During the spring season, families worldwide commemorate Easter, a significant event in Christianity.
For Christians, Easter represents the resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated through church services. However, it also serves as a secular occasion marked by bunnies, candy-filled baskets, and decorated eggs.
Preceding Easter Sunday by two days is Good Friday, a pivotal Christian holiday commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion.
Discover the significance of Good Friday and how Christians observe it:
What is Good Friday?
According to Christian belief, Jesus faced arrest and trial for proclaiming himself as the Son of God. Roman authorities sentenced him to death by crucifixion, where he endured beatings and carried a wooden cross to Golgotha or Calvary. Nailed to the cross, Jesus eventually died and was buried, as recounted in the Bible.
Christians interpret Jesus’ death as an act of redemption, known as the Atonement, intended to reconcile humanity with God. Good Friday is observed solemnly, with Christians attending special church services and prayer vigils.
Good Friday forms a part of Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday), and Good Friday, leading up to Easter Sunday.
When is Good Friday?
In 2024, Good Friday falls on Friday, March 29th.
The date of Good Friday varies annually, dependent on the timing of Passover, with Easter Sunday always occurring two days later.
Why is it called Good Friday?
The name “Good Friday” carries ambiguity, considering the somber event it commemorates.
Rev. Dr. Brent Strawn suggests that the term “good” originally meant “holy” in Old English, implying that “Good Friday” might signify “Holy Friday” or “God’s Friday.”
Strawn explains that the name does not trivialize the event but reflects the Christian belief in the goodness derived from Jesus’ sacrifice, leading to peace with God and human salvation.
How do Christians observe Good Friday?
Christian observances of Good Friday vary, incorporating practices such as fasting, retracing Jesus’ final steps through the Stations of the Cross, processions, prayer, and church services.
Good Friday services typically reflect the solemnity of Jesus’ crucifixion through Bible readings, prayers, and hymns. Services often conclude with Jesus’ words from the cross — “It is finished” — followed by a somber exit in darkness, emphasizing the seriousness and weight of Christ’s death.
