What Is Good Friday?

Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Black Friday and Great Friday, is a time of fasting and penance, marking the anniversary of Christ’s crucifixion and his death at Calvary. Christians do not celebrate this day as a historical event, but observe it as the sacrificial death of Christ. It falls on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday and hence, the date is different each year. The day was initially known as Holy or Great Friday by the Greek Church. It was only around the 6th or 7th century that the Roman Church named it Good Friday. The day is observed with a variety of ceremonies in different sects of Christianity. Most Christians spend the day in fasting, prayers, repentance and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross. Read through the following lines to know more about the meaning of Good Friday.

Meaning & Significance Of Good Friday

History

As per the history of Good Friday, it is the day on which the crucifixion of Jesus took place. The Gospels state that Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter day. However, it was only in the 4th century that the churches began observing the Friday before Easter as Good Friday.

Significance

Good Friday is observed to commemorate the suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. As other festivals that are celebrated with enthusiasm and fervor, Good Friday is marked as a day of mourning and not a day of festive joy. The significance of Good Friday lies in that fact that it symbolizes the victory of good over evil.

Traditions

Sadness, mourning, fasting and prayers are the most important Good Friday traditions. Most Christians keep their churches unlit or draped in black cloths. The entire ceremony is somber, with priests and deacons dressing in black vestments. The whole presentation is solemn to create an awareness of grief over the sacrifice of Jesus.

Celebrations

As a part of Good Friday celebrations, churches are stripped off their ornaments, the altar is set bare and the door of the tabernade is left empty opened. Liturgical services are held in the churches that start from noon and continue for the next three hours as the Christians believe that Jesus was crucified at three in the afternoon. Verses from the Gospel are read aloud followed by a silent meditation and hymns.