Good Friday

Good Friday is a solemn holy day for many Christians.

It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus at a place called Calvary. This site is also known as Golgotha in Hebrew. The day is a key part of Holy Week. It is also part of the Paschal Triduum. This is a three-day period of special religious observation. The date of the holiday changes every year. This happens because the date depends on the calendar used. Eastern and Western Christians sometimes disagree on the exact date. They use different ways to calculate when Easter occurs.

Many different church groups observe this day in unique ways. Members of Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican traditions hold special services. Some churches hold the Service of the Great Three Hours' Agony. This service lasts from noon until 3 p.m. The Bible says darkness covered the land during these hours. In some traditions, people pray the Stations of the Cross. This happens on the evening of Good Friday. The Moravian Church has its own special tradition too. Their members often clean gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.

The story of this day comes from the Gospels. It begins when Judas Iscariot helped soldiers arrest Jesus. Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver for this act. He used a kiss to show which man to take. After his arrest, Jesus was taken to Annas and Caiaphas. Many witnesses gave conflicting testimony against him. The high priest eventually condemned Jesus for blasphemy. Later, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate was asked to judge him. Pilate did not find Jesus guilty of any crime. However, the crowd demanded that Jesus be crucified.

Jesus carried his cross to the place of the Skull. A man named Simon of Cyrene helped him carry it. Jesus was crucified alongside two other criminals. For three hours, darkness fell over the whole land. After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea asked for the body. He was a member of the Sanhedrin and a follower. Another follower named Nicodemus brought a mixture of spices. They used 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes for the burial. They wrapped him in a linen shroud and placed him in a tomb.

In Eastern Orthodox traditions, the day is called Great Friday. The clergy wear black clothes instead of red or purple. They do not celebrate the Divine Liturgy on this day. This is because they are recalling the sacrifice of Jesus. Many people observe an absolute fast on this day. This means they do not eat or drink for the whole day. They may only have bread and water after the sun sets. Some churches use twelve candles during special services. One candle is put out after each of the twelve Gospel readings.