Today is Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is the saddest day for all Christian believers. Through this act, the Lord accepted the sacrifice of crucifixion on the cross, thereby taking upon himself all the sins of humanity.

As Christ foretold at the Last Supper, before Friday morning the Apostle Peter denied his Lord three times, fearing that he too would be arrested and punished.

Realizing what he had done, he immediately repented, weeping bitterly. The traitor Judas, upon learning that Jesus had been sentenced to death, was tormented by remorse and hanged himself. On this day, the Church remembers the events that immediately preceded the Crucifixion.

Beginning with Jesus Christ’s appearance before the court of Pontius Pilate and the failed attempt to accuse him, continuing with the Jewish people’s loud cries of “Crucify him!”, then the carrying of the cross through the city on the way to Golgotha, the Crucifixion, and his forgiveness of the executioners in the words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

On Good Friday, no liturgy is held, except when it coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation. A strict fast is observed, and only dry bread is eaten and water is drunk. It is customary to dye Easter eggs, most often red, symbolizing Christ’s blood.

People also refrain from singing and celebrating, and from Maundy Thursday until Easter, the Sunday when Jesus rose from the dead, church bells do not ring, because in the Orthodox Church they are a sign of joy; instead, the time of services and announcements of the dead is marked by a wooden clapper.

Evening services on Good Friday commemorate the time of the Lord's death and the removal of His body from the cross, when the shroud is placed on a specially decorated table in front of the altar, representing Christ's tomb.

The priests bring out the red burial shroud and, accompanied by the sound of wooden clappers, walk around the church three times, symbolically representing Christ's burial.