Sarah Mitchell
Good Friday, called Holy and Great Friday by the Greeks and Sorrowful Friday by Germans, is the Friday before Easter Sunday. It is the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, when he suffered and died on the cross. Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstaining from meat, as Christians sorrowfully remember their sins that led to Jesus's death. The origin of the name Good is unclear, but it may be because Christians believe that Jesus's death allowed him to triumph over both death and sin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday before Easter Sunday |
| Synonyms | Feria VI in Parasceve, e agia kai megale paraskeue, Holy Friday, Char f reitag, Easter Friday |
| Etymology | Unknown origin, possibly because it is the day "our Lord gave His life for us and our salvation" |
| Observance | Fasting, abstaining from meat, public school exemption for Christians, special liturgy, no Mass, veneration of the Cross, Holy Communion |
| Greetings | "The light of God be with your departed ones" |
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What You'll Learn
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday
Good Friday, called "Holy and Great Friday" by the Greeks, "Sorrowful Friday" by the Germans, and "Holy Friday" by those who speak Romance languages, is the Friday before Easter Sunday. It is the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and the day he suffered and died on the cross.
Good Friday is one of the most important days in the liturgical year for the Catholic Church. It is a day of fasting and abstaining from meat, and the only day of the year when Mass is not celebrated. Instead, there is a unique liturgy composed of the liturgy of the Word, including the Passion according to St. John, followed by solemn intercessions with kneeling, the veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.
The Improperia, or a series of reproaches supposed to be addressed by Christ to the Jews, are sung by the choir during the Good Friday service. The oldest order of the Synaxis, or meeting without Mass, is retained in the Good Friday service. Each prayer is in three parts: the celebrant invites the congregation to pray for a specified intention; the deacon tells them to kneel and pray in silence; and the celebrant collects their prayers and voices them aloud.
Good Friday is a day of mixed emotions for Christians. They are sad when they contemplate how Jesus suffered and horrified by their sins, but they are also filled with joy because they know that Jesus Christ will triumph over death and sin.
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It is the anniversary of Jesus Christ's crucifixion
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, commemorating the anniversary of Jesus Christ's crucifixion. It is also referred to as Feria VI in Parasceve in the Roman Missal, e agia kai megale paraskeue (the Holy and Great Friday) in the Greek Liturgy, Holy Friday in Romance Languages, and Charfreitag (Sorrowful Friday) in German.
Good Friday is observed as a day of mourning in the Catholic Church, with a particular focus on Jesus Christ's sacrifice and death on the cross. The day is marked by solemn prayer services, the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John, and the singing of hymns such as the Improperia and Crux Fidelis. The Mass of the Presanctified is celebrated, which includes the procession of the Most Holy Sacrament back to the altar and the elevation of the host.
The origin of the term "Good" in Good Friday is not entirely clear. Some suggest it derives from "God's Friday" or "Gute Freitag" in German, while others propose it signifies the positive outcome of Jesus' sacrifice, where God meant for good what man intended as evil.
There are differing opinions on the exact timeline of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Some argue that the three days and three nights mentioned in the Bible indicate a period of 72 hours, which a Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection would not fulfill. However, others explain that ancient cultures, including the Jews, considered partial days as full days, and thus a Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection would still signify three days.
Good Friday holds significant religious importance for Christians, who reflect on Jesus' sacrifice, death, and the redemption it brought to humanity.
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It is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat
Good Friday is the Friday on which the Church commemorates the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is called Good Friday because it is believed that the sorrowful event paved the way for the salvation of mankind.
Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat for Catholics. Fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food, while abstinence refers to refraining from something that is good but not inherently sinful, such as meat. According to the Catholic Church, all people are obliged by God to perform some penance for their sins, and these acts of penance can be both personal and corporeal.
The tradition of fasting and abstinence on Good Friday is rooted in the ancient practice of fasting in sorrow and repentance for sins, as found in the Old Testament. Fasting was also believed to make one's prayers more acceptable to God, demonstrating one's level of commitment before the Lord.
Latin Rite Catholics who have reached the age of 14 are required to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, including Good Friday. If a solemnity falls on a Friday, abstinence is not required. Historically, the regulations on abstinence obliged Catholics starting as young as age seven, but there were many exceptions, including for the sick, those with physically demanding jobs, travellers, and students.
In addition to Good Friday, Catholics are encouraged to engage in some form of penance on all Fridays throughout the year to join with Christ in His suffering passion. While abstinence from meat on Fridays outside of Lent is not binding under pain of sin, it is still considered virtuous.
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The Improperia and Trisagion are sung during the ceremony
Good Friday is the Friday on which the Church commemorates the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is called "Good Friday" because it is the English designation of the day, with similar names in other languages, such as "Holy and Great Friday" in Greek Liturgy, "Holy Friday" in Romance languages, and "Sorrowful Friday" in German.
During the Good Friday ceremony, the choir sings what are called the Improperia and the Trisagion (in Greek and Latin). The Improperia are a series of reproaches addressed by Christ to the Jews. They are not found in old Roman Ordines, but they appear in a Roman Ordo in the 14th century. The Trisagion, on the other hand, has been a part of the Roman Good Friday service since before the Photian schism in the 9th century.
The Improperia consist of three distinct parts. The first part consists of three reproaches: "Popule meus" (Micah 6:3), "Ego eduxi" (Jeremiah 2:21), and "Quid ultra" (Isaiah 5:2, 40). The Trisagion ("Sanctus Deus, Sanctus fortis, Sanctus immortalis") is repeated after each in Latin and Greek. The second part of the Improperia includes the antiphon "Crucem tuam adoramus", the first verse of Psalm lxvi, and the versicle "Crux fidelis". The third part is the hymn "Pange lingua gloriosi lauream".
The Improperia and Trisagion are chanted by a priest during the Good Friday service as the people venerate the Cross. They are a poignant and ancient chant in which Christ 'reproaches' his followers, reminding them of how their sins and hardness of heart caused agony for their sinless and loving Savior.
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Byzantine Catholics venerate the Holy Shroud, or burial cloth of Christ
Good Friday is the Friday on which the Church commemorates the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is called "Good" because it is believed that the suffering and death of Christ brought redemption to mankind.
The Byzantine Catholic Church, or Byzantine Rite, is a Catholic Church that follows the Byzantine liturgical tradition, which has its roots in the ancient Church of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).
The Byzantine Catholics venerate the Holy Shroud, also known as the Shroud of Turin, which they believe to be the burial cloth of Christ. The Shroud of Turin is a length of linen cloth bearing the faint image of a man, believed to be Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. The history of the shroud can be traced back to the 14th century when it was exhibited in a church in the village of Lirey, France. However, it is believed that the shroud was owned by the Byzantine emperors before the Sack of Constantinople in 1204.
The liturgical veneration of the Holy Shroud during the Byzantine Rite dates back to the 14th century, when it was introduced as part of the Philothean liturgical reform, which was influenced by the Typikon of Jerusalem. The ceremony involves exposing the Holy Shroud for public veneration during the Vespers of Good Friday, which mystically represents the passion, death, and burial of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Shroud is also venerated by members of the Catholic Church, as well as Christians of several other traditions, including Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Orthodox, Pentecostals, and Presbyterians. In 2015, Pope Francis made a pilgrimage to Turin to pray before and venerate the Holy Shroud, and in 2021, the Shroud was livestreamed globally, allowing millions to venerate it virtually.
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Frequently asked questions
The origin of the name "Good" is unclear, but it is believed that the name signifies the day our Lord gave His life for us and our salvation.
Good Friday is important to Catholics as it is the day that marks the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for our salvation. It is a day of fasting and abstaining from meat.
On Good Friday, Catholics attend a unique liturgy composed of the liturgy of the Word, including the Passion according to St. John, followed by solemn intercessions with kneeling, the veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion. Byzantine Catholics venerate the Holy Shroud, or burial cloth of Christ, with a procession around the church before the veneration.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, whereas Easter Friday is the Friday of Easter Week. Good Friday is a sacred feast day in the Catholic Church, while Easter Friday is not.
