Can someone explain the meaning and context of Nietzsche's famous line "

Question: Can someone explain the meaning and context of Nietzsche's famous line "God is dead" to the ignorant!?
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Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market-place, and cried incessantly: "I am looking for God! I am looking for God!"
As many of those who did not believe in God were standing together there, he excited considerable laughter!. Have you lost him, then!? said one!. Did he lose his way like a child!? said another!. Or is he hiding!? Is he afraid of us!? Has he gone on a voyage!? or emigrated!? Thus they shouted and laughed!. The madman sprang into their midst and pierced them with his glances!.

"Where has God gone!?" he cried!. "I shall tell you!. We have killed him - you and I!. We are his murderers!. But how have we done this!? How were we able to drink up the sea!? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon!? What did we do when we unchained the earth from its sun!? Whither is it moving now!? Whither are we moving now!? Away from all suns!? Are we not perpetually falling!? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions!? Is there any up or down left!? Are we not straying as through an infinite nothing!? Do we not feel the breath of empty space!? Has it not become colder!? Is it not more and more night coming on all the time!? Must not lanterns be lit in the morning!? Do we not hear anything yet of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying God!? Do we not smell anything yet of God's decomposition!? Gods too decompose!. God is dead!. God remains dead!. And we have killed him!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

God is dead means -

Definitely deceased

He's a stiff!

Bereft of life

He has ceased to be!.

He's expired!.

This God is no more!.

He's kicked the bucket!.

He's shuffled off his mortal coil

He is an ex-God!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

By that quote Nietzsche meant the moral and mental reliance that people had placed on God is weakening, and that His strain and control over the people has diminished!. People have not realized yet that this has happened though, and thus why the madman in the story must retreat for fear of being hurt!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think that it's not possible to explain it, you read it your self and if you don't understand it, read it again and again, not just that part, but the whole thing!. I loved it but I think that too many things have been said about N!. A lot of intellectuals like to think they have the right explanation to everything 'cause they have a degree!.!.!. reading philosophy is not about knowing as much as it is about being open minded and feel the writers words inside you!. Don't belive what people say, find out youselfWww@QuestionHome@Com