Good Friday 2020

Good Friday is especially important for Christian society worldwide. The Lord of the Christian society, Jesus Christ, died on this day. This day is observed to remember Jesus Christ. However, Good Friday is observed globally as a national holiday. This Friday in April that precedes the Easter Monday, is a special day in the particular holy week. Western countries mourn during the entire week by chanting God’s name. However, here you get information about everything on Good Friday 2020.

Good Friday is the day when the Romans crucified him. That’s why this day is also known as Black Friday. But the question comes why this day is popular as Good Friday or Holy Friday? So, According to the Bible, Jesus was an apostle sent by God. He came on earth to redeem mankind from their sufferings, every sin, and sorrow. Secondly, he appeared to preach God’s name. But then the guards of the society were angry at his activities and crucified him. On this day Jesus returned to the supreme of creation. In another word, Jesus Christ returned to his source on that day.

The entire scene of crucifixion, followed by Lord Jesus’ death happened on a Friday. No wonder, this was a painful event for all the followers. But then, exactly 2 days later happened the miracle- the resurrection of Jesus.

People believed that the holy event of resurrection was impossible without the death of their Lord. Hence, the Friday of the crucifixion is marked as the Holy Friday or the Good Friday. Thus this became the day of celebration. This day is celebrated amongst Christians as the day that marked the beginning of the end of evil and the victory of Jesus over sin and death.

History of Good Friday

With the birth of Jesus Christ, the history of Good Friday began. He is believed to be born around 6-4 BC in Jerusalem, the then Roman Empire, and now Israel. After that, the Year concept starts with the birth of Jesus Christ. That is why he is called the God of the year.

His love and kindness towards made him the victim of hatred by the Romans. No wonder, his influential attitude and people worshiping him as their God became the main reason for his death. Later, a betrayal of his close disciple, Judas, led him to be brutally killed and crucified.

Ruthless death of Jesus

The sad incident of Crucifixion happened at Calvary on a Friday. His pain and agony lasted for 6 hours as per the testaments. During the last 3 hours of this pain, in the afternoon, gospels claim that the world went under complete darkness. This was as if God wept for His Son in silence before Jesus took his final breath.

Finally, when the Romans handed over His body to His followers, they covered him in a clean Shroud made of cotton and placed the body inside a stone Tomb. The moment was not yet a happy or holy moment for people.

The miracle happened on the next Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene and other followers went to visit the tomb. Upon moving the rock they were shocked to find the tomb completely empty.

An Angel appeared here with the news of Jesus being resurrected from his death. It is believed that the followers met the resurrected Jesus on the mounts of Galilee. Thus, this Sunday was marked as the Holy Day of Easter.

His followers celebrate Good Friday to commemorate the day of the crucifixion as they believed it to be the day when Jesus won over all sin and death with resurrection.

When is the Good Friday 2020 celebrated?

The date of the Good Friday varies from one year to another. Actually, this day is not observed according to traditional English Calendar. Usually, there is celebrated as per a separate calendar of Christian or Pascal religion named Julian calendar. However, There are different celebration days in eastern Christianity and western Christianity. Generally, the western Christian faith celebrates this festival first and then the Eastern Country Celebrate.

To be very simple with deciding on the Date of Good Friday, the world follows the Julian calendar. This Calendar shows the date of the very first Sunday after the famous Pascal Full Moon. This Sunday is always marked as Holy Easter Day and the Friday before is declared Good Friday. This date in Julian calendar is then matched with the Georgian Calendars to determine the exact date.

Here is a list of upcoming Date of Good Friday.

How does the world celebrate Good Friday 2020?

For people, who are non-Christians, the celebration of Good Friday is merely a regular holiday. But the rules to celebrate this day are different amongst Catholics and Protestants.

For the Christians from Byzantine or the Orthodox Christians mark this day of sorrow by abstaining from the purple-red clergy color for dressing. They take up black to initiate their Holy day. The Day is celebrated by public chanting of hymns and reading the Gospels and Psalms from Bibel.

Their activity that can be noted as-

• Wearing the Black and chanting the hymns and Gospels
• Observing the Black Fast
• Reading the Matins of the Twelve Passion Gospels from Thursday night
• Celebrating Royal Hours during the forenoon of Friday
• Celebrating the Vespers of taking down of the Cross as 3pm to mark the death time of Jesus
• End the Friday night with Lamentation of the Tomb

Coming to the Roman Catholic way of celebration, they observe certain separate set of events for the day.

• Paschal Fast or the Holy day of Fasting observed on Friday and Saturday
• Roman Catholic Rite prevents them from any kind of celebration in the span of Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil. They take forward Services of the Day, which are nothing but sick anointing, Penance, and Baptism.
• The Three Hours of Agony of Jesus marked by three devotional hours from noon to 3 pm.
• The Good Friday Liturgy consisting of a sequence of events – Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross and the Holy Communion.
• Prayer for Stations of the Cross Way of the Cross.
• Prayers to specify the Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ
• Finally, the prayer of Novena to Devine Mercy lasts till the Feat of Mercy on Saturday.