What did Friedrich Nietzsche mean with the phrase ''God is dead''?

The counter phrase to Freddie Neitzsche's nihilistic decree: "Nietzsche is Dead - God" has been around for over three decades at least since I was an undergraduate. Who is the actual author might never be known.

He was saying that the shared European concept of God was dead. Until the rise of modern science and the enlightenment allowing people to believe that the universe came about due to evolution God was a necessary belief. Humanity had indeed killed God. Or the notion of God in the main. I think that Nietzsche actually was using a parable as an antithesis to Nihilism. If there is not God something must replace him or we will become madmen.

What he meant when he said:

"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?"

Is not the simple three words that matter with what he said, its entire statement which really means something. A philosopher in an age where god was being doubted, he most likely doubted the existence of god but loved the ceremony and the place of religion in society. He is thus questioning now that people may have created the doubt (with philosophy and hard sciences), and perhaps literally may have killed the place of religion in society, what impact will this have on a culture that depended so much on the religion telling them how to live.

Or something along those lines... he was talking about the death of the church running Europe perhaps is another way of taking this as well during the rise of nationalism.

One school of thought suggests that god is dead in the hearts of men....That believers do not practice what they supposedly what they claim is in their hearts.

It is also said that his Black Lab, Roofus, had died and the entire thing was a typo.

The English definition of dead is...in a simple sense...the ceasing of a living entity.

contrary to popular misunderstanding, he was not promoting atheism. Instead, he was lamenting the loss of genuine spirituality among society.

"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?"

He was a Christian poof just like the rest of them.

He was a fool cause only a fool says in there heart there is no God

even Nietzsche knew Jesus was God

what all unbelievers mean............but one day he's going to face the One whom he didn't believe in, and you'll probably hear his scream of regret , all the way down...............