Good Friday is one of the crucial festivals which is celebrated by the Christian community around the world. It marks the day on which Jesus was crucified at the Roman Calvary where he died later.
It is observed during the holy week and falls before Easter Sunday, as per Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday and Black Friday etc.
In this article we will discuss the important points of Good Friday such as Date, History and importance. To know complete details go through the article.
Good Friday 2023 Date
Good Friday and Holy Saturday, (the Saturday which falls on a day after Good Friday and just a day prior to Easter Sunday or simply Easter) are the days of mourning for the death of Jesus Christ, before he resurrected from death, on the day of Easter.
The date of Good Friday varies from one year to the next on Gregorian as well as Julian Calendar. The Eastern and the Western communities don’t agree over the computation of the date of Ester and therefore Good Friday.
Although we found the variation in dates every year, it falls in the month of April every year and this year, it will be observed on April 7th.
Good Friday 2023 History
According to the Bible, on this day, the Jewish religious leaders who had condemned the nights before claiming the son of god and king of the Jews brought him to Rome for sentencing.
He was sent to Pilate who sentenced Jesus to crucifixion, which was considered to be the highest form of criminal Punishment at that time.
Jesus Christ was beaten, forced to carry a heavy wooden cross through cheering crowds, and finally nailed to the big cross by wrists and feet, and was left to suffer for six hours.
As per Biblical structures, his death is regarded as one of the significant events after which he was ascended to heaven. It is believed that Jesus sacrificed his life for the sins of his children, the people, so that their sins are forgiven and they are freed from the pain, suffering and agony of their life.
Good Friday 2023 Significance
Good Friday has a lot of significance in Christianity, it tells that the good always win even when it has to go through so much suffering like Jesus did for the sake of Humanity, which shows how much he loved everyone.
How is Good Friday Celebrated?
Although there are no traditional celebrations associated with the day, it is celebrated in different ways in different parts of the world.
Members of many Christian Denominations including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox and Reformed traditions, observed Good Friday by observing fasts and offering prayers in Churches.
In many Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist Churches, the Service of the Great Three Meal Hours’ Agony, to commemorate the three hours of Christ’s hanging at the cross, is also held from noon until 3 pm.
Further, the communicants of the Moravian Churches celebrate the festival by cleaning gravestones in Moravian Cemeteries.
In India, where 2.3% of total population adheres to Christianity, the festival is celebrated with joy and full enthusiasm. The celebration here includes large prayer meets, public processions and fasting.
The Christians all around the country attend special church services, abstain from consuming alcohol and fast for the whole day to commemorate Christ’s sacrifice.
To mourn the sacrifice, they are seen all wearing all colored hats, head-covers, scarves etc and during the afternoon holy-statues, crosses and pictures in the Churches are also covered with black clothes.
People present within the Church premises maintain their silence and carry out a sobering attitude and then Hymns, prayers, devotional prayers etc. are also sung as part of Friday services and rituals.
A. Good Friday falls on 7th April this year.
A. Easter will fall on 9th April, Sunday.
