Good Friday

Good Friday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Passion of the Christ or Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday. Good Friday (from the senses pious, holy of the word “good”) is a religious day observed by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus, it’s the Friday on which the Church keeps the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It commemorates the final hours of Jesus’ life, His crucifixion, and death, as described in the Christian Bible. On Good Friday, the entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary.

It’s also known as the Dark Friday, as Christ died on the cross for you and me. In the “Way of the Cross” processions and crucifixion reenactments, Christians remember Jesus’ death on Good Friday as “it was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings that He endured. (Isaiah 53:4). Isaiah 52:13-53:12 52:13 See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. The First Reading is always: Isaiah 52:13—53:12. 13 Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.

Good Friday is the anniversary of Jesus’ death on the cross. According to the Gospels, Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter Day after He had said: “It is accomplished” and bowing His head He had given up His spirit.


On Good Friday the whole Church mourns the death of our Savior. This is traditionally a day of sadness, spent in fasting and prayer. The title for this day varies in different parts of the world: Holy Friday for Latin nations, Slavs and Hungarians call it Great Friday, in Germany it is Friday of Mourning, and in Norway, it is Long Friday. Some view the term Good Friday (used in English and Dutch) as a corruption of the term “God’s Friday”. This is another obligatory day of fasting and abstinence. In Ireland, they practice the black fast, which is to consume nothing but black tea and water.

According to the Church’s ancient tradition, the sacraments are not celebrated on Good Friday or on Holy Saturday. Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, traditionally known as the Mass of the Presanctified, (although it is not a mass) is usually celebrated around three o’clock in the afternoon, or later, depending on the needs of the parish. On this day the ministers enter in silence. All then kneel for silent prayer, after which the Celebrant stands and begins the liturgy.


The altar is completely bare, with no cloths, candles nor cross. The service is divided into three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion. The priest and deacons wear red or black vestments. The liturgy starts with the priests and deacons going to the altar in silence and prostrating themselves for a few moments in silent prayer, and then an introductory prayer is prayed.

In part one, the Liturgy of the Word; we hear the most famous of the Suffering Servant passages from Isaiah (52:13-53:12), a pre-figurement of Christ on Good Friday. Psalm 30 is the Responsorial Psalm “Father, I put my life in your hands”. The Second Reading, or Epistle, is from the letter to the Hebrews, 4:14-16; 5:7-9. The Gospel Reading is the Passion of St. John.

Part two is the Veneration of the Cross. A cross, either veiled or unveiled, is processed through the Church, and then venerated by the congregation. We joyfully venerate and kiss the wooden cross “on which hung the Savior of the world”. During this time the Reproaches are usually sung or recited.

Part three, Holy Communion, concludes the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. The altar is covered with a cloth and the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament are brought to the altar from the place of reposition. The OUR FATHER and the ECCE AGNUS DEI (This is the Lamb of God) are recited. The congregation receives Holy Communion, there is a “Prayer After Communion”, and then a “Prayer Over the People”, and everyone departs in silence.

This is a day of mourning. We should try to take time off from work and school to participate in the devotions and liturgy of the day as much as possible. In addition, we should refrain from extraneous conversation. Some families leave the curtains drawn, and maintain silence during the 3 hours (noon — 3pm), and keep from loud conversation or activities throughout the remainder of the day. We should also restrict ourselves from any TV, music or computer—these are all types of technology that can distract us from the spirit of the day.

If some members of the family cannot attend all the services, a little home altar can be set up, by draping a black or purple cloth over a small table or dresser and placing a crucifix and candles on it. The family then can gather during the three hours, praying different devotions like the rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy devotions, and meditative reading and prayers on the passion of Christ.