Good Friday is
a Christian holiday commemorating the
crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week
as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday,
Great and Holy Friday (also Holy and Great Friday), and Black Friday.
Members of many
Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran,
Anglican, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox, United Protestant and some Reformed
traditions (including certain Continental Reformed, Presbyterian and
Congregationalist churches), observe Good Friday with fasting and church
services. In many Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist churches, the
Service of the Great Three Hours’ Agony is held from noon until 3 pm, the time
duration that the Bible records as darkness covering the land to Jesus’
sacrificial death on the cross.
The date of Good
Friday varies from one year to the next in both the Gregorian and Julian
calendars. Eastern and Western Christianity disagree over the computation of
the date of Easter and therefore of Good Friday..
The Catholic Church
regards Good Friday and Holy Saturday as the Paschal fast, in accordance with
Article 110 of Sacrosanctum Concilium. In the Latin Church, a fast day is
understood as having only one full meal and two collations (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.
The Roman Rite 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, it 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. After the Lord’s Supper any candlesticks and altar cloths, cross or
crosses are removed leaving it bare so that they may be returned in-ceremony on
Easter Sunday which memorialises the day of Christ’s resurrection. 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;
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 up until 9pm. Anyone who takes part in
the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord does not pray the office of Vespers
of Good Friday.
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
the reforms of the Holy Week Liturgies in 1955, black was used throughout.
Before the 1955 Holy Week Reforms, Holy Communion was not distributed to the
faithful on Good Friday. If a bishop or abbot celebrates, he wears a plain
mitre (mitra simplex).
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 pm, known as the Three Hours’ Agony. In countries such as Malta, Italy,
Philippines, Puerto Rico and Spain, processions with statues representing the
Passion of Christ are held.
In Rome, since the
papacy of John Paul II, the heights of the Temple of Venus and Roma and 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 the Way of the Cross ceremony. 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.
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.
