Every year on the Friday before Easter, Good Friday is observed and this year it falls on April 2, 2021. Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon which falls on April 4, 2021, according to the Church’s Lunar calendar. Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on this day. For Christians all over the world, it is a day of mourning, penance, and fasting. For the same reason, the day is also known as Black Friday. Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, marks the end of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting for Christians.

Why is it called Good Friday?

According to the Bible, the son of God was flogged, ordered to carry the cross on which he would be crucified and then put to death. It’s difficult to see what is “good” about it.

Some sources suggest that the day is “good” in that it is holy, or that the phrase is a corruption of “God’s Friday”.

However, the adjective good traditionally “designates a day on (or sometimes a season in) which religious observance is held”. The “good” in this context refers to “a day or season observed as holy by the church”, hence the greeting “good tide” at Christmas or on Shrove Tuesday. In addition to Good Friday, there is also a less well-known Good Wednesday, namely the Wednesday before Easter.

The earliest known use of “guode friday” is found in The South English Legendary, a text from around 1290, according to the dictionary. According to the Baltimore Catechism – the standard US Catholic school text from 1885 to the 1960s, Good Friday is good because Christ “showed His great love for man, and purchased for him every blessing”.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, first published in 1907, states that the term’s origins are not clear. It says some sources see its origins in the term “God’s Friday” or Gottes Freitag, while others maintain that it is from the German Gute Freitag. It notes that the day was called Long Friday by the Anglo-Saxons and is referred to as such in modern Danish.

It also says that the day is known as “the Holy and Great Friday” in the Greek liturgy, “Holy Friday” in Roman Languages, and Karfreitag (Sorrowful Friday) in German.

History

The crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ are commemorated on Good Friday. According to many accounts, Christ was arrested and executed on this day. Good Friday is considered holy because it was on this day that Jesus Christ, out of love for all people, gave his life as a sacrifice while suffering for their sins. Humanity was given a new start as a result of this gesture, and all of their sins were forgiven. The above-mentioned crucifixion is also said to have occurred around AD 30 or AD 33.

Now the question arises: why is the day known as Good Friday if it has such a sad history? The term is thought to have originated from the words “God’s Friday.” However, some people believe that the letter ‘Good’ stands for Holy, which is why the day is also known as Holy Friday.

Significance

Despite the fact that Jesus Christ was crucified on Good Friday, the Bible claims that the son of God was resurrected on Easter. It symbolizes that good always triumphs, and that Christ went through so much pain for humanity’s sins demonstrates how much he loved everyone.

Importance of Easter

Easter is, without a doubt, the most significant Christian holiday of the year. It is the day on which Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was resurrected on Easter Sunday and came back to life. Easter has grown in importance in modern times, and markets, malls, and confectionary shops are flooded with Easter goodies. Easter, which commemorates Christ’s Resurrection, is derived from the old English ‘eastre’, which refers to a spring festival.

The tradition of Good Friday

On this day, believers traditionally gather to attend Church services. The service time on this day varies slightly, with services beginning around noon and lasting until 3 p.m. This is done because it is thought that Jesus suffered on the cross during these hours. On this day, many Christians all over the world fast. Processions commemorating Jesus’ death are held in some parts of the world, including the Philippines, Italy, and Spain.

However, this year, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, safety precautions need to be followed, which might hinder some people from attending Church and its large gatherings.