Good Friday

This article is about the holiday. For other uses, seeGood Friday (disambiguation).

Good Fridayis a Christian holy day observing thecrucifixion of Jesusand his death atCalvary.It is observed duringHoly Weekas part of thePaschal Triduum.It is also known asBlack Friday,Holy Friday,Great Friday,Great and Holy Friday,Friday of the Passion of the Lord.

Good Friday
A depiction of Jesus's crucifixion byDiego Velázquez,named "Christ Crucified",1632
Observed by	Christians
Type	Christian
Significance	Commemoration of thecrucifixionand the death ofJesus Christ
Celebrations	Celebration of the Passion of the Lord
Observances	Worship services,prayer andvigilservices,fasting,almsgiving
Date	The Friday immediately precedingEaster Sunday
2024 date	March 29 (Western) May 3 (Eastern)
2025 date	April 18 (Western) April 18 (Eastern)
2026 date	April 3 (Western) April 10 (Eastern)
2027 date	March 26 (Western) April 30 (Eastern)
Related to	Passover,Christmas(which celebrates thebirthof Jesus),Septuagesima,Quinquagesima,Shrove Tuesday,Ash Wednesday,Lent,Palm Sunday,Holy Wednesday,Maundy Thursday,andHoly Saturdaywhich lead up to Easter,Easter Sunday(primarily),Divine Mercy Sunday,Ascension,Pentecost,Whit Monday,Trinity Sunday,Corpus ChristiandFeast of the Sacred Heartwhich follow it. It is related to the Feast of theExaltation of the Holy Cross,which focuses on the benefits, graces, and merits of the Cross, rather than Jesus Christ's death.

Members of manyChristian denominations,including theCatholic,Eastern Orthodox,Lutheran,Anglican,Methodist,Oriental Orthodox,United Protestantand someReformed traditions(including certainContinental Reformed,PresbyterianandCongregationalistchurches), observe Good Friday withfastingandchurch services.In many Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist churches, theService of the Great Three Hours' Agonyis held from noon until 3p.m.—the hours theBiblerecordsdarknesscovering the land until Jesus' death on the cross.Communicants of theMoravian Churchhave a Good Friday tradition ofcleaning gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.

Thedate of Good Fridayvaries from one year to the next in both theGregorianandJuliancalendars.EasternandWestern Christianitydisagree over the computation of the date of Easter and therefore of Good Friday. Good Friday is a widely institutedlegal holidayaround the world, including in most Western countries and 12U.S. states.Some predominantlyChristian countries,such as Germany, have laws prohibiting certain acts—public dancing, horse racing—in remembrance of the somber nature of Good Friday.

Etymology

The termGood Fridaycomes from the sense 'pious, holy' of the wordgood.Less common examples of expressions based on this obsolete sense ofgoodinclude 'the good book "for the Bible, 'good tide' for Christmas orShrovetide,andGood Wednesdayfor the Wednesday in Holy Week.A commonfolk etymologyincorrectly analyzesGood Fridayas a corruption ofGod Friday,similar to the linguistically correct description ofgoodbyeas a contraction of 'God be with ye'.In Old English, the day was calledLong Friday(langa frigedæg[ˈlɑŋɡɑˈfriːjedæj]),and equivalents of this term are still used in Scandinavian languages and Finnish.

Biblical accounts

Main articles:Passion,Crucifixion of Jesus,andSayings of Jesus on the cross

The Judas KissbyGustave Doré,1866

According to the accounts in the Gospels, the royal soldiers, guided by Jesus' discipleJudas Iscariot,arrestedJesus in theGarden of Gethsemane.Judas received money (30 pieces of silver)forbetraying Jesusand told the guards that whomeverhe kissesis the one they are to arrest. Following his arrest, Jesus was taken to the house ofAnnas,the father-in-law of thehigh priest,Caiaphas.There he was interrogated with little result and sent bound to Caiaphas the high priest where theSanhedrinhad assembled.

Conflicting testimony against Jesus was brought forth by many witnesses, to which Jesus answered nothing. Finally the high priest adjured Jesus to respond under solemn oath, saying "I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed One, the Son of God?" Jesus testified ambiguously, "You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven." The high priest condemned Jesus forblasphemy,and theSanhedrin concurred with a sentence of death.Peter, waiting in the courtyard, alsodenied Jesusthree times to bystanders while the interrogations were proceeding just as Jesus had foretold.

In the morning, the whole assembly brought Jesus to the Roman governorPontius Pilateunder charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king.Pilate authorized the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own law and execute sentencing; however, the Jewish leaders replied that they were not allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death.

Pilate questionedJesus and told the assembly that there was no basis for sentencing. Upon learning that Jesus was from Galilee, Pilate referred the case to the ruler ofGalilee,King Herod,who was inJerusalemfor thePassoverFeast.Herod questionedJesus but received no answer; Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate told the assembly that neither he nor Herod found Jesus to be guilty; Pilate resolved to have Jesus whipped and released.Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asked forBarabbas,who had been imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection. Pilate asked what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demanded, "Crucify him."Pilate's wifehad seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day, and she forewarned Pilate to "have nothing to do with this righteous man."Pilate had Jesusfloggedand then brought him out to the crowd to release him. The chief priests informed Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to death "because he claimed to be God's son." This possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the palace and demanded to know from where he came.

Antonio Ciseri's depiction ofEcce Homowith Jesus andPontius Pilate,19th century

Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declared Jesus innocent and washed his own hands in water to show he had no part in this condemnation. Nevertheless, Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot.The sentence written was "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Jesus carried his cross to the site of execution (assisted bySimon of Cyrene), called the "place of the Skull", or "Golgotha"in Hebrew and in Latin" Calvary ". There he was crucified along with two criminals.

Jesus agonized on the cross for three hours, from noon to 3 pm,darkness fell over the whole land.In the gospels of Mathew and Mark, Jesus is said to havespoken from the cross,quoting the messianicPsalm 22:"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

With a loud cry, Jesus gave up his spirit. There was an earthquake, tombs broke open, and the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. Thecenturionon guard at the site of crucifixion declared, "Truly this was God's Son!"

Joseph of Arimathea,a member of the Sanhedrin and a secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, went to Pilate to request the body of Jesus.Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin namedNicodemusbrought about a hundred-pound weight mixture of spices and helped wrap the body of Jesus.Pilate asked confirmation from the centurion of whether Jesus was dead.A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out,and the centurion informed Pilate that Jesus was dead.

Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and placed it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rockin a garden near the site of the crucifixion. Nicodemusalso brought 75 pounds ofmyrrhandaloes,and placed them in the linen with the body, in keeping with Jewish burial customs.They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb.Then they returned home and rested, becauseShabbathad begun at sunset.

Eastern Orthodox

Iconof the Crucifixion, 16th century, byTheophanes the Cretan(Stavronikita Monastery,Mount Athos)

Byzantine Christians (Eastern Christianswho follow theRite of Constantinople:Orthodox ChristiansandGreek-Catholics) call this day "Great and Holy Friday", or simply "Great Friday".Because the sacrifice of Jesus through his crucifixion is recalled on this day, theDivine Liturgy(the sacrifice of bread and wine) is never celebrated on Great Friday, except when this day coincides with theGreat Feastof theAnnunciation,which falls on the fixed date of 25 March (for those churches which follow the traditionalJulian Calendar,25 March currently falls on 7 April of the modernGregorian Calendar). Also on Great Friday, the clergy no longer wear the purple or red that is customary throughoutGreat Lent,but instead donblack vestments.There is no "stripping of the altar" onHoly and Great Thursdayas in the West; instead, all of thechurch hangingsare changed to black, and will remain so until the Divine Liturgy onGreat Saturday.

The faithful revisit the events of the day through the public reading of specificPsalmsand theGospels,and singinghymnsabout Christ's death. Rich visual imagery and symbolism, as well as stirring hymnody, are remarkable elements of these observances. In theOrthodoxunderstanding, the events ofHoly Weekare not simply an annual commemoration of past events, but the faithful actually participate in the death and theresurrection of Jesus.

Great and Holy Friday is observed as an absolutefast,and adult Byzantine Christians are expected to abstain from all food and drink the entire day to the extent that their health permits. "On this Holy day neither a meal is offered nor do we eat on this day of the crucifixion. If someone is unable or has become very old [or is] unable to fast, he may be given bread and water after sunset. In this way we come to the holy commandment of the Holy Apostles not to eat on Great Friday." (cf.Black Fast)

Matins of Holy and Great Friday

The Byzantine Christian observance of Holy and Great Friday, which is formally known asThe Order of Holy and Saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ,begins on Thursday night with theMatins of the Twelve Passion Gospels.Scattered throughout thisMatinsservice are twelve readings from all four of the Gospels which recount the events of thePassionfrom theLast Supperthrough theCrucifixionandburialof Jesus. Some churches have a candelabrum with twelve candles on it, and after each Gospel reading one of the candles is extinguished.

Good Friday cross from theCatholiconat Holy Trinity Monastery,Meteora,Greece

The first of these twelve readingsis the longest Gospel reading of theliturgical year,and is aconcatenationfrom allfour Gospels.Just before the sixth Gospel reading, which recounts Jesus being nailed to the cross, a largecrossis carried out of the sanctuary by the priest, accompanied byincenseand candles, and is placed in the center of thenave(where the congregation gathers)Sēmeron Kremātai Epí Xýlou:

Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross(three times).
He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the Heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.
We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ(three times).
Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection.

The readings are:

1. John 13:31-18:1 – Christ's last sermon, Jesus prays for theapostles.
2. John 18:1–28 – The agony in thegarden,the mockery and denial of Christ.
3. Matthew 26:57–75 – The mockery of Christ,Peterdenies Christ.
4. John 18:28–19:16 –Pilatequestions Jesus; Jesus is condemned; Jesus is mocked by the Romans.
5. Matthew 27:3–32 –Judascommits suicide; Jesus is condemned; Jesus mocked by the Romans;Simon of Cyrenecompelled to carry the cross.
6. Mark 15:16–32 –Jesus dies.
7. Matthew 27:33–54 –Jesus dies.
8. Luke 23:32–49 –Jesus dies.
9. John 19:25–37 –Jesus dies.
10. Mark 15:43–47 –Joseph of Arimatheaburies Christ.
11. John 19:38–42 –Joseph of Arimatheaburies Christ.
12. Matthew 27:62–66 – The Jews set a guard.

During the service, all come forward to kiss the feet of Christ on the cross. After theCanon,a brief, moving hymn,The Wise Thiefis chanted by singers who stand at the foot of the cross in the center of the nave. The service does not end with theFirst Hour,as usual, but with a specialdismissalby the priest:

May Christ our true God, Who for the salvation of the world endured spitting, and scourging, and buffeting, and the Cross, and death, through the intercessions of Hismost pure Mother,of our holy andGod-bearing fathers,and of all thesaints,have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind.

Royal Hours

Vigil during the Service of the Royal Hours

Main article:Royal Hours

The next day, in the forenoon on Friday, all gather again to pray theRoyal Hours,a special expanded celebration of theLittle Hours(including the First Hour,Third Hour,Sixth Hour,Ninth HourandTypica) with the addition of scripture readings (Old Testament,Epistleand Gospel) and hymns about the Crucifixion at each of the Hours (some of the material from the previous night is repeated). This is somewhat more festive in character, and derives its name of "Royal" from both the fact that the Hours are served with more solemnity than normal, commemorating Christ the King who humbled himself for the salvation of mankind, and also from the fact that this service was in the past attended by the Emperor and his court.

Vespers of Holy and Great Friday

The crucified Christ, just before theDeposition from the Crossand the placing of theEpitaphiosin the Sepulchre

In the afternoon, around 3 pm, all gather for the Vespers of the Taking-Down from the Cross,commemorating theDeposition from the Cross.Following Psalm 103 (104) and the Great Litany, 'Lord, I call' is sung without a Psalter reading. The first five stichera (the first being repeated) are taken from the Aposticha at Matins the night before, but the final 3 of the 5 are sung in Tone 2. Three more stichera in Tone 6 lead to the Entrance. The Evening Prokimenon is taken from Psalm 21 (22): 'They parted My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture.'

There are then four readings, with Prokimena before the second and fourth:

• Exodus 33:11-23 - God shows Moses His glory
• The second Prokimenon is from Psalm 34 (35): 'Judge them, O Lord, that wrong Me: fight against them that fight against Me.'
• Job 42:12-20 - God restores Job's wealth (note that verses 18-20 are found only in the Septuagint)
• Isaiah 52:13-54:1 - The fourthSuffering Servant song
• The third Prokimenon is from Psalm 87 (88): 'They laid me in the lowest pit: in dark places and in the shadow of death.'
• 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2 - St. Paul places Christ crucified as the centre of the Christian life

An Alleluia is then sung, with verses from Psalm 68 (69): 'Save Me, O God: for the waters are come in, even unto my soul.'

The Gospel reading is a composite taken from three of the four the Gospels (Matthew 27:1-38; Luke 23:39-43; Matthew 27:39-54; John 19:31-37; Matthew 27:55-61), essentially the story of the crucifixion as it appears according to St. Matthew, interspersed with St. Luke's account of the confession of the Good Thief and St. John's account of blood and water flowing from Jesus' side. During the Gospel, the body of Christ (thesoma) is removed from the cross, and, as the words in the Gospel reading mention Joseph of Arimathea, is wrapped in a linen shroud, and taken to thealtarin the sanctuary.

Theepitaphios( "winding sheet" ), depicting the preparation of the body of Jesus for burial

The Aposticha reflects on the burial of Christ. Either at this point (in the Greek use) or during the troparion following (in the Slav use):

Noble Joseph, taking down Thy most pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in pure linen and spices, and he laid it in a new tomb.

anepitaphiosor "winding sheet" (a cloth embroidered with the image of Christ prepared for burial) is carried in procession to a low table in the nave which represents the Tomb of Christ; it is often decorated with an abundance of flowers. The epitaphios itself represents the body of Jesus wrapped in a burial shroud, and is a roughly full-size cloth icon of the body of Christ. The service ends with a hope of the Resurrection:

The Angel stood by the tomb, and to the women bearing spices he cried aloud: 'Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption.

Then the priest may deliver ahomilyand everyone comes forward to venerate the epitaphios. In theSlavicpractice, at the end of Vespers,Complineis immediately served, featuring a specialCanon of the Crucifixion of our Lord and the Lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokosby Symeon the Logothete.

Matins of Holy and Great Saturday

The Epitaphios being carried inprocessionin a church in Greece

On Friday night, the Matins ofHoly and Great Saturday,a unique service known asThe Lamentation at the Tomb(Epitáphios Thrēnos)is celebrated. This service is also sometimes calledJerusalem Matins.Much of the service takes place around the tomb of Christ in the center of the nave.

Epitaphios adorned for veneration, Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, Hippodromion Sq., Thessaloniki, Greece

A unique feature of the service is the chanting of the Lamentations or Praises (Enkōmia), which consist of verses chanted by the clergy interspersed between the verses ofPsalm 119(which is, by far, the longestpsalmin the Bible). TheEnkōmiaare the best-loved hymns of Byzantine hymnography, both their poetry and their music being uniquely suited to each other and to the spirit of the day.

They consist of 185tercetantiphonsarranged in three parts (stáseisor "stops" ), which are interjected with the verses of Psalm 119, and nine shortdoxastiká( "Gloriae") andTheotókia(invocations to the Virgin Mary). The threestáseisare each set to its own music, and are commonly known by their initial antiphons:Ἡ ζωὴ ἐν τάφῳ,"Life in a grave",Ἄξιον ἐστί,"Worthy it is", andΑἱ γενεαὶ πᾶσαι,"All the generations". Musically they can be classified asstrophic,with 75, 62, and 48 tercetstanzaseach, respectively.

The climax of theEnkōmiacomes during the thirdstásis,with the antiphon "Ω γλυκύ μου ἔαρ", a lamentation of the Virgin for her dead Child ( "O, my sweet spring, my sweetest child, where has your beauty gone?" ). Later, during a different antiphon of that stasis ( "Early in the morning the myrrh-bearers came to Thee and sprinkled myrrh upon Thy tomb" ), young girls of the parish place flowers on the Epitaphios and the priest sprinkles it with rose-water. The author(s) and date of theEnkōmiaare unknown. Their High Attic linguistic style suggests a dating around the 6th century, possibly before the time ofSt. Romanos the Melodist.

The Epitaphios mounted upon return of procession, at an Orthodox Church in Adelaide, Australia

The Evlogitaria (Benedictions) of the Resurrection are sung as on Sunday, since they refer to the conversation between the myrrh-bearers and the angel in the tomb, followed by kathismata about the burial of Christ. Psalm 50 (51) is then immediately read, and then followed by a much loved-canon, written by Mark the Monk, Bishop of Hydrous and Kosmas of the Holy City, with irmoi by Kassiani the Nun. The high-point of the much-loved Canon is Ode 9, which takes the form of a dialogue between Christ and the Theotokos, with Christ promising His Mother the hope of the Resurrection. This Canon will be sung again the following night at the Midnight Office.

Lauds follows, and its stichera take the form of a funeral lament, while always preserving the hope of the Resurrection. The doxasticon links Christ's rest in the tomb with His rest on the seventh day of creation, and the theotokion ( "Most blessed art thou, O Virgin Theotokos...) is the same as is used on Sundays.

At the end of theGreat Doxology,while theTrisagionis sung, the epitaphios is taken inprocessionaround the outside the church, and is then returned to the tomb. Some churches observe the practice of holding the epitaphios at the door, above waist level, so the faithful most bow down under it as they come back into the church, symbolizing their entering into the death and resurrection of Christ. The epitaphios will lay in the tomb until the Paschal Service early Sunday morning. In some churches, the epitaphios is never left alone, but is accompanied 24 hours a day by a reader chanting from the Psalter.

When the procession has returned to the church, a troparion is read, similar to the ones read at the Sixth Hour throughout Lent, focusing on the purpose of Christ's burial. A series of prokimena and readings are then said:

• The first prokimenon is from Psalm 43 (44): 'Arise, Lord, and help us: and deliver us for Thy Name's sake.'
• Ezekiel 37:1-14 - God tells Ezekiel to command bones to come to life.
• The second prokimenon is from Psalm 9 (9–10), and is based on the verses sung at the kathismata and Lauds on Sundays: 'Arise, O Lord my God, lift up Thine hand: forget not Thy poor forever.'
• 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 3:13-14 - St. Paul celebrates the Passion of Christ and explains its role in the life of Gentile Christians.
• The Alleluia verses are from Psalm 67 (68), and are based on the Paschal verses: 'Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered.'
• Matthew 27:62-66 - The Pharisees ask Pilate to set a watch at the tomb.

At the end of the service, a final hymn is sung as the faithful come to venerate the Epitaphios.

Roman Catholic

Good Friday at San Giovannino church inAlessandria,Italy

In Latin, the name used by the Catholic Church until 1955 wasFeria sexta in Parasceve( "Friday of Preparation [for the Sabbath]" ). In the 1955 reform of Holy Week, it was renamedFeria sexta in Passione et Morte Domini( "Friday of the Passion and Death of the Lord" ), and in the new rite introduced in 1970, shortened toFeria sexta in Passione Domini( "Friday of the Passion of the Lord" ).

Day of Fasting

Crucifixprepared for veneration

The Catholic Church regards Good Friday andHoly Saturdayas the Paschal fast, in accordance with Article 110 ofSacrosanctum Concilium.In theLatin Church,afast dayis understood as having only one full meal and twocollations(a smaller repast, the two of which together do not equal the one full meal)– although this may be observed less stringently on Holy Saturday than on Good Friday.

Services on the day

TheRoman Ritehas no celebration ofMassbetween theMass of the Lord's Supperon Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) evening and theEaster Vigilunless a special exemption is granted for rare solemn or grave occasions by theVaticanor thelocal bishop.The onlysacramentscelebrated during this time areBaptism(for those in danger of death),Penance,andAnointing of the Sick.While there is no celebration of the Eucharist, it is distributed to the faithful only in theCelebration of the Passion of the Lord,but can also be taken at any hour to the sick who are unable to attend this celebration.

The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord takes place in the afternoon, ideally at three o'clock; however, for pastoral reasons (especially in countries where Good Friday is not a public holiday), it is permissible to celebrate the liturgy earlier,even shortly after midday, or at a later hour.The celebration consists of three parts: the liturgy of the word, the adoration of the cross, and the Holy communion.The altar is bare, without cross, candlesticks andaltar cloths.It is also customary to empty theholy waterfontsin 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.

Theliturgical colourof the vestments used is red.Before 1970, vestments were black except for the Communion part of the rite when violet was used.If a bishop orabbotcelebrates, he wears a plainmitre(mitra simplex).Before the reforms of the Holy Week liturgies in 1955, black was used throughout.

TheVespersof Good Friday are only prayed by those who could not attend the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord.

Three Hours' Agony

Main article:Three Hours' Agony

TheThree Hours' Devotionbased on theSeven Last Words from the Crossbegins at noon and ends at 3 pm, the time that the Christian tradition teaches that Jesus died on the cross.

Liturgy

The Great Intercessions are sung atHeiligenkreuz Abbey,Austria

The Good Friday liturgy consists of three parts: theLiturgy of the Word,the Veneration of the Cross, and theHoly Communion.

• The Liturgy of the Word consists of the clergy and assisting ministers entering in complete silence, without any singing. They then silently make a fullprostration.This signifies the abasement (the fall) of (earthly) humans.It also symbolizes the grief and sorrow of the Church.Then follows theCollectprayer, and the reading or chanting of Isaiah 52:13–53:12, Hebrews 4:14–16, Hebrews 5:7–9, and thePassionaccount from theGospel of John,traditionally divided between three deacons,yet usually read by the celebrant and two other readers. In the older form of the Mass known as theTridentine Massthe readings for Good Friday are taken from Exodus 12:1-11 and the Gospel according to St. John (John 18:1-40); (John 19:1-42).
• The Great Intercessions also known asorationes sollemnesimmediately follows the Liturgy of the Word and consists of 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 Jews, those who do not believe in Christ, those who do not believe in God, those in public office, and those in special need.After each prayer intention, the deacon calls the faithful to kneel for a short period of private prayer; the celebrant then sums up the prayer intention with a Collect-style prayer. As part of the pre-1955 Holy Week Liturgy, the kneeling was omitted only for theprayer for the Jews.
• The Adoration of the Cross has acrucifix,not necessarily the one that is normally on or near the altar at other times of the year, solemnly unveiled and displayed to the congregation, and then venerated by them, individually if possible and usually by kissing the wood of the cross, while hymns and theImproperia( "Reproaches" ) with theTrisagionhymn are chanted.
• Holy Communion is bestowed according to a rite based on that of the final part of Mass, beginning with theLord's Prayer,but omitting the ceremony of "Breaking of the Bread"and its related acclamation, theAgnus Dei.TheEucharist,consecrated at the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper onHoly Thursday,is distributed at this service.Before the Holy Week reforms ofPope Pius XIIin 1955, only the priest received Communion in the framework of what was called theMass of the Presanctified,which included the usual Offertory prayers, with the placing of wine in the chalice, but which omitted theCanon of the Mass.The priest and people then depart in silence, and the altar cloth is removed, leaving the altar bare except for the crucifix and two or four candlesticks.

Stations of the Cross

TheWay of the Cross,celebrated at theColosseumin Rome on Good Friday

Canopy erected at the "Temple of Venus and Rome" during the "Way of the Cross" ceremony in Rome

In addition to the prescribedliturgicalservice, theStations of the Crossare often prayed either in the church or outside, and a prayer service may be held from midday to 3.00 pm, known as the Three Hours' Agony.In countries such as Malta, Italy, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Spain, processions with statues representing the Passion of Christ are held.

In Rome, since the papacy ofJohn Paul II,the heights of theTemple of Venus and Romaand their position opposite the main entrance to the Colosseum have been used to good effect as a public address platform. This may be seen in the photograph below where a red canopy has been erected to shelter the Pope as well as an illuminated cross, on the occasion of theWay of the Crossceremony. The Pope, either personally or through a representative, leads the faithful through meditations on the stations of the cross while a cross is carried from there to the Colosseum.

Plenary indulgence

In the Roman Catholic Church, plenaryindulgenceis obtained if the faithful venerates the cross withpietyin the solemn Celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday.

Novena to the Divine Mercy

Thenovenato theDivine Mercybegins on that day and lasts until the Saturday beforeDivine Mercy Sunday.Both days are linked in terms of content, as the mercy of God flows from theSacred Heart of Jesusthat was pierced on the cross.

Protestant

Lutheran Church

Thechancelof this Lutheran church is adorned with blackparamentson Good Friday, the liturgical colour associated with Good Friday in the Lutheran Churches.

InLutherantradition from the 16th to the 20th century, Good Friday was the most important religious holiday, and abstention from all worldly works was expected. During that time, Lutheranism had no restrictions on the celebration of the Eucharist on Good Friday; on the contrary, it was a prime day on which to receive the Eucharist, and services were often accentuated by special music such as theSt Matthew PassionbyJohann Sebastian Bach.

Good Friday service in a Lutheran church inHanover,Germany, 2014

More recently, Lutheran liturgical practice has recaptured Good Friday as part of the larger sweep of the great Three Days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter. The three days remain one liturgy which celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus. As part of the liturgy of the three days, Lutherans generally fast from the Eucharist on Good Friday. Rather, it is celebrated in remembrance of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and at theVigil of Easter.One practice among Lutheran churches is to celebrate atenebraeservice on Good Friday, typically conducted in candlelight and consisting of a collection of passion accounts from the four gospels. While being called "Tenebrae" it holds little resemblance to the now-suppressed Catholic monastic rite of the same name.

The Good Friday liturgy appointed inEvangelical Lutheran Worship,the worship book of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, specifies a liturgy similar to the revised Roman Catholic liturgy. A rite for adoration of the crucified Christ includes the optional singing of theSolemn Reproachesin an updated and revised translation which eliminates some of theanti-Jewish overtonesin previous versions. Many Lutheran churches have Good Friday services, such as theThree Hours' Agonycentered on the remembrance of the "Seven Last Words," sayings of Jesus assembled from the four gospels, while others hold a liturgy that places an emphasis on the triumph of the cross, and a singular biblical account of the Passion narrative from the Gospel of John.

Along with observing a general Lenten fast,many Lutherans emphasize the importance of Good Friday as a day of fasting within the calendar.A Handbook for the Discipline of Lentrecommends the Lutheran guideline to "Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday with only one simple meal during the day, usually without meat".

Anglican Communion

In the Anglican Communion, theBlack Fasthas been historically observed by devout believers.The Black Fast was especially popular during the 19th century as it sought to imitate "the fasting of the ancient church."

The1662Book of Common Prayerdid not specify a particular rite to be observed on Good Friday but local custom came to mandate an assortment of services, including the Seven Last Words from the Cross and a three-hour service consisting of Matins, Ante-communion (using theReserved Sacramentinhigh churchparishes) andEvensong.In recent times,revised editions of the Prayer Book andCommon Worshiphave re-introduced pre-Reformationforms of observance of Good Friday corresponding to those in today's Roman Catholic Church, with special nods to the rites that had been observed in the Church of England prior to theHenrican, Edwardian and Elizabethan reforms,including Creeping to the Cross.

Methodist Church

A United Methodist ministerprostratesat the start of the Good Friday liturgy at Holy Family Church, in accordance with the rubrics in theBook of Worship.Theprocessional crossis veiled in black, the liturgical colour associated with Good Friday in Methodist Churches.

Altar and cross veiledin a Methodist church on Maundy Thursday in preparation for Good Friday

ManyMethodist denominationscommemorate Good Friday with fasting,as well as aservice of worshipbased on the Seven Last Words from the Cross; this liturgy is known as theThree Hours Devotionas it starts at noon and concludes at 3 pm, the latter being the time that Jesus died on the cross.

On Maundy Thursday, the altar and the crossare usually veiledin black for Good Friday, as black is the liturgical colour for Good Friday in the United Methodist Church. A wooden cross may sit in front of the bare chancel.

Moravian Church

Moravianshold aLovefeaston Good Friday as they receive Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday.

Communicants of the Moravian Church practice the Good Friday tradition of cleaninggravestones in Moravian cemeteries.

Reformed Churches

In theReformedtradition, Good Friday is one of theevangelical feastsand is thus widely observed withchurch services,which feature the Solemn Reproaches in the pattern ofPsalm 78,towards the end of the liturgy.

Other Christian traditions

ManyProtestantchurches hold anInterdenominationalservicewithLord's Supper.

Associated customs

Good Friday service in a Catholic church, Ireland

Good Friday procession inSan Lorenzo Maggiore,Italy

In many countries and territories with a strong Christian tradition such as Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, the countries of the Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand,Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, the Scandinavian countries, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela, the day is observed as apublic or federal holiday.In the United States, 12 states observe Good Friday as state holiday: Connecticut, Texas, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina and North Dakota. One associated custom is strict adherence to theBlack Fast,where believers fast from food and liquids during the day and after sunset, avegetarianmeal with water is consumed.St.Ambrose,St.Chrysostomand St.Basilattest to the practice.

The processions of the day, hymns "Crux fidelis"byKing John of Portugal,andEberlin's"Tenebrae factae sunt",followed by"Vexilla Regis"is sung, translated from Latin asthe standards of the King advance,and then follows a ceremony that is not a real Mass, it is called the "Mass of the Pre-Sanctified.".This custom is respected also by forgoing the Mass, this is to take heed to the solemnity of the Sacrifice of Calvary. This is where the host of the prior day is placed at the altar, incensed, elevated so" that it may be seen by the people "and consumed. Germany and some other countries have laws prohibiting certain acts, such as dancing and horse racing, that are seen as profaning the solemn nature of the day.

Australia

Good Friday is a holiday under state and territory laws in all states and territories in Australia.Generally speaking, shops in all Australian states (but not in the two territories of theNorthern Territoryand theAustralian Capital Territory) are required to remain closed for the duration of Good Friday, although there are certain shops which are permitted to open and other shops can apply for exemptions. All schools and universities close on Good Friday in Australia, and Good Friday falls within the school holidays in most years in all states and territories except the Northern Territory, although many states now commence their school holidays in early April regardless of Easter. In 2024, for example, when Good Friday fell on 29 March, onlyQueensland,VictoriaandWestern Australiahad school holidays which coincided with Good Friday.The vast majority of businesses are closed on Good Friday, although many recreational businesses, such as theSydney Royal Easter Show,open on Good Friday as among non-religious families Good Friday is a popular day to indulge in such activities.

Canada

The descent from the cross, commemorated inVespers of Holy and Great Friday,Greek Orthodox Cathedral inToronto,Canada

In Canada, Good Friday is afederal statutory holiday.In the province of Quebec "employers can choose to give the day off either on Good Friday or Easter Monday."

Cuba

In an online article posted onCatholic News Agencyby Alejandro Bermúdez on 31 March 2012,Cuban PresidentRaúl Castro,with theCommunist Partyand his advisers, decreed that Good Friday that year would be a holiday. This was Castro's response to a request made personally to him byPope Benedict XVIduring the latter's Apostolic Visitation to the island andLeón,Mexicothat month. The move followed the pattern of small advances in Cuba's relations with the Vatican, mirroring Pope John Paul II's success in gettingFidel Castroto declareChristmas Daya holiday.Both Good Friday and Christmas are nowannual holidays in Cuba.

Hong Kong

InHong Kong,Good Friday was designated a public holiday in the Holidays Ordinance, 1875.Good Friday continues to be a holiday after thetransfer of sovereignty from the UK to Chinain 1997.Government offices, banks, post offices and most offices are closed on Good Friday.

Ireland

In theRepublic of Ireland,Good Friday is not an official public holiday, but most non-retail businesses close for the day. Up until 2018 it was illegal to sell alcoholic beverages on Good Friday, with some exceptions, so pubs and off-licences generally closed.Critics of the ban included the catering and tourism sector, but surveys showed that the general public were divided on the issue.InNorthern Ireland,a similar ban operates until 5 pm on Good Friday.

Malaysia

Although Malaysia is aMuslim majority country,Good Friday is declared as a public holiday in the states ofSabahandSarawakinEast Malaysiaas there is a significant Christian indigenous population in both states.

Malta

Holy Week processionin Malta

The Holy Week commemorations reach their peak on Good Friday as the Roman Catholic Church celebrates thePassion of Jesus.Solemn celebrations take place in all churches together with processions in different villages aroundMaltaandGozo.During the celebration, the narrative of the passion is read in some localities, while the Adoration of the Cross follows. Good Friday processions take place inBirgu,Bormla,Għaxaq,Luqa,Mosta,Naxxar,Paola,Qormi,Rabat,Senglea,Valletta,Żebbuġ (Città Rohan)andŻejtun.Processions in Gozo occur inNadur,Victoria(St. George and Cathedral),XagħraandŻebbuġ, Gozo.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, Good Friday is a legal holidayand is a day of mandatory school closure for all New Zealand state and integrated schools.Good Friday is also a restricted trading day in New Zealand, which means that unexempted shops are not permitted to open on this day.

Philippines

In the predominantlyRoman CatholicPhilippines,the day is commemorated with street processions, theWay of the Cross,the chanting of thePasyón,Siete Palabrasor the Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross, and performances of theSenákuloorPassion play.Some devotees engage in self-flagellationand even have themselvescrucifiedas expressions of penance despite health risks and strong disapproval from the Church.

Station 14: Jesus is laid in the tomb(Baliwag Church,2024)

Church bells are not rung and Masses are not celebrated, while television features movies, documentaries and other shows focused on the religious event and other topics related to the Catholic faith, broadcasting mostly religious content. Malls and shops are generally closed, as are restaurants as it is the second of three public holidays within the week.

After three o'clock in the afternoon (the time at which Jesus is traditionally believed to have died), the faithful venerate the cross in the local church and follow the procession of the Burial of Jesus.

InCebuand many parts of theVisayan Islands,people usually eatbinignitandbikoas a form of fasting.

Poland

In Polish churches, a tableau of Christ's Tomb is unveiled in the sanctuary. Many of the faithful spend long hours into the night grieving at the Tomb, where it is customary to kiss the wounds on the Lord's body. A life-size figure of Jesus lying in his tomb is widely visited by the faithful, especially on Holy Saturday. The tableaux may include flowers, candles, figures of angels standing watch, and the three crosses atop Mt Calvary, and much more. Each parish strives to come up with the most artistically and religiously evocative arrangement in which the Blessed Sacrament, draped in a filmy veil, is prominently displayed.

Singapore

Good Friday is a public holiday inSingapore.

Spain

Nazarenos wearingcapirotes,inMálaga,Spain

Main articles:Holy Week in Spain,Holy Week in Málaga,Holy Week in Seville,Holy Week in Valladolid,Holy Week in Viveiro,andHoly Week in Zamora

United Kingdom

Hot cross bunsare traditionally toasted and eaten on Good Friday in Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In theUK,Good Friday was historically a common law holiday and is recognised as an official public holiday(also known as aBank Holiday). All state schools are closed and most businesses treat it as a holiday for staff; however, many retail stores now remain open.Governmentservices in Northern Ireland operate as normal on Good Friday, substitutingEaster Tuesdayfor the holiday.

There has traditionally been no horse racing on Good Friday in the UK. However, in 2008, betting shops and stores opened for the first time on this dayand in 2014 Lingfield Park and Musselburgh staged the UK's first Good Friday race meetings.TheBBChas for many years introduced its 7 am News broadcast onRadio 4on Good Friday with a verse fromIsaac Watts' hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross".

The tradition of Easter plays include 1960 Eastertime performance ofGood Friday: A Play in Verse(1916) ArtistsUrsula O'Leary(Procula), andWilliam DevlinasPontius Pilate,perform with the atmospheric sound effects of theBBC Radiophonic Workshop.The Hugh Stewart production for theHome Serviceused soundware such as theEMS Synthi 100andARP Odyssey l.

United States

In theUnited States,Good Friday is not a government holiday at the federal level, because it is a secular country.The postal service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government do not close for Good Friday.

Some states, counties and municipalities may observe the holiday. Good Friday is a state holiday inConnecticut,Delaware,Florida,Hawaii,Indiana,Kentucky(half-day),Louisiana,New Jersey,North Carolina,North Dakota,TennesseeandTexas.State and local government offices and courts are closed, as well as some banks and post offices in these states,and in those counties and municipalities where Good Friday is observed as a holiday. Good Friday is also a holiday in the U.S. territories ofGuam,U.S. Virgin Islands,American Samoa,Northern Mariana IslandsandPuerto Rico.

The stock markets have chosen to be closed on Good Friday,but the foreign exchange and bond trading markets open for a partial business day.Most retail stores remain open, while some of them may close early. Because of the timing ofspring break,some public schools and universities are often closed on Good Friday.

In some governmental contexts Good Friday has been referred to by a generic name such as "spring holiday".In 1999, in the case ofBridenbaugh v. O'Bannon,an Indiana state employee sued the governor for giving state employees Good Friday as a day off. The US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the plaintiff, stating that the government could give state employees a paid day off when that day is a religious holiday, including Good Friday, but only so long as the state can provide a valid secular purpose that coincides with the obvious religious purpose of the holiday.

Calculating the date

See also:Date of Easter

Dates for Good Friday
2018–2032
In Gregorian dates

Year	Western	Eastern
2018	March 30	April 6
2019	April 19	April 26
2020	April 10	April 17
2021	April 2	April 30
2022	April 15	April 22
2023	April 7	April 14
2024	March 29	May 3
2025	April 18
2026	April 3	April 10
2027	March 26	April 30
2028	April 14
2029	March 30	April 6
2030	April 19	April 26
2031	April 11
2032	March 26	April 30

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter, which is calculated differently inEastern ChristianityandWestern Christianity(seeComputusfor details). Easter falls on the first Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, the full moon on or after 21 March, taken to be the date of the vernalequinox.The Western calculation uses theGregorian calendar,while the Eastern calculation uses theJulian calendar,whose 21 March now corresponds to the Gregorian calendar's 3 April. The calculations for identifying the date of the full moon also differ.

In Eastern Christianity, Easter can fall between 22 March and 25 April on Julian Calendar (thus between 4 April and 8 May in terms of the Gregorian calendar, during the period 1900 and 2099), so Good Friday can fall between 20 March and 23 April, inclusive (or between 2 April and 6 May in terms of the Gregorian calendar).

Good Fridayand other named days and day ranges around Lent and Easter in Western Christianity, with the fasting days of Lent numbered

Cultural references

Good Friday assumes a particular importance in the plot ofRichard Wagner's music dramaParsifal,which contains an orchestral interlude known as the "Good Friday Music".

Memoration on Wednesday of the Holy Week

SomeBaptistcongregations,thePhiladelphia Church of God,and somenon-denominationalchurches oppose the observance of Good Friday, regarding it as a so-called "papist"tradition, and instead observe theCrucifixion of Jesuson Wednesday to coincide with the Jewish sacrifice of the Passover Lamb (which some/many Christians believe is an Old Testament pointer to Jesus Christ). A Wednesday Crucifixion of Jesus allows for him to be in the tomb ( "heart of the earth" ) for three days and three nights as he told the Pharisees he would be (Matthew 12:40), rather than two nights and a day (byinclusive counting,as was the norm at that time) if he had died on a Friday.

See also

• Good Friday Prayer
• Good Friday Prayer for the Jews
• Easter season
• Passion (music)
• Ascension of Jesus
• Life of Jesus in the New Testament
• Salvation in Christianity

Further reading

• Bellarmine, Robert(1902)."Good Friday: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.".Sermons from the Latins.Benziger Brothers.
• Gilmartin, Thomas Patrick (1909)."Good Friday".In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links

• The Eastern Orthodox commemoration of Holy Friday(archived 7 June 2011)
• Great Fridayinstructions from S. V. Bulgakov'sHandbook for Church Servers(Russian Orthodox Church) (archived 3 March 2016)
• Episcopal Good Friday Service
• Who, What, Why: Why is Good Friday called Good Friday?
• Good Friday