends and family of the Nazarene), it must be quickly forgotten. Our Great Empire will BOOM—perhaps more than ever before.”—Pontus Pilate pic.twitter.com/tZ1bL3fMz0 — @RobertEllsberg (@RobertEllsberg) April 10, 2020

Sir, what do you think Good Friday commemorates? — Seth Masket (@smotus) April 10, 2020

There is absolutely nothing happy about this Good Friday.



This is one the saddest but realist image I have seen of the many lives lost. #TrumpBurialPits pic.twitter.com/x2vK3K6iPe — Skyleigh #50th Day@🏠 (@Sky_Lee_1) April 10, 2020