As Christians worldwide observe Good Friday, many pause to reflect on its spiritual meaning and long history.
Falling two days before Easter Sunday, Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The term “Good Friday” might sound contradictory given its day of suffering. However, some scholars suggest that “good” once meant “holy,” while others believe it stems from the belief that Jesus’s death was ultimately a “good” act, one that brought redemption to humanity.
The observance of Good Friday dates back to the early centuries of Christianity.
By the fourth century, Christians had established rituals to remember Christ’s sufferings. These observances can include readings from scripture, Veneration of the Cross, and hours of silent prayer. The holy day has become one of the most widely observed dates on the Christian calendar, with a spectrum of cultural celebrations.
According to the Gospel accounts in the New Testament, Good Friday marks the day Jesus was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death by crucifixion under Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Betrayed by Judas and abandoned by many of his followers, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and ultimately nailed to a cross at Golgotha, a hill outside Jerusalem.
His death, some Christians believe, served as a divine act of atonement. Through his suffering, Jesus carried the sins of the world, offering humans a path to forgiveness with God.
Good Friday is a day of mourning, prayer, and reflection.
Many Christian denominations hold special services that recount the crucifixion story, often marked by reading the Seven Last Words of Jesus and the symbolic extinguishing of candles. Churches worldwide will commemorate the day with liturgies centered around the Veneration of the Cross. Some believers also may observe fasting or abstinence, refraining from meat or limiting meals as a form of penance.
In countries like the Philippines, Mexico, and Italy, celebrations reenacting the crucifixion take place, some more colorful and celebratory than others. In Jerusalem, some pilgrims retrace the Via Dolorosa or “Path of Pain,” the path some believe Jesus walked on his way to the cross.
Though shrouded in sorrow, Good Friday can carry a strong message of hope.
It marks the dark before the dawn of Easter, the passage through death before resurrection. For many Christians, it may also be a reminder of enduring love, or the power of sacrifice.
In a world often marked by pain and division, Good Friday calls on communities worldwide to remember the true meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion and to walk, even briefly, in the shadow of the cross.