Significance of Good Friday

The Good Friday is traditionally celebrated as a day on which Jesus was crucified. It comes on the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday. The Christians honour and memorize the event, passion and suffering through which Jesus went through. Many Christians spend the day fasting, offer prayers, perform meditation and most often spend the day in repentance.


There are different opinions on this day. Some feel sorrow for the sufferings and even give pain to them selves while others understand that Jesus offered his life so that many people could be saved. It was not that his life was taken but he himself offered his life. Usually the holidays start from Good Friday and end on Easter Monday with rejoicing and celebrating Jesus' raising after the death.


Roman Catholics include specific prayers and devotional songs on this day as they memorize this special day traditionally. Usually in the evening Christ's death is remembered with sad and solemn prayers and prayers of thanksgiving. Good Friday is a moveable feast and there are many explanations why Good Friday is termed 'Good'.


The word 'good' was considered 'holy' in old English and so Good Friday is said Good. Also God had the last word through Christ's death and people were, actually, redeemed by the death of Jesus. This is also why it is good about this day.


The celebrations are different in different parts of the world and also the ways differ among various types of people. Catholics attend the Church and relive the fourteen Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross are areas around the Church that depicts the ways through which Christ was taken along and the sufferings he went through. No mass is celebrated and there are special readings from Scripture.


There is a tradition in which crucifix is kissed and the cross is honoured and venerated. That day there is no candle burnt in front of the God which is always set burning to show that God is present everywhere. This day, according to this tradition, God is considered as not present. This is the only day when the candle is unlit and there is no mass in the church, according to Catholic tradition.


There are people who hold special church services from noon to three o'clock, which is believed to be the time when Christ was crucified. The focus is the seven last words of Christ. The lights are slowly dimmed and then finally darkness prevails in there. This ends with a loud noise and is considered as Jesus' last cries and the earthquake that had occurred at the time of his death.


People wear black clothes, cover the statues, pictures and crosses with black and unlit all the candles. Attend the church and say prayers. Memorize and honour Christ's death and sufferings and attend the services that are sober and solemn. Every Christian participates in the Holy Communion. Most of them believe that attending Stations of Cross as a part of Good Friday services where there are paintings and banners that depict scenes of the day of crucifixion and his betrayal to death. People sing hymns and prayers as they attend from one Station to another. Although the way of celebration is different in different parts of the world, the significance of Good Friday is that if Jesus had not suffered, his resurrection would not have saved the Christians.