Good Friday traditions: how Christians around the world celebrate this festival

Christians around the world celebrate Good Friday as the day Jesus Christ died on the cross to save humanity from sin, including India, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Finland, Malta, and Mexico. , New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, etc. For Christians, this day is the saddest, gloomiest, and most sacred day of the year, and is also known as Good Friday, Great Friday, Black Friday, or Easter Friday. This is because the etymology of the term “good” for Good Friday is debated in various quarters. Some say “good” means holy, others say it is a variation of “God’s Friday,” but many say it means that Christ suffered and died for his people. Therefore, we believe this is the appropriate term.

For Christians, Good Friday is a day to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for humanity and reflect on the meaning of his death, but Good Friday traditions vary around the world and reflect the cultural and religious diversity of Christianity. doing. Here’s how Christians around the world celebrate this festival.

• catholic You should not eat meat on Good Friday, but you can eat fish instead. It is also customary to eat warm hot cross buns. People usually fast on this day unless they have a medical problem or are under a certain age.
• ProtestantOn Good Friday, on the other hand, there are no dietary restrictions, although many follow the same “no meat” rules as Catholics.
• Germany: In Germany, people participate in “Karl Freitag”, a solemn church service. People fast on this day, and some communities hold silent processions.
• India: In some areas, special three-hour services are held at noon, the time when Jesus is said to have been crucified. The lights dim and eventually disappear as black-clad believers cover all the religious pictures, crosses, and icons in their churches and homes, lamenting the absence of God and the sadness that comes with it. A loud noise is made to represent the earthquake that occurred at the moment of Jesus’ death. A Gospel passage about the last seven words of Jesus is read. Catholics relive 14 stations, or locations in and around the church, that commemorate Jesus’ final journey. Holy Communion is held in several locations. The bitter drink is mainly made from leaves and vinegar and is tasted by everyone after worship.
• Italy: In Italy, people take part in processions on the “Via Crucis” that reenact the events leading up to the crucifixion. In some regions of Italy, people perform “Miserere”, a solemn song sung in church.
• Mexico: In Mexico, people commemorate Good Friday by instituting the Stations of the Cross, or the Stations of the Cross. The streets are filled with processions and people carry images of Jesus on the cross. In some parts of Mexico, people participate in crucifixion reenactments.
• Philippines: In the Philippines, the Good Friday procession is an important event. People take part in a procession called “Senaculo” that reenacts the Passion of Christ. The procession includes floats, statues, and people dressed as Roman soldiers and Biblical characters.
• Spain: In Spain, people participate in Semana Santa, a week-long celebration leading up to Easter. On Good Friday, people take part in a procession called “La Madrugada.” The line starts at midnight and continues until early morning. The procession also includes people carrying statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. (Representative image (Unsplash))

In some traditions, church bells ring slowly and solemnly on Good Friday, remaining silent until Easter Sunday. Elsewhere, parades are held with hymns sung and prayers offered, and some communities are organizing outdoor plays depicting the last hours of Jesus Christ.