Good Friday 2024: Why Is Good Friday Celebrated, History, Celebrations And Traditions
Good Friday, significant for Christians, marks Jesus’ crucifixion at Calvary. In 2024, falls on March 29, two days before Easter. Involves devotional practices like Stations of the Cross and acts of charity.
Good Friday is a day of religious importance for Christians worldwide. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. This day is of great importance in Christian theology, for it marks the start of the Passion of Christ and preceding the celebration of Easter Sunday, which is a symbol of his resurrection.
This year, in 2024, Good Friday falls on March 29, two days before Easter Sunday on March 31.
History and significance of Good Friday
The first mentions of the term Good Friday can be found in the New Testament of the Bible, the holy book of the Christians. The origin is traced back to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
According to Christian belief, Jesus, who is regarded as the Son of God and the Messiah, was crucified by the Romans under the orders of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. This crucifixion took place on a Friday, which later came to be known as Good Friday.
For Christians, Good Friday represents the sacrificial death of Jesus, who willingly offered himself as a way for humanity to get rid of its sins. It is viewed as the ultimate act of love and redemption, that the Lord gave to his people and became a symbol of his mercy and forgiveness towards humans.
How is Good Friday observed
Good Friday is not exactly celebrated but rather observed with reverence. Churches all around the world hold special services, which includes readings from the books and scriptures, recounting the events leading up to the crucifixion, hymns of reflection and repentance, and prayers for forgiveness. Many churches also conduct the Stations of the Cross, a devotional practice that shows Jesus’ journey to Calvary, symbolising his suffering and sacrifice.
In some parts of the world, Good Friday is observed as a public holiday. The holiday allows people to visit their nearby c
