Good Friday 2019 was celebrated especially by the people of Christian religion on 19th of April, Friday.
People across the world commemorated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and visited churches and offered prayers to their Lord. They also kept fast and mourned the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the occasion. Churches across the world organised special rituals on Good Friday to remember their Lord and it was especially held during the afternoon, the time when Jesus was crucified.
In Vatican City, Good Friday was observed with a meditation which focused on human trafficking. It also celebrated a Holy Week Ritual to mark the occasion.
In India, churches organised group prayers to remember Jesus Christ and his sacrifices for the world. Various processions also took place at churches and holy gospels from the Bible were also read.
Good Friday is also Known as:
Great Friday, Holy Friday, Black Friday and Easter Friday.
Good Friday
Good Friday is the religious celebration, celebrated every year by the people of the Christian religion all over the world to commemorate the last moments, death and crucifixion of the Jesus Christ. Good Friday has been declared as a gazetted holiday all over the India by the Government of India.
It is a part celebration of the Paschal Triduum and celebrated during the Holy Week. It is also commemorated together with the Jewish observance of the Passover. According to the Biblical and Julian calendars, the Crucifixion of the Jesus Christ was on a Friday in the AD 33 or AD 34.
Good Friday is celebrated by the Catholic Church as a fast day by having only one time full meal in small amount and two collations.
At this day, all the national level, state level as well as local government offices, banks, post offices and etc working organizations and educational institutions becomes closed or reduced the opening hours. There is a big crowd in the areas of the Christian population because of the large prayer meetings and parades.
According to the Gospels, one of the disciples of the Jesus Christ called Judas Iscariot had guided some temple guards to arrest the Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas Iscariot had received at least 30 pieces of the silver for doing such against the Jesus Christ.
After getting arrested, Jesus Christ was brought to the Annas (father-in-law of the Caiaphas, a high priest). He was sentenced to death when nothing told in favor of him during the interrogation. During the solemn oath by the high priest “I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed One, the Son of God?” Jesus Christ answered very unclearly that, “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.”
Jesus Christ charged for subverting the nation, leading as a king and opposing the taxes to Caesar that’s why he was brought to the Roman governor named Pontius Pilate in the morning. Pontius Pilate told Jewish leaders to judge the Jesus case according to their own law but Jewish leaders were not allowed by the Romans for judging the sentence of death and then the case was referred by the Pontius Pilate to the ruler of Galilee (King Herod) as Jesus Christ was also a Galilee.
Jesus Christ answered nothing for many questions of the Herod that’s why he was sent back to Pontius Pilate by the King Herod, where he was not founded guilty.
As Pontius Pilate’s wife saw the Jesus Christ in her last night dreams and told to her husband to no to do any mistake with that righteous man. Pontius Pilate brought the Jesus Christ out from crowd to release him; soon he was charged for another mistake by the chief priests that Jesus Christ was demanded for sentenced to death “because he claimed to be God’s son.” As soon as he heard the statement, Pontius Pilate started fearing and brought Jesus Christ back to the palace in order to known the complete information about him.
Pontius Pilate declared that Jesus was innocent in order to stay away from blame however; he handed over the Jesus Christ for crucifixion to prevent the riot and save his job. He was brought to the execution place or the place of the Skull and crucified on the cross.
After his crucifixion the whole land was full of with darkness. He gave up his spirit with loud cry and temple curtain was torn top to bottom because of the earthquake. At the site of crucifixion, it was declared that “Truly this was God’s Son!”
A secret follower of the Jesus Christ named Joseph of Arimathea went to the Pontius Pilate to request the Jesus Christ body. After the confirmation of the death of the Jesus Christ by the Pontius Pilate, it was handed over to his followers. Another follower named Nicodemus wrapped the body of Christ with mixture of spices to be fresh for some days. On the 3rd day (Easter Sunday or Pascha) he rose from the dead body.
As Good Friday is the day of sadness, at some places churches become empty and dark after the afternoon services and people drink bitter drink (mix of leaves juice, vinegar and etc). Good Friday celebration varies from country to country according to the culture and tradition. Details of Good Friday celebration in some countires are mentioned below:
In the United States, it is celebrated every year by the people from individual states and municipalities however, it is not declared as a government holiday at federal level. It is not mandatory to close the private businesses or institutions at this day however; stock market becomes closed. Central Government offices are opened on Good Friday.
In the Catholic country, Ireland, it is prohibited to sell alcohol on the Good Friday, banks and public institutions become closed however; it is not the public or official holiday. Most of the offices and working institutions remains open.
In Germany, theatre performances, events including public dances are considered as illegal and restricted however; cinemas and television activities remains same. Religious programmes are shown by the many TV channels on this day.
In England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, It has been declared as the official public holiday and all the educational institutions become closed including most of the businesses however; most of the retail stores remain open. There is a tradition of no horse racing on the Good Friday in UK.
In South Africa, it has been declared as the official holiday that’s why all the government offices, educational institutions, schools, businesses become closed. It is prohibited to buy or sell the alcohol.
In India, it has been declared as the public holiday officially by the Central Government as well as State Government all over the India. Most of the stock markets are closed however; most of the businesses in Assam, Kerala, Goa and etc are opened.
People from the Christian religion attend their nearby churches to pray on Good Friday. Some people keep fast for whole day, some people exclude meat from their diet on this day and some people involve in the parade, play activities and etc.