Good Friday is celebrated by the Christian community to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on Calvary. According to the Gregorian calendar, Good Friday falls on the 19th of April this year. Good Friday which is also called Black Friday, Great Friday, Easter Friday or Holy Friday coincides with the beginning of the Jewish festival of Passover. Good Friday falls on the sixth day of Holy weeks which leads to Easter. Several parts of the Christian community observe solemn mourning on this day by fasting and visiting the church to pray and repent the sacrifices made by Jesus Christ.

History

The term Good Friday is not present in the Holy Bible, however, the religious text tells us the story of how Jesus was betrayed by Judas which led to his arrest. He was beaten by the Roman soldiers after being nailed to a cross which he was asked to carry to his site of the crucifixion. The term ‘Good’ is a contradiction to the events of this day, however, people believe that the term is associated with the words ‘pious or holy’. Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday, the day on which Jesus was resurrected from death.

5 quotes by famous authors that capture the essence of Good Friday:

“Practice mercy and forgiveness throughout as a lesson that symbolizes the love shown through his crucifixion.”

- Unarine Ramaru

“Good Friday is a day of sorrow mingled with joy. It is a time to grieve over the sin of man and to meditate and rejoice upon God’s love in giving His only Son for the redemption of sin.”

-David Katiski

“Good Friday and Easter free us to think about other things far beyond our own personal fate, about the ultimate meaning of all life, suffering, and events; and we lay hold of a great hope.”

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf in springtime.”

-Martin Luther

“Christ has not only spoken to us by his life but has also spoken for us by his death.”

-Soren Kierkegaard

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First Published: Apr 18, 2019 18:27 IST