The Meaning, Celebrations of Good Friday

Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Black Friday, Great Friday, is a holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary.

The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and often coincides with the Jewish observance of Passover.

Based on Christian scriptural details of the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, the Crucifixion of Jesus was most probably on a Friday (John 19:42).

The estimated year of Good Friday is AD 33, by two different groups, and originally as AD 34 by Isaac Newton via the differences between the Biblical and Julian calendars and the crescent of the moon.

A third method, using a completely different astronomical approach based on a lunar Crucifixion darkness and eclipse model (consistent with Apostle Peter's reference to a "moon of blood" in Acts 2:20) points to Friday, 3 April AD 33.

In the Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church treats Good Friday as a fast day, which in the Latin Rite of the Church is understood as having only one full meal (but smaller than a regular meal) and two collations (a smaller repast, two of which together do not equal one full meal) and on which the faithful abstain from eating meat. In countries where Good Friday is not a day of rest from work, the afternoon liturgical service is usually put off until a few hours after the recommended time of 3 p.m.

The Roman Rite ordinarily has no celebration of Mass between the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday evening and the Easter Vigil unless a special exemption is granted for rare solemn or grave occasions by the Vatican or the local bishop.

The only sacraments celebrated during this time are Baptism (for those in danger of death), Penance, and Anointing of the Sick.

While there is no celebration of the Eucharist. The latter is distributed to the faithful only in the Service of the Passion of the Lord, but can also be taken at any hour to the sick who are unable to attend this service.

During this period crosses, candlesticks, and alter cloths are removed from the altar which remains completely bare.

It is also customary to empty the holy water fonts in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil.

Traditionally, no bells are rung on Good Friday or Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil.

The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord takes place in the afternoon, ideally at three o'clock, but for pastoral reasons a later hour may be chosen.

The vestments used are red (more commonly) or black (more traditionally). Before 1970, vestments were black except for the Communion part of the rite when violet was used. Before 1955 black was used throughout. If a bishop celebrates, he wears a plain mitre. The Mitre is a headband or turban known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox churches, Eastern Catholic Churches and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

The liturgy consists of three parts:

the Liturgy of the Word

the Veneration of the Cross

Holy Communion.

The first part, the Liturgy of the Word, consists of the reading or chanting of Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9, and the Passion account from the Gospel of John, which is often divided between more than one singer or reader. This part concludes with a series of prayers: for the Church, the Pope, the clergy and laity of the Church, those preparing for baptism, the unity of Christians, the Jewish people, those who do not believe in Christ, those who do not believe in God, those in public office, those in special need.

The second part of the Good Friday liturgy is the Veneration of the Cross: a crucifix, not necessarily the one that is normally on or near the altar at other times, is solemnly displayed to the congregation and then venerated by them, individually if possible, while special chants are sung.

Communion from the Blessed Sacrament on Good Friday (Our Lady of Lourdes, Philadelphia)The third and last part is Holy Communion according to a rite based on that of the final part of Mass, beginning with the Our Father, but omitting the ceremony of "Breaking of the Bread" and its related chant, the "Agnus Dei." The Eucharist, consecrated at the Mass of Holy Thursday is distributed at this service.

Before the reform of Pope Pius XII, only the priest received Communion in the framework of what was called the "Mass of the Presanctified", which included the usual Offertory prayers, with the placing of wine in the chalice, but which omitted the Canon of the Mass.

Priest and people then depart in silence, and the altar cloth is removed, leaving the altar bare except for the cross and two or four candlesticks.

The Way of the Cross, celebrated at the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday.In addition to the prescribed liturgical service, the Stations of the Cross are often prayed either in the church or outside, and a prayer service may be held from midday to 3.00 p.m., known as the Three Hours' Agony.

In Puerto Rico and Spain, processions with statues representing the Passion of Christ are held.

Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ
These Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ do not involve a petition for a living or deceased beneficiary, but aim to repair the sins against Jesus.

Some such prayers are provided in the Raccolta Catholic prayer book (approved by a Decree of 1854, and published by the Holy See in 1898) which also includes prayers as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary.

In his encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor on reparations, Pope Pius XI called Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ a duty for Catholics and referred to them as "some sort of compensation to be rendered for the injury" with respect to the sufferings of Jesus.

Pope John Paul II referred to Acts of Reparation as the "unceasing effort to stand beside the endless crosses on which the Son of God continues to be crucified".

In many countries with a strong Christian tradition such as Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, the Philippines, Mexico, Venezuela, the countries of the Caribbean, Germany, Malta, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the day is observed as a public or federal holiday.

In many English-speaking countries, such as Singapore, most shops are closed for the day and advertising from television and radio broadcasts is withdrawn to some degree.

In Canada, banks and government offices (at all levels) and public sector businesses are closed, along with most private sector businesses, except in Quebec where government offices and schools are closed but the majority of private-sector businesses (except banks) remain open.

In Hong Kong, all businesses and government offices are closed for a public holiday.

In the United States Good Friday is not a government holiday at the federal level; individual states and municipalities may observe the holiday.

Private businesses and certain other institutions may close or not for Good Friday, according to their preferences. The stock market is closed on Good Friday.

However, the vast majority of businesses are open either full or half day on Good Friday. The postal service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government do not close for Good Friday.

Some schools and universities close for Good Friday, but the day often may fall during spring break.

Ireland, a predominantly Catholic country, prohibits all alcohol from being sold on Good Friday.

Section 10 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962 introduced “area exemption orders” to allow the sale of alcohol for the special events that occur on the same day.

Banks and public institutions are closed on this day but it is not an official bank holiday (i.e. public holiday), so many offices and other workplaces remain open.

All pubs and many restaurants in Ireland close for the day – it is similar to Christmas Day in this regard. This tradition has come under criticism of late, with secular businesses claiming a loss in earnings by way of a religious festival.

In Germany, comedic theatre performances and events which include public dancing are illegal on the day (although this restriction is enforced unevenly); cinemas and television are not affected, although many TV channels show religious material on the day.

The enforcement of these rules even on non-Christians has met with increased opposition in the last decade.

In South Africa, the government regulates the opening of businesses and entertainment outlets on this day (as with Christmas Day).

All government offices, schools and certain businesses are closed on Good Friday by law.

The buying and selling of alcohol is prohibited.

In India, Good Friday is a Central or Federal Government as well as a State Government holiday.

The Stock Markets and banks are closed as it is regarded as a Negotiable Instruments Holiday.

Some other businesses are also closed in states where Christians are in considerable numbers viz. Assam, Goa, and Kerala.

Majority of busines establishments remain open all over the country. Generally, all schools and colleges are closed in India on Good Friday.

In Muslim-majority Indonesia, Good Friday is a national holiday. All government offices, schools and certain businesses are closed on Good Friday by law and many newspapers choose not to publish on this day.

Public holiday is also observed in Singapore and in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.

Eastern Orthodox Christians are not supposed to eat at all on this day and the next, while the Catholic Church observes fasting and abstinence for this day as well as Ash Wednesday.

In many English-speaking countries, hot cross buns are eaten.

In Bermuda, kites are flown. They are often handmade with wooden sticks, colorful tissue paper, glue, and string. The shape of the kite and the use of wood is meant to symbolize the cross that Jesus died on.

Also, the kite flying in the sky symbolizes his ascension to heaven.

Traditionally, Roman Catholics are to abstain from eating meat every Friday of the year as penance. In the US this is only a requirement during Fridays of Lent; during Fridays of the rest of the year, other methods of penance may be followed, for example an extra prayer or abstaining from something other than food.

Many Roman Catholics (and members of the Protestant denominations as well) will eat fish and vegetables on Good Friday.

There is no horse racing on Good Friday in the UK. However, in 2008, betting shops opened for the first time on this day. The BBC has for many years introduced its 7 am News broadcast on Radio 4 on Good Friday with a verse from Isaac Watts' hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross".