[Berman:] Welcome back to EARLY START. It is the most solemn day on the Christian calendar, when believers around the world mark the death of Jesus on a cross. For Catholics today, it's the first Good Friday with a new pope who does things his own way. This holy week has already had its own firsts. Pope Francis presiding over observances today. Senior international correspondent Jim Bitterman is following all from Rome. And Jim, yesterday Pope Francis really broke with tradition again. He washed the feet of two women. One of them was a Muslim. This has never been done before. What does this tell us about the pope?
[Jim Bitterman, Cnn Senior International Correspondent:] Never been done before by a pope. He's in fact has washed the feet of women when he was the cardinal archbishop back in Argentina. Fact is, this is the first time we have seen this. I think one more piece of evidence that the pope is going to do things completely differently from his predecessors. He told us journalists about a week ago, when he had an audience with the media, that basically, there's nothing more he would like to see than a poor church in the service of the poor. He is constantly, and the first few days of his reign here, here's constantly repeated the idea that clergy should get out, get out, he keeps talking about leaving the church and getting out into the streets where is the people are. I think we're going to see a quite different papacy from the regal monarchy-style papacy we have seen in the past.
[Berman:] The Vatican wanted to have a new pope in place for this Easter week. Good Friday celebrations start today, then Easter, Sunday morning. What is on the agenda for pope Francis? Do you expect we'll see more surprises as the weekend continues?
[Bitterman:] I think so. This afternoon is a very a traditional ceremony here in Rome. And that's basically the pope will start off at St. Peter's basilica. He'll read the story of Christ's passion, the suffering, death of Christ, and then the resurrection. He'll do it in the basilica. Then, he'll travel across Rome to the coliseum. And this is a traditional spot for the popes to observe the stations of the cross, the 14 stations of the cross, basically, they symbolize Christ's passion. And after that, there are have vigil services tomorrow and Saturday. Then of course Easter Sunday. And his message to the city and to the world. That is always a big high point. Though he's already done one. He did one when he was inaugurated ten days ago. In fact, the pope will be following some tradition. We're expecting there will be breaks with tradition. He's already, several time this is week, broken away from his prepared statements and ad- libbed, as it were. We'll be on guard for anything, John.
[Berman:] All right, Jim Bitterman in Rome on this Good Friday, our thanks to you.
[Harlow:] Well, Rush Limbaugh telling his listeners that the battle over same-sex marriage is over. Listen.
[Rush Limbaugh, Radio Talkshow:] This issue is lost. I don't care what the Supreme Court does. This is now inevitable. Once we started talking about gay marriage, traditional marriage, opposite-sex marriage, same-sex marriage, we lost. It was over. It was just a matter of time. Because in once and this is the point the friend of mine sent me a note about. Once you decide to modify the word marriage then the other side has won.
[Harlow:] The issue now goes behind closed doors. Supreme Court justices will spend the next three months drafting their legal opinions all of it out of the public eye, until of course their decision is rendered.
[Berman:] Two strangers turn into good Samaritans when they teamed up to take down a robber. Look at this security video from a drugstore in Mesa, Arizona. The suspect demands cash from the cashier. He took the money but couldn't run. Two customers tackled the guy like a couple of football players. Look at this.
[Dustin Hollander, Foiled Robbery:] I threw my stuff down and told him no. He decided to try to get bast me. My wife works as a cashier. If she was getting robbed, I wish somebody would step if for her, so
[Jacob Heward, Foiled Robbery:] It's strange. It's in my neighborhood. I'm glad I could help.
[Berman:] Police got there a few minutes later. Took the suspect to jail. Dustin and Jacob should get a gift card at least. Mesa police plan to honor them for their bravery.
[Harlow:] Listen up, a gym class classic now banned? We're going to tell you why one school is getting rid of dodgeball.
[Ben Stiller, Actor, "dodgeball":] You're out, four-eyes. Dodgeball. And we know it.
[Unidentified Male:] And then there are these.