Good Friday

Good Friday is a holy day celebrated by most Christians on the Friday before Easter or Pascha. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary. Special prayer services are often held on this day with readings from the Gospel accounts of the events leading up to the crucifixion. Mainstream Christian churches view Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and Vicarious act, and one by which, along with resurrection on the third day, death itself was conquered.

In Palestine, Jesus' birthplace, it is known as "Sad Friday." In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria (and Eastern Orthodox Church in general) the day is called Great Friday.

In Portugal the day is called the "Holy Friday" and in Denmark,Norway,Sweden,Finland and Iceland the day is called "The Long Friday"

Jesus' possible death date

As a matter of historical fact, the date of Christ's death is unknown and cannot be calculated from the information in the Gospels. The Gospels indicate he died on the afternoon of 15 Nisan (the day of the Passover, ) - or, alternatively, on the day before; but no year is given, except that it was during the reign of Tiberius Caesar. According to all four Gospels (Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31) Jesus died on Preparation Day (the day before the Sabbath), which would make it a Friday.

Thus, the question is fully relegated to theological speculation, under which it is believed the Crucifixion occurred on a Friday in April. Perhaps the most probable date is 3 April AD 33. A partial lunar eclipse also took place on this date.

In Western Christianity the earliest possible date for Good Friday is March 20 and the latest possible date is April 23. The latest possible date for Great Friday in Eastern Orthodoxy is May 7. See also Reform of the date of Easter.

In the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches

Instead of the Divine Liturgy, the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics meet up to three times during the day for prayer: in the forenoon, to pray the Royal Hours appointed for that day; in the afternoon, the Vespers of Holy Friday; and in the evening, the Matins of Holy Saturday.

The congregants relive the events of the day through public reading of the Psalms and Gospels, and singing hymns about Christ's death. Visual imagery and symbolism is also often used: in the morning, a large cross is moved to the front or center of the nave (where the congregation gathers), and a two-dimensional painted body of Christ, or corpus, is placed on it. During the afternoon prayers, it is removed from the cross and taken to the altar in the sanctuary, and an epitaphion is brought down to a low table in the nave representing the tomb; it is often decorated with an abundance of flowers. The epitaphion itself represents the body of Jesus wrapped in a burial shroud, and is a roughly full-size cloth icon of the body of Christ. During the evening prayers, the shroud is part of a procession outside the church, and is then returned to the tomb.

During this time, the hymns do not forget the coming resurrection. Holding both events in tension, the following troparion (type of hymn) is sung during the afternoon prayers while the shroud is being carried to the tomb:

The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in fine linen, and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The angel came to the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb and said:

Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption.

Orthodox Christians abstain from all food the entire day (which they call "Holy and Great Friday"), to the extent that their health permits.

In the Roman Catholic Church

style="padding-right: 1.5em;"align=center|**Dates for Good Friday, 2000-2020**
Year	Western	Eastern
2000	April 21	April 28
2001	April 13
2002	March 29	May 3
2003	April 18	April 25
2004	April 9
2005	March 25	April 29
2006	April 14	April 21
2007	April 6
2008	March 21	April 25
2009	April 10	April 17
2010	April 2
2011	April 22
2012	April 6	April 13
2013	March 29	May 3
2014	April 18
2015	April 3	April 10
2016	March 25	April 29
2017	April 14
2018	March 30	April 6
2019	April 19	April 26
2020	April 10	April 17

Roman Catholic Christians treat Good Friday as a fast day, which is defined as only having one full meal or two small ones.

The Catholic Good Friday in the Roman Rite afternoon service involves a series of readings and meditations, as well as the (sung) reading of the Passion account from the Gospel of John which is often read dramatically, with the priest, one or more readers, and the congregation all taking part. Unlike Roman Catholic services on other days, the Good Friday service is not a Mass, and in fact, celebration of Catholic Mass on Good Friday is forbidden. Eucharist consecrated the night before (Holy Thursday) may be distributed. The cross is presented, with the people given an opportunity to venerate it. The services also include a long series of formal intercessions. The solemnity and somberness of the occasion has led to a phenomenon whereby in the course of history the liturgical provisions have a tendency to persist without substantial modification, even over the centuries (Anton Baumstark). In some countries, such as Malta, Italy and Spain, processions with statues representing the Passion of Christ are held.

An example: Malta

The Holy Week commemorations reach their paramount on Good Friday as the Catholic Church celebrates the passion of Jesus. Solemn celebrations take place in all churches together with processions in different villages around Malta and Gozo. During the celebration, the narrative of the passion is read in some localities. The Adoration of the Cross follows. Good Friday processions take place in Birgu, Bormla, Luqa, Mosta, Naxxar, Paola, Qormi, Rabat, Senglea, Valletta, Żebbug and Żejtun. Processions in Gozo will be in Nadur, Victoria, Xaghra and Żebbug.

An example: The Philippines

In the predominantly Catholic Philippines, the day is commemorated with street processions, the Way of the Cross, and a Passion play called the Sinakulo. The Church keep the day solemn by not tolling the church bells and no mass will be celebrated. In some communities (most famously in San Fernando, Pampanga), the processions include devotees who self-flagellate and sometimes even have themselves nailed to crosses as expressions of penance. After three o'clock in the afternoon of Good Friday (the time at which Jesus is traditionally believed to have died), noise is discouraged, radio stations and television stations sign off, businesses automatically close, and the faithful are urged to keep a solemn and prayerful disposition through Easter Sunday.

Anglican Communion

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer did not specify a particular rite to be observed on Good Friday but local custom came to mandate an assortment of services, including the Seven Last Words from the Cross and a three-hour service consisting of Matins, Ante-communion (using the Reserved Sacrament in high church parishes) and Evensong. In recent times revised editions of the Prayer Book and Alternative Service Books have re-introduced pre-Reformation forms of observance of Good Friday corresponding to those in today's Roman Catholic Church, with special nods to the rites that had been observed in the Church of England prior to the Henrican, Edwardian and Elizabethan reforms.

Other Protestant Traditions

Many Protestant communities hold special services on this day as well. In the German Lutheran tradition from the 16th to the 20th century, this was the most important holiday. It was the prime day on which to receive Holy Communion, and services were often accentuated by special music such as the St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Some Baptist, many Sabbatarian and non-denominational churches do not celebrate Good Friday, instead observing the Crucifixion on Wednesday to coincide with the Jewish sacrifice of the Passover Lamb (which Christians believe is an Old Testament pointer to Jesus Christ). A Wednesday Crucifixion of Jesus Christ allows for Christ to be in the tomb (heart of the earth) for three days and three nights as he told the Pharisees he would be (Matthew 12:40), rather than two nights and a day if he died on Friday.

This notion arises from literal translation of the Greek New Testament. The Latin calendar includes partial days as full days, thus the early church determined those three days Jesus Christ was in the tomb included Friday and Sunday.

Customs associated with Good Friday

In many countries with a strong Christian tradition such as Germany, Chile, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the day is observed as a public or federal holiday.

In many English speaking countries, most shops are closed for the day and advertising from television and radio is withdrawn to some degree.

In Canada banks and government offices (at all levels) and public sector businesses are closed, along with most private sector businesses (except in Quebec).

In the United States, Good Friday is not a federal holiday, although it is a state holiday in some locations. U.S. governments are also constitutionally prevented from forcing most private businesses to open or close on any particular day, so the stock markets are usually closed on Good Friday along with many other businesses (especially in rural areas) - but the majority of businesses are open on Good Friday. Some public schools close on Good Friday because so many children's families observe the holiday. The postal service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government are not allowed to close. State and local offices are closed in areas where it is a state holiday. The Republic of Ireland, a predominantly Catholic country, prohibits all alcohol from being sold on Good Friday. Almost all pubs and many restaurants in Ireland close for the duration of the day. It is similar to Christmas Day in this regard. This tradition has come under criticism of late, with secular businesses claiming a loss in earnings by way of a religious festival. Many people cross the border to Northern Ireland to shop or visit pubs or restaurants.

In South Africa, the government regulates the opening of businesses and entertainment outlets on this day (as with Christmas Day). All government offices, schools and certain businesses are closed on Good Friday by law. The buying and selling of alcohol is prohibited.

Eastern Orthodox Christians eat as little as possible on this day while the Roman Catholic Church observes fasting and abstinence for this day as well as Ash Wednesday.

In many English speaking countries, Hot cross buns are eaten.

Traditionally, Catholics are to abstain from eating meat every Friday of the year as penance. Nowadays, this is only a requirement during Fridays of Lent; during Fridays of the rest of the year, other methods of penance may be followed, for example, an extra prayer. As a modern tradition, many Catholics will eat fish on Good Friday.

Related holy days

External links

Friday | Liturgical Calendar

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