After a period of rejoicing over the birth of Christ, His followers observe a time of penance and fasting. This period, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Good Friday, is known as Lent. Fasting and other forms of renunciation or self-sacrifice are recommended as so many ways of following the example of Jesus, Who fasted for forty days in the desert, before He began His preaching. Jesus taught the need of prayer and fasting to overcome the Evil One. The practice of austerities has always been considered important in Christian spirituality.
Good Friday is the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day on which Jesus was crucified. In the catholic community Good Friday has a lot of importance. Good Friday, also called Holy Friday, is a holiday observed primarily by devotees of Christianity to honour the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Mount Calvary.
Many Christian churches celebrate Good Friday with a subdued service, usually in the evening, in which Christ’s death is remembered with solemn hymns, prayers of thanksgiving, a message centered on Christ suffering for our sake, and observance of the Lord's Supper.
According to the accounts in the Bible, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the Guards through the guidance of one of his disciple, Judas. Judas received 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whomever he kisses is the one they are to arrest. Jesus is brought to the house of Annas, the high priest of that year.
Peter, one of his 12 disciples who was waiting in the courtyard, also denies Jesus three times to bystanders while the interrogations were proceeding. Jesus already knew that Peter would deny him three times.
Jesus was taken to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Pilate authorizes the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own Law and execute sentencing Pilate questions Jesus, and tells the assembly that there is no basis for sentencing.
It was a custom for the Romans to release one prisoner as requested by the Jews. Pilate asks the crowd whom they would like to be released. Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asks for Barabbas, who had been imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection. Pilate asks what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demand, "Crucify him"
Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declares Jesus innocent, washing his own hands in water to show he has no part in this condemnation. Jesus carries his cross to the site of execution called "Golgotha" or the place of the Skull, in Hebrew and in Latin "Calvary". There he is crucified along with two criminals.
Jesus agonizes on the cross for six hours. During his last 3 hours on the cross, from noon to 3pm, there is darkness over the whole land. [With a loud cry, Jesus gives up his spirit. There is an earthquake, tombs break open, and the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out, and the centurion informs Pilate that Jesus is dead.
Then why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? However, the results of Christ’s death are very good! “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”
A plank of wood, representing the cross on which Christ was crucified is displayed in churches for the veneration of believers. One by one, they come and kiss it. This is followed by a service from noon to3 o'clock, in which narratives from the four Gospels are read out. Sermons, meditation and prayers form part of the ceremony, in memory of the suffering endured by Jesus Christ for three hours. A day of prayer and penance, the bells of the churches remain silent on Good Friday.
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