Why Do We Celebrate Good Friday? What Is Good Friday?

It’s possible that you didn’t pay careful attention in Sunday school or weren’t raised a Christian, so you didn’t fully grasp the significance of this day.

Every Christian is familiar with the story of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to atone for humankind’s sins and grant those who trust in him eternal life. Easter Sunday is the day that Christians generally commemorate the resurrection of Jesus by taking part in Easter customs including Easter egg hunts and giving Easter baskets as gifts. However, Easter is only a few days away, therefore Good Friday, which is marked near the end of Lent, doesn’t receive the same attention: Only 12 states recognize Good Friday as a holiday, and many people are unaware of its original significance. So what exactly is Good Friday?

Good Friday: What is it?

Simply simply, Christians observe the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. According to the Bible, on this day, the Jewish religious authorities took Jesus before the Romans for judgment after condemning him the previous evening for asserting that he was the son of God and ruler of the Jews. Pontius Pilate forwarded him to Herod and then back to Pilate, who ultimately executed Jesus by crucifixion—at the time, the most severe form of punishment for crime. After being beaten, Jesus was had to drag a large wooden cross through a mob of onlookers before being nailed on the cross by his wrists and feet, where he would hang until his death later that day.

In 2023, when is Good Friday?

The date of Good Friday in 2023 is Friday, April 7. Easter is on April 9th, a Sunday.

What does Good Friday represent?

Calling this event “Good Friday” seems counterproductive given its somber history. But in this context, the term “good” has a distinct connotation. According to Fiona MacPherson, senior editor of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), it “designates a day on (or occasionally a season in) which religious observance is held” in this context. The OED defines the phrase as “a day or season recognized as holy by the church,” to put it another way.

How do you observe Good Friday?

Good Friday is a day for gloomy meditation despite its name. Christians reverently remember how Jesus suffered and died for their sins every Friday before Easter. People might go to a liturgy that describes the agonizing crucifixion of Jesus, and some would even skip meals to express their grief. According to Catholic.org, Catholic churches bare their altars and mute their bells as a show of sadness.

The following Sunday, Christians celebrate Easter—the day of Jesus’s resurrection—with church services, upbeat music, and family get-togethers. But, Christians soon shift to brighter celebrations. Also, they could send their loved ones Easter greetings, Bible quotes, and Easter quotes.

After learning about Good Friday, research the reasons Easter falls on a different Sunday every year.