Good Friday

Good Friday is a holy day celebrated by Christians on the Friday before Easter or Pascha. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary. Special prayer services are often held on this day with readings from the Gospel accounts of the events leading up to the crucifixion. Mainstream Christian churches view Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and act, and one by which, along with his resurrection on the third day, death itself was conquered.

In Protestant churches

Many Protestant churches hold special services on this day as well. In the German Lutheran tradition from the 16th to the 20th century, this was the most important holiday. It was the prime day on which to receive Holy Communion, and services were often accentuated by special music such as the St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Related Topics:
Protestant - Lutheran - St. Matthew Passion - Johann Sebastian Bach

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In many historically Christian countries such as Australia and New Zealand, the day is celebrated with the eating of hot cross buns, the withdrawal of advertising from television and radio, and the closure of most shops for the day. Eastern Orthodox Christians eat as little as possible on this day.

Related Topics:
Australia - New Zealand - Hot cross bun - Advertising

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Many Baptist and non-denominational churches do not celebrate Good Friday, instead observing the Crucifixion on Wednesday to coincide with the Jewish sacrifice of the Passover Lamb (which Christians believe is an Old Testament pointer to Jesus Christ). A Wednesday Crucifixion of Jesus Christ allows for Christ 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 if he died on Friday.

Related Topics:
Baptist - Crucifixion - Passover - Matthew

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It is not a federal holiday in the United States, although many states observe it as a state holiday.

Related Topics:
United States - States

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On the day of the suffering of Christ (which is believed by many to have occurred on a Friday evening in April) there was a coincidence: at that time the constellation of Southern Cross was entirely visible low in the South from Jerusalem. Due to precession this is no longer the case. The most probable date is

Related Topics:
Southern Cross - Jerusalem - Precession

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3 April AD 33, on which date also took place a partial lunar eclipse.

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