Good Friday

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This article is about the holiday. For the peace deal, see Good Friday Agreement. For
other uses, see Good Friday (disambiguation).

Good Friday

A Stabat Mater depiction, 1868

Type Christian

Significance Commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus

Christ

Celebrations Celebration of the Passion of the Lord

 Observances Worship

services, prayer and vigil services, fasting, almsgiving

Date The Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday

 April 2 (Western)
2021 date
 April 30 (Eastern)

2022 date  April 15[1] (Western)

 April 22 (Eastern)

2023 date  April 7 (Western)

 April 14 (Eastern)

2024 date  March 29 (Western)

 May 3 (Eastern)

Frequency Annual

Related to Passover, Christmas (which celebrates the birth of

Jesus), Septuagesima, Quinquagesima, Shrove

Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy

Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Holy

Saturday which lead up to Easter, Easter

Sunday (primarily), Divine Mercy

Sunday, Ascension, Pentecost, Whit Monday, Trinity

Sunday, Corpus Christi and Feast of the Sacred

Heart which follow it. It is related to the Feast of

the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which focuses on the

benefits, graces, and merits of the Cross, rather than

Jesus's death.

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.[2][3][4]
Members of many Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Eastern
Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox and Reformed traditions,
observe Good Friday with fasting and church services.[5][6][7] 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.[8] Communicants of the Moravian
Church have a Good Friday tradition of cleaning gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.[9]
The date of Good Friday varies from one year to the next on both
the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Eastern and Western Christianity disagree over the
computation of the date of Easter and therefore of Good Friday. Good Friday is a widely
instituted legal holiday around the world, including in most Western countries and
12 U.S. states.[10] Some predominantly Christian countries, such as Germany, have laws
prohibiting certain acts such as dancing and horse racing, in remembrance of the
somber nature of Good Friday.[11][12]

Contents

 1Etymology
o 1.1Other languages
 2Biblical accounts
 3Orthodox
o 3.1Matins of Holy and Great Friday
o 3.2Royal Hours
o 3.3Vespers of Holy and Great Friday
o 3.4Matins of Holy and Great Saturday
 4Roman Catholic
o 4.1Day of Fasting
o 4.2Services on the day
o 4.3Three Hours' Agony
o 4.4Liturgy
o 4.5Stations of the Cross
o 4.6Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ
o 4.7Novena to the Divine Mercy
 5Protestant
o 5.1Anglican Communion
o 5.2Lutheran Church
o 5.3Methodist Church
o 5.4Moravian Church
o 5.5Reformed Churches
o 5.6Other Christian traditions
 6Associated customs
o 6.1Australia
o 6.2Canada
o 6.3Cuba
o 6.4Hong Kong
o 6.5Ireland
o 6.6Malaysia
o 6.7Malta
o 6.8New Zealand
o 6.9Philippines
 o 6.10Singapore
o 6.11Spain
o 6.12United Kingdom
o 6.13United States
 7Calculating the date
 8Cultural references
 9Memoration on Wednesday of the Holy Week
 10See also
 11References
 12Further reading
 13External links

Etymology[edit]
'Good Friday' comes from the obsolete sense 'pious, holy' of the word "good". [13] Less
common examples of expressions based on this obsolete sense of "good" include "the
good book" for the Bible, "good tide" for "Christmas" or Shrovetide, and Good
Wednesday for the Wednesday in Holy Week.[14]
A common folk etymology incorrectly analyzes "Good Friday" as a corruption of "God
Friday" similar to the linguistically correct description of "goodbye" as a contraction of
"God be with you". In Old English, the day was called "Long Friday" (langa
frigedæg [ˈlɑŋɡɑ ˈfriːjedæj]), and equivalents of this term are still used in Scandinavian
languages and Finnish.[15]
Other languages[edit]
In Latin, the name used by the Catholic Church until 1955 was Feria sexta in
Parasceve ("Friday of Preparation [for the Sabbath]"). In the 1955 reform of Holy Week,
it was renamed Feria sexta in Passione et Morte Domini ("Friday of the Passion and
Death of the Lord"), and in the new rite introduced in 1970, shortened to Feria sexta in
Passione Domini ("Friday of the Passion of the Lord").
In Dutch, Good Friday is known as Goede Vrijdag, in Frisian as Goedfreed. In German-
speaking countries, it is generally referred to as Karfreitag ("Mourning Friday",
with Kar from Old High German kara‚ "bewail", "grieve"‚ "mourn", which is related to the
English word "care" in the sense of cares and woes), but it is sometimes also
called Stiller Freitag ("Silent Friday") and Hoher Freitag ("High Friday, Holy Friday"). In
the Scandinavian languages and Finnish ("pitkäperjantai"), it is called the equivalent of
"Long Friday" as it was in Old English ("Langa frigedæg").
In Greek, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian and Armenian it is generally referred to as the
equivalent of "Great Friday" (Μεγάλη Παρασκευή, Wielki Piątek, Nagypéntek, Vinerea
Mare, Ավագ Ուրբաթ). In Bulgarian, it is called either Велики петък ("Great Friday"),
or, more commonly, Разпети петък ("Crucified Friday"). In French, Italian and
Spanish it is referred to as Vendredi saint, Venerdì santo and Viernes Santo ("Holy
Friday"). In Arabic, it is known as "‫"( "الجمعة العظيمة‬Great Friday").

Biblical accounts[edit]
Main articles: Passion, Crucifixion of Jesus, and Sayings of Jesus on the cross

The Judas Kiss by Gustave Doré, 1866

Part of a series on

Death and Resurrection of Jesus

show

Passion

hide

Holy Week

 Palm Sunday
  Holy Monday

 Holy Tuesday

 Spy Wednesday

 Maundy Thursday

 Good Friday

 Holy Saturday

 Easter Sunday

show

Significance

show

Visions of Jesus

show

Empty tomb theories

show

Related

Portals:   Christianity   Bible

 v
 t
 e

According to the accounts in the Gospels, the royal soldiers, guided by Jesus'
disciple Judas Iscariot, arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas received
money (30 pieces of silver) [16] for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whomever he
kisses is the one they are to arrest. Following his arrest, Jesus was taken to the house
of Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest, Caiaphas. There he was interrogated with
little result and sent bound to Caiaphas the high priest where the Sanhedrin had
assembled.[17]
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 for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin
concurred with a sentence of death.[18] Peter, waiting in the courtyard, also denied
Jesus three times to bystanders while the interrogations were proceeding just as Jesus
had foretold.
In the morning, the whole assembly brought Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius
Pilate under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making
himself a king.[19] 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. [20]
Pilate questioned Jesus 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
of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod
questioned Jesus 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.[21] Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asked
for Barabbas, 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"[22] Pilate's wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day, and she forewarned
Pilate to "have nothing to do with this righteous man". [23] Pilate had Jesus flogged and
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. [24]

Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Ecce Homo with Jesus and Pontius 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. [25] and ultimately to keep his
job. The sentence written was "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Jesus carried his
cross to the site of execution (assisted by Simon of Cyrene), called the "place of the
Skull", or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and in Latin "Calvary". There he was crucified along
with two criminals.[26]
Jesus agonized on the cross for six hours. During his last three hours on the cross, from
noon to 3 pm, darkness fell over the whole land.[27] Jesus spoke from the cross, quoting
the messianic Psalm 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. The centurion on guard at
the site of crucifixion declared, "Truly this was God's Son!" [28]
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[29] Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin
named Nicodemus brought about a hundred-pound weight mixture of spices and helped
wrap the body of Jesus.[30] Pilate asked confirmation from the centurion of whether Jesus
was dead.[31] A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to
flow out[32] and the centurion informed Pilate that Jesus was dead. [33]
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 rock [34] in a garden near the site of the
crucifixion. Nicodemus[35] also brought 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and placed them in
the linen with the body, in keeping with Jewish burial customs [30] They rolled a large rock
over the entrance of the tomb.[36] Then they returned home and rested,
because Shabbat had begun at sunset.[37] Matt. 28:1 "After the Shabbat, at dawn on the
first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb". i.e.
"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week,...". "He is not here; he has
risen, just as he said....". (Matt. 28:6)

Orthodox[edit]

Icon of the Crucifixion, 16th century, by Theophanes the Cretan (Stavronikita Monastery, Mount Athos)

Byzantine Christians (Eastern Christians who follow the Rite of

Constantinople: Orthodox Christians and Greek-Catholics) call this day "Great and Holy
Friday", or simply "Great Friday".[38]
Because the sacrifice of Jesus through his crucifixion is recalled on this day, the Divine
Liturgy (the sacrifice of bread and wine) is never celebrated on Great Friday, except
when this day coincides with the Great Feast of the Annunciation, which falls on the
fixed date of 25 March (for those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar,
25 March currently falls on 7 April of the modern Gregorian Calendar). Also on Great
Friday, the clergy no longer wear the purple or red that is customary throughout Great
Lent,[39] but instead don black vestments. There is no "stripping of the altar" on Holy and
Great Thursday as in the West; instead, all of the church hangings are changed to
black, and will remain so until the Divine Liturgy on Great Saturday.
The faithful revisit the events of the day through the public reading of
specific Psalms and the Gospels, and singing hymns about Christ's death. Rich visual
imagery and symbolism, as well as stirring hymnody, are remarkable elements of these
observances. In the Orthodox understanding, the events of Holy Week are not simply
an annual commemoration of past events, but the faithful actually participates in the
death and the resurrection of Jesus.[40]
Each hour of this day is the new suffering and the new effort of the expiatory suffering of
the Savior. And the echo of this suffering is already heard in every word of our worship
service – unique and incomparable both in the power of tenderness and feeling and in
the depth of the boundless compassion for the suffering of the Savior. The Holy Church
opens before the eyes of believers a full picture of the redeeming suffering of the Lord
beginning with the bloody sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane up to the crucifixion on
Golgotha. Taking us back through the past centuries in thought, the Holy Church brings
us to the foot of the cross of Christ erected on Golgotha and makes us present among
the quivering spectators of all the torture of the Savior. [41]
Great and Holy Friday is observed as a strict fast, also called the Black Fast, 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." [41]
Matins of Holy and Great Friday[edit]
The Byzantine Christian observance of Holy and Great Friday, which is formally known
as The Order of Holy and Saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, begins on
Thursday night with the Matins of the Twelve Passion Gospels. Scattered throughout
this Matins service are twelve readings from all four of the Gospels which recount the
events of the Passion from the Last Supper through the Crucifixion and burial of Jesus.
Some churches have a candelabrum with twelve candles on it, and after each Gospel
reading one of the candles is extinguished.[42]

Good Friday cross from the Catholicon at Holy Trinity Monastery, Meteora, Greece

The first of these twelve readings[43] is the longest Gospel reading of the liturgical year,
and is a concatenation from all four Gospels. Just before the sixth Gospel reading,
which recounts Jesus being nailed to the cross, a large cross is carried out of the
sanctuary by the priest, accompanied by incense and candles, and is placed in the
center of the nave (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.[44][45]
The readings are:

1. John 13:31-18:1 – Christ's last sermon, Jesus

prays for the apostles.
2. John 18:1–28 – The agony in the garden, the
mockery and denial of Christ.
3. Matthew 26:57–75 – The mockery of
Christ, Peter denies Christ.
4. John 18:28–19:16 – Pilate questions Jesus; Jesus
is condemned; Jesus is mocked by the Romans.
5. Matthew 27:3–32 – Judas commits suicide; Jesus
is condemned; Jesus mocked by the
Romans; Simon of Cyrene compelled 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 Arimathea buries
Christ.
11. John 19:38–42 – Joseph of Arimathea buries
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
the Canon, a brief, moving hymn, The Wise Thief is chanted by singers who stand at
the foot of the cross in the center of the nave. The service does not end with the First
Hour, as usual, but with a special dismissal by 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
His most pure Mother, of our holy and God-bearing fathers, and of all the saints, have
mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind.

Royal Hours[edit]
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 the Royal Hours,[46] a
special expanded celebration of the Little Hours (including the First Hour, Third
Hour, Sixth Hour, Ninth Hour and Typica) with the addition of scripture readings (Old
Testament, Epistle and 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. [47]
Vespers of Holy and Great Friday[edit]

The crucified Christ, just before the Deposition from the Cross and the placing of the Epitaphios in the
Sepulcher.

In the afternoon, around 3 pm, all gather for the Vespers of the Taking-Down from the
Cross,[48] commemorating the Deposition from the Cross. The Gospel reading is a
concatenation taken from all four of the Gospels. During the service, the body of Christ
(the soma) is removed from the cross, as the words in the Gospel reading mention
Joseph of Arimathea, wrapped in a linen shroud, and taken to the altar in the sanctuary.
The epitaphios ("winding sheet"), depicting the preparation of the body of Jesus for burial

Near the end of the service an epitaphios or "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. Then the priest may deliver
a homily and everyone comes forward to venerate the epitaphios. In the Slavic practice,
at the end of Vespers, Compline is immediately served, featuring a special Canon of the
Crucifixion of our Lord and the Lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokos by Symeon the
Logothete.[49]
Matins of Holy and Great Saturday[edit]

The Epitaphios being carried in procession in a church in Greece.

On Friday night, the Matins of Holy and Great Saturday, a unique service known as The
Lamentation at the Tomb[50] (Epitáphios Thrēnos) is celebrated. This service is also
sometimes called Jerusalem Matins. Much of the service takes place around the tomb
of Christ in the center of the nave.[51]
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 of Psalm 119 (which is, by far, the longest psalm in the Bible). The Enkōmia are
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
185 tercet antiphons arranged in three parts (stáseis or "stops"), which are interjected
with the verses of Psalm 119, and nine short doxastiká ("Gloriae")
and Theotókia (invocations to the Virgin Mary). The three stáseis are 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", and Αἱ γενεαὶ πᾶσαι, "All the generations". Musically
they can be classified as strophic, with 75, 62, and 48 tercet stanzas each, respectively.
The climax of the Enkōmia comes during the third stásis, with the antiphon "Ō glyký
mou Éar", a lamentation of the Virgin for her dead Child ("O, my sweet spring, my
sweetest child, where has your beauty gone?"). The author(s) and date of
the Enkōmia are unknown. Their High Attic linguistic style suggests a dating around the
6th century, possibly before the time of St. Romanos the Melodist.[citation needed]

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

At the end of the Great Doxology, while the Trisagion is sung, the epitaphios is taken
in procession around 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.[citation needed]
The Troparion (hymn of the day) of Good Friday is:
The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from the tree,
wrapped it in fine linen, and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto
ages of ages. Amen.
The angel came to the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb and said:
Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption.

Roman Catholic[edit]
Day of Fasting[edit]

Crucifix prepared for veneration

The Catholic Church regards Good Friday and Holy Saturday as the Paschal fast, in
accordance with Article 110 of Sacrosanctum Concilium.[52] 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) [53][54] – although this may be
observed less stringently on Holy Saturday than on Good Friday. [52]
Services on the day[edit]
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.[55] 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.
[56]
 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. [57] It is also customary to empty
the holy water fonts in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil.
[58]
 Traditionally, no bells are rung on Good Friday or Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil.
[59]

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.[60][61] 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).[62] Before
1970, vestments were black except for the Communion part of the rite when violet was
used.[63] 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.[64] If a bishop or abbot celebrates, he wears a
plain mitre (mitra simplex).[65]
Three Hours' Agony[edit]
Main article: Three Hours' Agony
The Three Hours' Devotion based on the Seven Last Words from the Cross begins at
noon and ends at 3 pm, the time that the Christian tradition teaches that Jesus died on
the cross.[66]
Liturgy[edit]
The Great Intercessions are sung at Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Austria

The Good Friday liturgy consists of three parts: the Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration
of the Cross, and the Holy 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
full prostration. This signifies the abasement (the fall)
of (earthly) humans.[67] It also symbolizes the grief and
sorrow of the Church.[68] Then follows
the Collect prayer, and the reading or chanting of
Isaiah 52:13–53:12, Hebrews 4:14–16, Hebrews 5:7–
9, and the Passion account from the Gospel of John,
traditionally divided between three deacons,[69] yet
usually read by the celebrant and two other readers. In
the older form of the Mass known as the Tridentine
Mass the 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 as orationes
sollemnes immediately 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.[70] 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
the prayer for the Jews.[71]
 The Adoration of the Cross has a crucifix, 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
the Improperia ("Reproaches") with the Trisagion hymn
are chanted.[72]
 Holy Communion is bestowed according to a rite
based on that of the final part of Mass, beginning with
the Lord's Prayer, but omitting the ceremony of
"Breaking of the Bread" and its related acclamation,
the Agnus Dei. The Eucharist, consecrated at the
Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday,
is distributed at this service.[73] Before the Holy Week
reforms of Pope Pius XII in 1955, only the priest
received Communion in the framework of what was
called the Mass of the Presanctified, which included
the usual Offertory prayers, with the placing of wine in
the chalice, but which omitted the Canon of the Mass.
[74]
 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.[75]
Stations of the Cross[edit]

The Way of the Cross, celebrated at the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday

Rome: canopy erected at the "Temple of Venus and Rome" during the "Way of the Cross" ceremony

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.[citation needed]
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. [76]
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.[citation needed]
Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ[edit]
Main article: Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ

El Greco's Jesus Carrying the Cross, 1580

The Roman Catholic tradition includes specific prayers and devotions as acts of
reparation for the sufferings and insults that Jesus suffered during his Passion on Good
Friday.[77] These Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ do not involve a petition for a
beneficiary, but aim to "repair the sins" against Jesus. Some such prayers are provided
in the Raccolta Catholic prayer book (approved by a Decree of 1854, and published by
the Holy See in 1898) which also includes prayers as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin
Mary.[78][79][80][81]
In his encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor on reparations, Pope Pius XI called Acts of
Reparation to Jesus Christ a duty for Catholics and referred to them as "some sort of
compensation to be rendered for the injury" with respect to the sufferings of Jesus. [82]
Pope John Paul II referred to Acts of Reparation as the "unceasing effort to stand
beside the endless crosses on which the Son of God continues to be crucified". [83]
Novena to the Divine Mercy[edit]
The Novena to the Divine Mercy begins on that day and lasts until the Saturday
before the Feast of Mercy. Both holidays are strictly connected, as
the mercy of God flows from the Heart of Jesus that was pierced on the Cross.[84][85]

Protestant[edit]
Anglican Communion[edit]
The 1662 Book of Common Prayer did 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 the Reserved Sacrament in high church parishes) and Evensong. In
recent times,[when?] revised editions of the Prayer Book and Common Worship have re-
introduced pre-Reformation forms 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 the Henrican, Edwardian and Elizabethan reforms,
including Creeping to the Cross.[citation needed]
Lutheran Church[edit]
The chancel of this Lutheran church is adorned with black paraments on Good Friday, the liturgical colour
associated with Good Friday in the Lutheran Churches.

In Lutheran tradition 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 the St Matthew
Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach.[86]
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 the Vigil of Easter. One practice among Lutheran churches
is to celebrate a tenebrae service 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.[87] The Good Friday liturgy appointed in Evangelical 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 the Solemn Reproaches in an updated and revised
translation which eliminates some of the anti-Jewish overtones in previous versions.
Many Lutheran churches have Good Friday services, such as the Three Hours'
Agony centered 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.[citation needed]
Along with observing a general Lenten fast, [86] many Lutherans emphasize the
importance of Good Friday as a day of fasting within the calendar. [6][7] A Handbook for
the Discipline of Lent recommends the Lutheran guideline to "Fast on Ash Wednesday
and Good Friday with only one simple meal during the day, usually without meat". [88]
Methodist Church[edit]
A United Methodist minister prostrates at the start of the Good Friday liturgy at Holy Family Church, in
accordance with the rubrics in the Book of Worship. The processional cross is veiled in black, the liturgical
colour associated with Good Friday in Methodist Churches.

On Maundy Thursday, the altar of this Methodist church was stripped and the crucifix of this Methodist church
has been veiled in black for Good Friday (black is the liturgical colour for Good Friday in the United Methodist
Church). A wooden cross sits in front of the bare chancel for the veneration of the cross ceremony, which
occurs during the United Methodist Good Friday liturgy.

Many Methodist denominations commemorate Good Friday with fasting,[89] as well as

a service of worship based on the Seven Last Words from the Cross; this liturgy is
known as the Three Hours Devotion as it starts at noon and concludes at 3 pm, the
latter being the time that Jesus died on the cross. [90][91]
Moravian Church[edit]
Moravians hold a Lovefeast on Good Friday as they receive Holy Communion on
Maundy Thursday.
Communicants of the Moravian Church practice the Good Friday tradition of
cleaning gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.[9]
Reformed Churches[edit]
In the Reformed tradition, Good Friday is one of the evangelical feasts and is thus
widely observed with church services, which feature the Solemn Reproaches in the
pattern of Psalm 78, towards the end of the liturgy.[92]
Other Christian traditions[edit]
It is not uncommon for some communities to hold interdenominational services on Good
Friday.

Associated customs[edit]

Good Friday service in Ireland

In many countries 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, [93][94][95] Peru, the
Philippines, Portugal, the Scandinavian countries, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the
United Kingdom, and Venezuela, the day is observed as a public 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 the
Black Fast to 3pm or 6pm,[96] where only water can be consumed or restricted handout of
bread, herbs and salt. St. Ambrose, St. Chrysostom and St. Basil attest to the practice.
The processions of the day, hymns "Crux fidelis" by King John of Portugal, and Eberlin's
"Tenebrae factae sunt", followed by "Vexilla Regis" is sung, translated from Latin as the
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.[11][12]
Australia[edit]
Good Friday is a holiday under state and territory laws in all states and territories in
Australia.[97] Generally speaking, shops in all Australian states (but not in the two
territories of the Northern Territory and the Australian 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 2018, for example, when Good Friday fell on 30 March,
only Queensland and Victoria had school holidays which coincided with Good Friday.
[98]
 The vast majority of businesses are closed on Good Friday, although many
recreational businesses, such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show, open on Good Friday
as among non-religious families Good Friday is a popular day to indulge in such
activities.
Canada[edit]

Vespers of Good Friday afternoon, Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto

In Canada, Good Friday is a federal statutory holiday. In the province of Quebec

"employers can choose to give the day off either on Good Friday or Easter Monday." [99]
Cuba[edit]
In an online article posted on Catholic News Agency by Alejandro Bermúdez on 31
March 2012, Cuban President Raúl Castro, with the Communist Party and his advisers,
decreed that Good Friday that year would be a holiday. This was Castro's response to a
request made personally to him by Pope Benedict XVI during the latter's Apostolic
Visitation to the island and León, Mexico that month. The move followed the pattern of
small advances in Cuba's relations with the Vatican, mirroring Pope John Paul II's
success in getting Fidel Castro to declare Christmas Day a holiday.[100] Both Good Friday
and Christmas are now annual holidays in Cuba.
Hong Kong[edit]
In Hong Kong, Good Friday was designated a public holiday in the Holidays Ordinance,
1875.[101] Good Friday continues to be a holiday after the transfer of sovereignty from the
UK to China in 1997.[102] Government offices, banks, post offices and most offices are
closed on Good Friday.
Ireland[edit]
In the Republic 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.[103] Critics of the ban included the catering and tourism sector, but surveys
showed that the general public were divided on the issue. [104][105] In Northern Ireland, a
similar ban operates until 5 pm on Good Friday.[106]
Malaysia[edit]
Although Malaysia is a Muslim majority country, Good Friday is declared as a public
holiday in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia as there is a significant
Christian indigenous population in both states. [107]
Malta[edit]

Holy Week procession in Malta

The Holy Week commemorations reach their peak on Good Friday as the Roman
Catholic Church celebrates the passion of Jesus. Solemn celebrations take place in all
churches together with processions in different villages around Malta and Gozo. 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
in Birgu, Bormla, Għaxaq, Luqa, Mosta, Naxxar, Paola, Qormi, Rabat, Senglea, Valletta
, Żebbuġ (Città Rohan) and Żejtun. Processions in Gozo will be in Nadur, Victoria (St.
George and Cathedral), Xagħra and Żebbuġ, Gozo.[citation needed]
New Zealand[edit]
In New Zealand, Good Friday is a legal holiday [108] and is a day of mandatory school
closure for all New Zealand state and integrated schools. [109] Good Friday is also a
restricted trading day in New Zealand, which means that unexempted shops are not
permitted to open on this day.[110]
Philippines[edit]
In the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, the day is commemorated with street
processions, the Way of the Cross, the chanting of the Pasyón, and performances of
the Senákulo or Passion play. Some devotees engage in self-flagellation and even have
themselves crucified as expressions of penance despite health risks and strong
disapproval from the Church.[111]
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.[citation needed]
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.
.[112][citation needed]
In Cebu and many parts of the Visayan Islands, people usually eat binignit and biko as
a form of fasting.[113][114]
Singapore[edit]
Good Friday is a public holiday in Singapore.[115][116]
Spain[edit]

Nazarenos wearing capirotes, in Málaga, Spain

Main articles: Holy Week in Spain, Holy Week in Málaga, Holy Week in Seville, Holy

Week in Valladolid, Holy Week in Viveiro, and Holy Week in Zamora
United Kingdom[edit]
Hot cross buns are traditionally toasted and eaten on Good Friday in Britain, Canada, Australia and New
Zealand.[117]

In the UK, Good Friday was historically a common law holiday and is recognised as an
official public holiday[118] (also known as a Bank Holiday). All state schools are closed and
most businesses treat it as a holiday for staff; however, many retail stores now remain
open. Government services in Northern Ireland operate as normal on Good Friday,
substituting Easter Tuesday for 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 day [119] and in 2014
Lingfield Park and Musselburgh staged the UK's first Good Friday race meetings. [120]
[121]
 The BBC has for many years introduced its 7 am News broadcast on Radio 4 on
Good Friday with a verse from Isaac Watts' hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous
Cross".
The tradition of Easter plays include 1960 Eastertime performance of Good Friday: A
Play in Verse (1916) Artists Ursula O'Leary (Procula), and William Devlin as Pontius
Pilate, perform with the atmospheric sound effects of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
The Hugh Stewart production for the Home Service used soundware such as the EMS
Synthi 100 and ARP Odyssey l.[122]
United States[edit]
In the United States, Good Friday is not a government holiday at the federal level;
however, individual states, counties and municipalities may observe the holiday. Good
Friday is a state holiday in Connecticut,[123] Delaware,[124] Florida,[125] Hawaii,[126] Indiana,
[127]
 Kentucky (half-day),[128] Louisiana,[129] New Jersey,[130] North Carolina,[131] North Dakota,
[132]
 Tennessee[133] and Texas.[134][135] 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 of Guam,[136] U.S. Virgin Islands[137] and Puerto Rico.[138]
The stock markets are closed on Good Friday, [139][140] but the foreign exchange and bond
trading markets open for a partial business day. [141][142] Most retail stores remain open,
while some of them may close early. Public schools and universities are often closed on
Good Friday, either as a holiday of its own, or as part of spring break. The postal
service operates, and banks regulated by the federal government do not close for Good
Friday.[143]
In some governmental contexts Good Friday has been referred to by a generic name
such as "spring holiday".[144][145][146] In 1999, in the case of Bridenbaugh 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. [147]

Calculating the date[edit]

See also: Date of Easter
Dates for Good Friday, 2019–2034

Year Western Eastern

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 April 18

2026 April 3 April 10

2027 March 26 April 30

2028 April 14 April 14

2029 March 30 April 6

2030 April 19 April 26

2031 April 11 April 11

2032 March 26 April 30

2033 April 15 April 22

2034 April 7 April 7

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter, which is calculated differently in Eastern
Christianity and Western Christianity (see Computus for 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 vernal equinox. The Western calculation uses the Gregorian calendar,
while the Eastern calculation uses the Julian 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.[citation needed]
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). [citation needed]

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

Cultural references[edit]
Good Friday assumes a particular importance in the plot of Richard Wagner's music
drama Parsifal, which contains an orchestral interlude known as the "Good Friday
Music".[148]

Memoration on Wednesday of the Holy Week[edit]

Some Baptist congregations,[149] the Philadelphia Church of God,[150] and some non-
denominational churches oppose the observance of Good Friday, regarding it as a so-
called "papist" tradition, and instead observe the Crucifixion of Jesus on 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
(by inclusive counting, as was the norm at that time) if he had died on a Friday. [151][152]
Further support for a Wednesday crucifixion based on Matthew 12:40 includes the
Jewish belief that death was not considered official until the beginning of the fourth day,
which is disallowed with the traditional Friday afternoon to Sunday morning period of
time. As "the Jews require a sign" (1 Corinthians 1:22), the resurrection of Christ is thus
invalidated with the shorter interval, since it can thus be claimed that Christ could have
only 'swooned,' rather than actually died. Additional rationale includes Daniel's
statement concerning the "sacrifice and the oblation to cease" (Daniel 9:27) "in the
midst of the week," the middle day of the week being Wednesday. This occurred when
the vail in the temple was torn in two (Matthew 27:51).

See also[edit]
  Christianity portal

 Holidays portal

 Good Friday Prayer

 Good Friday Prayer for the Jews
 Good Friday processions in Baliuag
 Holy Week
 Palm Sunday
 Maundy Thursday
 Holy Saturday
 Easter Sunday
 Easter Monday
 Easter season
 Divine Mercy Sunday
 Passion of Jesus
 Passion (music)
 Crucifixion of Jesus
 Crucifixion darkness
 Resurrection of Jesus
 Ascension of Jesus
 Life of Jesus in the New Testament
 Salvation in Christianity
 Islamic view of Jesus' death

References[edit]
0. ^ Selected Christian Observances, 2022, U.S. Naval
Observatory Astronomical Applications Department
1. ^ The Chambers Dictionary. Allied Publishers. 2002.
p. 639.  ISBN  978-81-86062-25-8. Retrieved 13 April  2012.
2. ^ Elizabeth Webber; Mike Feinsilber (1999).  Merriam-Webster's
Dictionary of Allusions. Merriam-Webster. p. 67.  ISBN  978-0-
87779-628-2. Retrieved 13 April  2012.
3. ^ Franklin M. Segler; Randall Bradley (2006).  Christian Worship:
Its Theology And Practice. B&H Publishing Group.
p. 226.  ISBN  978-0-8054-4067-6. Retrieved 13 April  2012.
4. ^ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles Anderson (1883). The
American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary for General
Knowledge. D. Appleton and Company. p. 101.  The Protestant
Episcopal, Lutheran, and Reformed churches, as well as many
Methodists, observe the day by fasting and special services.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b Pfatteicher, Philip H. (1990).  Commentary on
the Lutheran Book of Worship: Lutheran Liturgy in Its
Ecumenical Context. Augsburg Fortress Publishers. pp.  223–
244, 260. ISBN 978-0800603922.  The Good Friday fast became
the principal fast in the calendar, and even after the Reformation
 in Germany many Lutherans who observed no other fast
scrupulously kept Good Friday with strict fasting.
6. ^ Jump up to:a b Jacobs, Henry Eyster; Haas, John Augustus
William (1899). The Lutheran Cyclopedia. Scribner. p.  110. By
many Lutherans Good Friday is observed as a strict fast. The
lessons on Ash Wednesday emphasize the proper idea of the
fast. The Sundays in Lent receive their names from the first
words of their Introits in the Latin service, Invocavit,
Reminiscere, Oculi, Lcetare, Judica.
7. ^ "What is the significance of Good Friday?". The Free Press
Journal. 2 April 2021. Retrieved  3 April  2021.
8. ^ Jump up to:a b "PHOTOS: Cleaning Moravian gravestones, a
Good Friday tradition". Winston-Salem Journal. 10 April 2020.
Retrieved 11 April  2020.[permanent dead link]
9. ^ Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 36, Issue 214.
Harper & Brothers. 1868. p.  521. In England Good-Friday and
Christmas are the only close holidays of the year when the
shops are all closed and the churches opened.
10. ^ Jump up to:a b Petre, Jonathan (21 March 2008).  "Good Friday
gambling anger churches".  The Telegraph.  Bookmakers
estimate that thousands of shops will be operating, even though
Good Friday is one of three days in the year when no horse
racing takes place.
11. ^ Jump up to:a b Stevens, Laura (29 March 2013).  "In Germany,
Some Want to Boogie Every Day of the Year". The Wall Street
Journal.  Every year on Good Friday, Germany becomes a little
like the fictional town in the movie 'Footloose' – dancing is
verboten. The decades-old 'Tanzverbot,' or dance ban, applies
to all clubs, discos and other forms of organized dancing in all
German states.
12. ^ "Good Friday – Definition of Good Friday in the American
Heritage Dictionary". Yourdictionary.com. 4 April 2014.
Retrieved 23 April  2014.
13. ^ "Home: Oxford English Dictionary". Oed.com. Retrieved 23
April  2014.
14. ^ "Svensk etymologisk ordbok 434". runeberg.org. Retrieved 2
April  2021.
15. ^ Matthew 26:14–16)
16. ^ John 18:1–24
17. ^ Matthew 26:57–66
18. ^ Luke 23:1–2
19. ^ John 18:31
20. ^ Luke 23:3–16
21. ^ Mark 15:6–14
22. ^ Matthew 27:19
23. ^ John 19:1–9
24. ^ Matthew 27:24–26
25. ^ John 19:17–22)
26. ^ Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:13; Luke 23:44
27. ^ Matthew 27:45–54
28. ^ Luke 23:50–52
29. ^ Jump up to:a b John 19:39–40
30. ^ Mark 15:44
31. ^ John 19:34
32. ^ Mark 15:45
33. ^ Matthew 27:59–60
34. ^ John 3:1
35. ^ Matthew 27:60
36. ^ Luke 23:54–56
37. ^ Gerald O'Collins, Edward G. Farrugia (2013).  A Concise
Dictionary of Theology. Paulist Press. p. 108.  ISBN  978-1-587-
68236-0.
38. ^ There is a wide variety of uses regarding the liturgical
colors worn during Great Lent and Holy Week in the Rite of
Constantinople.
39. ^ "Good Friday 2021: Date & History | True Almighty God |
Jesus Christ".  S A NEWS. 1 April 2021. Retrieved  3 April  2021.
40. ^ Jump up to:a b Bulgakov, Sergei V. (1900). "Great
Friday".  Handbook for Church Servers  (PDF)  (2nd ed.).
Kharkov: Tr. Archpriest Eugene D. Tarris. p.  543. Archived
from  the original  (PDF)  on 3 March 2016. Retrieved  6
April  2015.
41. ^ "MATINS FOR GREAT AND HOLY FRIDAY"  (PDF).
42. ^ John 13:31–18:1
43. ^ Archimandrite Kallistos (Ware) and Mother Mary (2002).
"Service of the Twelve Gospels".  The Lenten Triodion. South
Cannan, PA: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press. p. 587.
44. ^ Today He who hung the earth upon the waters Chanted by the
Byzantine Choir of Athens
45. ^ Royal Hours
46. ^ "What happened on Good Friday? The Easter story
explained".  Metro. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
47. ^ Vespers of the Taking-Down from the Cross
48. ^ "Good Friday | Definition, History, & Facts". Encyclopedia
Britannica. Retrieved  27 May  2020.
49. ^ The Lamentation at the Tomb
50. ^ "History of Good Friday – Good Friday Story,
Eastergoodfriday.com". www.eastergoodfriday.com.
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Further reading[edit]
 "Mayor wants 'draconian' Good Friday booze ban lifted
before 1916 centenary –
Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 25
March 2016.

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 Episcopal Good Friday Service
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