In Christianity, the last Friday of Lent is usually called Holy Friday. This is the last Friday before Bright Resurrection Christ's. Easter 2018 fell on April 8th. Accordingly, Good Friday is celebrated on April 6th.
In Catholic tradition, Good Friday has already passed as Catholics celebrate Easter a week earlier. Catholic Good Friday fell on March 30, and Easter on April 1.
Good Friday in the Gospel
The Gospel says that it was on Friday, after Christ was betrayed by Judas, that Christ stood trial. It fell to the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, to fulfill his judicial duty.
Christ was accused of organizing a riot and incitement. Although the procurator did not agree with the decision to condemn the prophet to death, he still did it.
Christ, along with three criminals Dismas, Gestas and Barabbas, was condemned to death on the cross. The Bible also says that in honor of the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover, one of the convicts was to be pardoned. Pilate was forced to succumb to social pressure and was unable to free Christ by releasing Barabbas.
Passion of Christ on Good Friday (photo: gorod.lv)
Because of the Passion of Christ, which the prophet experienced on that Friday, the name Good Friday came about.
It is worth noting that part of the way the cross for Christ was carried by a certain Simon of Cyrene. The Gospel of Matthew says: “As they went out, they met a certain Cyrene man named Simon; this one was forced to bear His cross” (Matthew 27:32);
Christ rose again on the third day after the crucifixion. On this day Christians celebrate Easter.
Do's and Don'ts on Good Friday
The last Friday of Lent is actually its culmination. All actions on this day should be aimed at spiritual improvement, repentance and the needs of the soul.
Orthodoxy has a negative attitude towards all manifestations of noisy fun, celebrations, and feasts. Therefore, on Good Friday it is better to refrain from carnal pleasures: songs, dancing, shopping, “get-togethers” with friends, going to bars, cinemas, etc.
How to spend Good Friday (photo: stil.kurir.rs)
By church canons On Good Friday you should completely abstain from food. But it is worth noting that this is a ban for clergy, monks and zealous parishioners. On Good Friday, if possible, you should limit yourself to modest food without oil.
Believers are advised to devote Friday to prayer, repentance and helping others. It is also worth attending the morning and evening services at the church.
Signs for Good Friday
Despite the fact that the church gives specific advice and guidance on how to spend Lent and Good Friday, this day is also overgrown with superstitions and signs.
So, on Good Friday it is advised not to use sharp objects, even a knife. Do not work with tools, such as shovels, pitchforks, saws, rakes, scissors, etc. It is also advised to refrain from hairdressing and cosmetic procedures.
There is no point in having fun on Good Friday because the entire next year promises tears.
The Church calls to leave all worldly everyday affairs and devote the day to God and your soul. But the people still believe that bread prepared on this day will become a talisman and will receive healing properties.
Remembrance of the holy saving passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
Father! forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
OK. 23, 34
On Great Friday, the holy, saving and terrible suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He willingly endured for our sakes, took place and is remembered by the Church.
Celebrating on Good Friday “the following of the holy and saving passions of our Lord Jesus Christ,” the Orthodox Church on this great day marked all times of the sacred events of the salvation of the world with a divine service: the time of the capture of the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane and the condemnation of Him by the bishops and elders to suffering and death (Matt. 27, 1) - the service of Matins; the time of leading the Savior to Pilate for trial - the Divine Service of the first hour (Matthew 27:2); the time of the condemnation of the Lord at the trial of Pilate - by the completion of the third hour; the time of Christ's suffering on the cross - the sixth hour; time of death - ninth hour; and the removal of the body of Christ from the cross at vespers.
There is no Liturgy on Good Friday, because on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself, and the Royal Hours are celebrated. Vespers is celebrated at the third hour of the day, at the hour of the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, in remembrance of the taking down of the body of Christ from the cross and His burial. At Vespers, the clergy lift the Shroud (that is, the image of Christ lying in the tomb) from the Throne, as if from Golgotha, and carry it out of the altar into the middle of the temple. The Shroud is placed on the tomb, on a specially prepared table. Then the clergy and all worshipers bow before the Shroud and kiss the wounds of the Lord depicted on it - the perforation of His ribs, arms and legs. The shroud is in the middle of the temple for three (incomplete) days, reminiscent of the three-day stay of Jesus Christ in the tomb.
At the morning service on Good Friday, the Church solemnly proclaims the gospel of the suffering and death of the God-man, divided into 12 Gospel readings, called the Passionate Gospels. The reading of the 12 Gospels on Good Friday originated from the Apostolic tradition. St. John Chrysostom mentions the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels on Good Friday. He says: “The Jews attack Jesus Christ with fury, and on their own they torture Him, bind Him, lead Him away, become the perpetrators of insults inflicted by soldiers, nail Him to the cross, reproach Him, mock Him. Pilate did not add anything here on his part: they do everything themselves. And this is read to us when we are all in assembly, so that the pagans do not say to us: you show the people only the brilliant and glorious, for example, signs and wonders, but hide the shameful. The grace of the Holy Spirit has arranged it in such a way that all this is read among us on a national holiday - precisely on Maundy Thursday of Easter (that is, on Friday of Holy Week), when men and women stand in great numbers, when the whole universe flocks together, then this is preached in a loud voice; and with such and such public reading and preaching, we believe that Christ is God.” “Now all of us,” said Saint John of Damascus on Great Friday, “have gathered to hear about the cross, we are filling the Church, crowding each other, sweating and exhausting ourselves.”
The readings of the passionate Gospels are preceded and accompanied by the singing: “Glory to Your long-suffering, O Lord.” Indeed, His long-suffering was extreme, His sufferings were terrible. According to the Church and St. John Chrysostom, during the terrible and saving suffering of the Lord, each member of His holy flesh “suffered dishonor for our sake: the head from the crown of thorns and the reed; face from blows and spitting; cheeks from strangulation; mouth from the offering of vinegar mixed with bile; ears from the blasphemies of the wicked; shoulders from beating; the right hand is from the reed that they gave Him to hold instead of a scepter; hands and feet from nails; ribs from copy; the whole body from nudity, scourging, robe, feigned worship and crucifixion.”
Each reading of the Gospel is heralded with good news, and at each reading those present light lamps: this significantly indicates the triumph and glory that accompanied the Son of God even during His extreme humiliation amid reproach and suffering and testifying to His highest holiness and Divinity. The Lord, going to voluntary suffering and death, Himself predicted: now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God was glorified in Him, then God will glorify Him in Himself, and will soon glorify Him (John 13:31-32), that is, “along with the cross,” says John Chrysostom. The Lord’s suffering for our sins was as painful as it was glorious for the Lord. Enemies go to take Him to suffering and death - and they fall before His Divine omnipotence and are healed of their wounds. They are angry against the Savior, but His innocence and highest holiness triumphs over their blinded malice. Those who, either out of fear or greed, have renounced the Lord, confess their sin against Him either with tears of repentance, or with the death of despair. The Apostle Peter washes his renunciation of Christ with bitter tears of sincere repentance. Judas the traitor, seeing that the Lord was condemned to death, gives in to despair and returns 30 pieces of silver to the high priests, saying: he sinned by betraying innocent blood. The high priests, instead of consoling the person who served them, only increase his despair and show their weakness and indecisiveness before the truth, saying to Judas: “What is that to us? take a look yourself". “Are these not the words of those who themselves testify to their villainy and madness, covering themselves with a meaningless mask of feigned ignorance”? Desperate Judas threw the pieces of silver into the church and hanged himself. But the pieces of silver, as the price of blood, on the advice of the high priests, were not put into the church treasury. “Do you understand,” says St. John Chrysostom, “how they are condemned by their conscience? They themselves see that they bought the murder, and that’s why they didn’t put it in the corvan.”
God-man on the cross; one of the thieves crucified with Him, denouncing the other for blasphemous words, confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, and His innocence and Divinity. Finally, for the glory of the Crucified One, terrible signs follow one after another, announcing the atoning suffering and death of the Most Holy Saints and admonishing the crucifiers (1 Cor. 2:8). In the Temple of Jerusalem, the curtain is torn in two, showing that with the death of the universal Sacrifice on the cross, the end of the ancient tabernacle came and the way to the sanctuary itself was opened for everyone (Heb. 9:8).
Archpriest G.S. Debolsky,
"Days of Worship Orthodox Church", vol. 2
Hymns from the service on Friday of Holy Week of Great Lent
Today he hangs on a tree, He who hung the earth on the waters: He is crowned with thorns, He who is the King of Angels: he dresses in a false scarlet, he clothes the sky with clouds: he who freed Adam in the Jordan was strangled: the Bridegroom of the Church was nailed with nails: the Son of the Virgin was pierced with a spear. We worship Your Passion, Christ: we worship Your Passion, Christ: we worship Your Passion, Christ, show us Your glorious Resurrection.
“Now He hangs on a tree, He who hung (established) the earth on the waters; The King of Angels is covered with a crown of thorns; The one who dresses the sky with clouds dresses in clownish purple; He who liberated (from sin) Adam in the Jordan accepts strangulation (slapped); the Bridegroom of the Church is nailed; The Son of the Virgin is pierced by a spear. We worship Your sufferings, Christ, we worship Your sufferings, Christ, we worship Your sufferings, Christ, show us Your all-glorious Resurrection.”
Troparion
Gospel of Luke
They also led two villains with Him to death. And when they came to a place called Lobnoye, there they crucified Him and the villains, one on the right, the other on the right. left side. Jesus said: Father! forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided His garments by casting lots. And the people stood and watched. The leaders also mocked them, saying: He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ, God's chosen one. Likewise, the soldiers mocked Him, coming up and offering Him vinegar and saying: If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself. And there was an inscription over Him, written in Greek, Roman and Hebrew words: This is the King of the Jews. One of the hanged villains slandered Him and said: if You are the Christ, save Yourself and us. The other, on the contrary, calmed him down and said: Or are you not afraid of God, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing? and we are condemned justly, because we accepted what was worthy of our deeds, but He did nothing bad. And he said to Jesus: remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom! And Jesus said to Him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Now it was about the sixth hour of the day, and there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour: and the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in the middle. Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said: Father! I commit My spirit into Your hands. And having said this, he gave up the ghost. The centurion, seeing what was happening, glorified God and said: Truly this man was a righteous man. And all the people who had gathered to see this spectacle, seeing what was happening, returned, beating their chests. Yet those who knew Him, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood in the distance and looked at this.
OK. 23, 32-49
And all the people who had gathered to see this spectacle, seeing what was happening, returned, beating their chests.
OK. 23, 48
Not only people looked at this spectacle: all the Angels of God looked at it with horror and deepest reverence; celestial objects no longer attracted their attention; their gazes were directed, riveted to the spectacle that opened on the ground. The sun saw something it had never seen, and, unable to bear what it saw, hid its rays, like a man closes his eyes at a sight unbearable to him: it was clothed in deep darkness, expressing with darkness a sadness as deep as death is bitter. The earth shook and shook under the event that took place on it. The Old Testament Church tore its magnificent veil to pieces; This is how the most precious clothes are tormented and not spared in the face of an inevitable, decisive disaster. And all the people who had gathered to see this spectacle, seeing what was happening, returned, beating their chests... What kind of spectacle was this?
There was a spectacle that we now contemplate in memory, in the church service performed, in the sacred Image before our eyes. The spectacle was the Son of God, descending from heaven, becoming human to save men, cursed, killed by men.
What feeling, if not a feeling of horror, should completely embrace the heart at this sight? What state, if not a state of complete bewilderment, should be the state of mind? What word can be uttered at this sight? Will not every human word die in the mouth before it comes out of the mouth? And all the people who had gathered to see this spectacle, seeing what was happening, returned, beating their chests.
Those who came to look at the Savior, who hung on the tree of the cross, like ripe and scarlet fruit, returned in bewilderment and horror, who came to look with a testing mind, out of pompous and false conceit. Faith was silent in them. The darkened sun cried out to them, the trembling earth called out to them, the stones called out to them, parting with a crash and rising above the graves of the dead, suddenly revived by the death of the Savior. Those who were vainly curious returned in horror: in horror not from the perfect murder of God, but in horror from the menacing gaze and voice of the shuddering, insensitive nature, which expressed its knowledge of God before humanity that did not recognize Him. They returned, beating their chests in fear for themselves, for their flesh and blood, for the sake of which the blood was shed and the body of the God-Man was torn to pieces.
While the Jews, who rested in the Law, boasted of the vast and exact knowledge Law, they were perplexed, looking at the event predicted by the Law and the Prophets, looking at the spontaneous Sacrifice of which they were unconscious priests; while the Jews were perplexed and returned, agitated by fear and a gloomy premonition of their own disaster, a pagan centurion stood before the cross and the Sacrifice, standing without retreat. It was impossible for him to leave, because he commanded the guard guarding the Sacrifice: this happy impossibility was given to him, because hidden in his heart was faith, obvious to the Knower of the Heart. When nature proclaimed her confession of God, the centurion gave an answer to the mysterious voice of nature, gave an answer to the mysterious confession with a confession open and public. Truly He was the Son of God, he said about the executed stranger hanging before his eyes, recognizing God in the executed stranger. The Jews, proud of their knowledge of the letter of the Law and their ritual outward righteousness, were perplexed before the Son of Man and the Son of God crucified on the tree. On the one hand, they were struck by signs - an earthquake, the tearing of the church veil, deep darkness that came at noon; on the other hand, they were blinded and hardened by the carnal mind and proud self-delusion, representing the Messiah in the blaze of earthly glory, a magnificent king, conqueror of the universe, at the head of a large army, among a host of luxurious courtiers. At this time, a warrior, a pagan, confessed the executed wanderer as God; at this time, a criminal confessed Him as God. Come down from the cross! - the blind Jewish bishops and scribes mockingly said to the God-man, not understanding what an all-holy Sacrifice, what an all-holy and all-powerful Burnt Offering they offered to God, “let him come down from the cross, so that we can see and believe: at that time the rude, ignorant robber recognized Him as God, ascended to the cross because of His Divine righteousness, and not because of His sin. With his bodily eyes he saw a naked man, crucified near him, subject to the same fate as himself, a helpless beggar, condemned by both spiritual and civil authorities, tormented, executed, and still tormented and executed by all expressions of hatred: with the eyes of a humble heart he saw God. The strong, glorious, intelligent, righteous of the world showered God with curses and ridicule; the thief turned to Him with a well-intentioned and successful prayer: remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom (Luke 23:42).
The Ever-Virgin Mother of God stood at the cross and the Lord crucified on it. Her heart was pierced with sadness like a sword: the prediction of the holy elder Simeon was fulfilled. But She knew that Her Son, the Son of God, deigned to ascend to the cross and offer Himself as a sacrifice of peace for rejected humanity; She knew that the Lord, having completed the redemption of men by death, would rise again and co-resurrect humanity with Himself; She knew this - and was silent. She was silent before the greatness of the event: she was silent from the abundance of sorrow: she was silent before the will of God that was taking place, against the definitions of which there is no voice.
The beloved disciple of the Lord stood at the cross. He looked at the height of the cross - in the incomprehensible love of a voluntary Sacrifice he contemplated Divine Love. Divine Love is the source of Theology. She is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and Theology is the gift of the Holy Spirit. She revealed to the Apostles the mysterious meaning of atonement. For the love of Christ embraces us, the disciple and messenger of Christ preaches the gospel, reasoning like this: if one died for all, then all died (2 Cor. 5:14). Because of the infinite love that the Lord has for humanity and which the Lord alone is capable of having, all humanity suffered on the cross in the person of the Lord and died in the person of the Lord. If humanity suffered in Him, then it was justified in Him; if it died in Him, it was also made alive in Him. The death of the Lord became the source of life.
Suddenly the voice of the crucified Lord came from the cross to the Ever-Virgin: Wife! Behold, Your Son; then a voice to the beloved disciple: Behold, your Mother. Destroying on the tree of the cross the sin of the forefathers, committed by them at the tree of paradise, giving birth to humanity in new life By life-giving death, the Lord enters into the rights of the Founder of man, and declares His Mother, according to humanity, the matter of the disciple and all his disciples, the Christian tribe. Old Adam is replaced by New Adam, fallen Eve - immaculate Mary. Through the crime of one, the Apostle said, many were subjected to death, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one Man, Jesus Christ, abound for many (Rom. 5:15). Through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, countless and ineffable blessings have been poured out on the human race: not only has the redemption of men been accomplished, but their adoption as sons to God has been accomplished.
Enlightened by the contemplation of the great event, let us return, beloved brothers, to our homes, and take with us deep, saving thoughts, striking these thoughts into our hearts. We remembered, we vividly contemplated the act of Divine Love, an act that exceeded words, exceeded comprehension. The martyrs responded to this love with streams of their blood, which they shed like water; The monks responded to this Love by mortifying the flesh with passions and lusts; Many sinners responded to this Love with streams of tears, heartfelt sighs, confession of their sins, and drew healing for their souls from it; Many oppressed by sorrows and illnesses responded to this Love, and this love dissolved their sorrows with Divine consolation. Let us also respond to our Lord’s love for us with the sympathy of His love: by living according to His all-holy commandments. This is the sign of love He requires from us, and only this sign of love will He accept from us. He who loves Me will keep My word; He who does not love Me does not keep My words (John 14, 23, 24). If we do not respond to the Lord’s love for us with love for Him, then the blood of the God-man was not shed for us in vain? Was it not in vain that His all-holy Body was tormented for us? Was it not in vain that the Great Sacrifice was placed on the altar of the cross and sacrificed? Her intercession for us for salvation is omnipotent; Her complaint against those who neglect Her is omnipotent. The voice of the blood of righteous Abel ascended from earth to heaven, and appeared to God with an accusation against the one who shed this blood: the voice of the great Sacrifice is heard in the midst of heaven itself, on the very throne of the Divine, on which the great Sacrifice sits. The voice of Her complaint is at the same time God’s decree, pronouncing eternal punishment on the enemies and despisers of the Son of God. What is the use of My blood: should I never descend into decay? The all-holy Sacrifice speaks, accusing the Christians who were redeemed by Her, who took Her price into themselves, and cast Her along with them into the stench of sin. This terrible crime is committed by everyone who takes the hooks of Christ, their soul and body, redeemed by Christ and belonging to Christ, and creates their hooks of a harlot by various copulations with sin. Do you not know, says the Apostle, that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will punish him. Amen.
The saddest and saddest day for every Christian is Good or Good Friday. It was on this day that Jesus Christ was crucified - he sacrificed himself for the sins of all mankind, in order to be resurrected three days later and subsequently ascend to his heavenly Father.
Friday is the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Therefore, Good Friday is dedicated to the remembrance of the trial of Jesus Christ, his crucifixion and death on the cross on Calvary, the removal of His body from the cross and burial. The Good Friday service includes three readings of the Gospel account of these events. This is the day of the strictest fast.
At Matins, the Twelve Gospels are read sequentially - twelve Gospel passages, which in chronological order tell about the events of Friday. At the Great Hours, the narratives of each of the four evangelists are read separately. And at Great Vespers, one long composite gospel tells about the events of this day.
Good Friday- an exceptional day, and its exclusivity is emphasized by the fact that the liturgy is not celebrated on this day. However, if Good Friday coincides with the Annunciation, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served. At Vespers, a special canon is sung about the crucifixion of the Lord and the shroud is brought out.
The Shroud is a plate on which is depicted full height Lord Jesus Christ lying in the tomb. After removal, the Shroud is installed on a special elevation in the center of the temple. It is customary to anoint it with incense and decorate it with flowers in memory of how the myrrh-bearing women anointed the Body of the buried Christ with incense.
Good Friday- a special day on which, according to the rules, one must abstain from eating until the Shroud is taken out, and after that one can only eat bread and drink only water. All preparations for the Easter holiday must be completed on Maundy Thursday, so that on Good Friday nothing distracts from prayers and services. On this day you cannot do any household chores, especially sewing, washing or cutting anything. Violation of this prohibition is considered a great sin. Those who follow the strictest rules of Lent do not even wash on this day.
What not to do on Good Friday.
Not allowed on Good Friday sing, walk and have fun - it is believed that a person who had fun on Good Friday will cry all year. However, despite the fact that the service on this day is permeated with sorrow, it is already preparing believers for the upcoming holiday of the Resurrection of Christ.
IN popular consciousness Good Friday is associated with a number of signs and superstitions. It is believed, for example, that bread baked on this day will never become moldy and will heal from all diseases. Sailors considered bread baked on Good Friday to be a talisman against shipwrecks. And a hot cross bun baked on this day will protect the house from fires until next Good Friday.
In Rus', on this day, wealthier neighbors treated their loved ones and acquaintances, who could not afford it, with festive baked goods, milk, eggs, and cottage cheese.
It is highly undesirable to work on Good Friday. So, according to the superstition, you cannot stick iron objects into the ground, for example, shovels and rakes: this will lead to trouble. Therefore, plants planted on this day will die. Only parsley sown on Good Friday will yield a double harvest. Clothes washed by the housewife and hung out to dry on Friday will never become clean: bloody stains will appear on the linen.
After Friday service, it is customary to bring into the house twelve burning candles with which they stood in the church. Candles should be placed in the house and allowed to burn out until the end. It is believed that this will bring happiness and prosperity to the home for the next twelve months.
Of course, many signs came from paganism, and not from Christianity, and some of them even contradict Christian traditions. But to believe in omens or not is a personal choice for each person. Good Friday is another reason to pause in our busy lives and think: is this how we live?
Signs of Good Friday:
A loaf of bread baked on Good Friday cures all illnesses and never goes moldy.
On Good Friday, under no circumstances should you pierce the ground with iron; whoever does this will suffer disaster.
If washed clothes are hung out to dry on Good Friday, blood stains will appear on them.
If bees are transported on any day other than Good Friday, they will certainly die.
If you are thirsty on Good Friday, no drink will harm you for a whole year.
Rings blessed on Good Friday protect the wearer from all illnesses.
Easter bread saved from one Good Friday to the next prevents whooping cough.
Only parsley sown on Good Friday gives a double harvest.
Weaning babies on Good Friday is a sign that the baby will be strong, healthy and will live happily
If it is cloudy on Good Friday, then the bread will be covered with weeds.
If the sky is starry on Good Friday, then the wheat will be grainy.
The week preceding Easter is called Passion and it is considered the strictest in the entire Lent. Each day has its own meaning, and Good Friday is no exception, which can be learned not only from the Holy Scriptures.
This day has special meaning, as the Orthodox remember last moments Christ’s life on earth, pray for their salvation and try to understand the sacrifice that he made for the good of human life.
On the night from Thursday to Friday, Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ for an insignificant amount and he was taken into custody. And on Friday the Pharisees sentenced him and he was crucified. This method of execution was not chosen in vain. It was believed that it was not only the most difficult and humiliating, but also entailed a curse on the one who would be killed in this way.
Also read interesting materials on the topic:
Together with Christ, two thieves were crucified on Golgotha, one of whom, looking at the meekness of Christ, recognized God in him and repented. In response to this, Christ informed him that he would be with him in paradise. With this, the son of God confirmed that everyone has a chance to go to heaven, regardless of their lifestyle. It is only important to sincerely repent and this is the meaning of understanding Good Friday and what it is described in detail in the Gospels.
Interesting! This type of execution is designed for long time and increased torment for the condemned, but since the Passover holiday, significant for all Jews, came after Good Friday, the priests persuaded Pilate to allow the legs of the condemned to be broken so that death would occur faster. However, Christ died on the cross without waiting to be killed. During the latter, those sentenced to death were usually stabbed to death with a spear, which was what was done with the robbers.
Miracles on Good Friday
The events of this day were too long ago for their authenticity to be guaranteed, but Scripture indicates that while Christ was on the cross on Good Friday, darkness descended on the earth. And the light appeared only after his death.
At the same time, in the Jerusalem Temple, the curtain that separated the place of services from the place where once a year the high priest made sacrifices to God was torn in half by itself. It is believed that in this way Christ destroyed the veil between people and God.
The Savior was taken down from the cross and placed in a cave, in which the miracle of resurrection took place; he was close to his disciples. But these events occurred after the end of Good Friday. One of the miracles of this day includes the Shroud, preserved from those times, in which the myrrh-bearing women wrapped the body of Christ. The outline of his body is preserved on a fragment of fabric. The Shroud is kept in Jerusalem and is put on public display every year on Good Friday.
Visiting services
They are considered mandatory for any believer. It is on Friday that the Shroud is brought out, which must be touched in order to feel the full weight of Christ’s sacrifice.
In total, three services are attended per day, i.e. a person spends almost the entire day in church. The importance of visits is due to the fact that different parts of the Gospels are read at services, therefore the whole essence of Good Friday and the last hours of the Savior’s life are revealed throughout the whole day.
Good Friday Traditions
- On Good Friday, Orthodox Christians prayed for the salvation of their souls by attending a special service. 12 candles were brought from the temple, which were supposed to burn out in the house. It was believed that in this way the room was cleansed and grace descended on its residents.
- These candles were used to check how clean the house was spiritually. If the candles were heavily smoked and the smoke was black, it meant that the house was damaged.
- Because of the work ban, there was a superstition that you should never do laundry. Blood stains were expected to appear on such underwear
- They tried to stockpile Friday ash from the stoves; it was believed that it treated almost all diseases and also protected against the evil eye.
On Good Friday: what not to do
The main ban of the day is on any type of activity. It was believed that all preparations for Easter should have been completed on Maundy Thursday. On this day they cleaned the house, dealt with everything homework, and also baked Easter cakes and colored eggs. It was assumed that on Friday nothing should distract from prayers and mourning for the crucified Savior. After Easter comes.
The ban applied to all types of work, no matter whether they were required in the house or in the garden. The only exception was feeding livestock, although for some reason it was also impossible to transplant bees into hives. They believed that if planting was done on this day, nothing would grow from such a harvest.
Strict fasting on Good Friday For the same reason, it was not allowed to spit on the ground. This could lead to the loss of the entire crop. The relationship between lack of education, Good Friday and religion in general is difficult to discern, but people believed in all this not so long ago and tried to observe the rituals they themselves invented.
Any entertainment or carnal pleasures. Even laughter was prohibited. It was believed that if you laugh on this tragic day, you will experience bad luck for the entire next year.
Important! Deep believers try not to wash or shower on this day, and also not to eat anything, so that nothing distracts from spiritual food. Although in rhythm modern life it is somewhat difficult to imagine such an organization of the process, since the decision everyday issues There’s no escape, just like there’s no escape from going to work.
Signs for Good Friday
When figuring out what it is about Good Friday, it is not easy to describe it in one word, we should mention the signs. In Orthodoxy, religion and pagan relics are closely intertwined, thanks to which characteristic predictions of the future were sought in many things. In order to find out what to prepare for the coming year, you had to get up in the morning and go to the window without talking to anyone.
Depending on what was visible outside the window, we expected:
- new acquaintances if a bird was sitting on a branch;
- unpleasant news when looking at a running dog;
- material well-being if a cat passed by the house;
- health when a young man walked down the street;
- illness or death when looking at a disabled or crippled person.
Most interesting idea there was an idea that if you don’t eat anything on Good Friday for three years, that this kind of video dramatization can be found in many programs and even feature films, then a revelation will come to the person. And after that, he supposedly must see the moment of his death.
And this is another example of how closely religion and prejudice can be intertwined. Although most of these signs and traditions still remain in the past, they are still mentioned today, however, conflicting information about them can be found.
For example, most sources say that all preparations for Easter are completed on Thursday, also called Clean Thursday, but at the same time, you can sometimes see that the only exception to the rules prohibiting work concerns the preparation of Easter cakes. But if you consider that this task is long and troublesome, it is assumed that it will tear the hostess away from attending services, and this is not correct. Therefore, most of the prohibitions have a completely logical explanation.
Therefore, for a believer, Good Friday is still not a tradition or a sign, nor is it a prohibition. The content of the latter is already obvious, since Holy Week ends. First of all, Friday is repentance, prayers and anticipation of the triumph of faith, which occurs at the moment when the day descends in the main temple of Jerusalem. holy fire and it becomes obvious that humanity in Once again all sins are forgiven and life goes on.
Discussion (1)
Good Friday... Paintings and musical masterpieces. With creations from the word it is more difficult - it is impossible to even try to come close to the truth and severity with which the Gospel describes the last hours and minutes of the crucified Christ.
“They led two evildoers with Him to death. And when they came to a place called Skull, there they crucified Him and the evildoers, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided His clothes, casting lots. And the people stood and watched. And the rulers mocked him, saying: Let Him save Himself, if He is the chosen one of God. Also the soldiers mocked Him, coming up and offering them to Him. vinegar and saying: if You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself. And there was an inscription written over Him in Greek, Roman and Hebrew words: This is the King of the Jews who cursed Him and said: If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us. The other, on the contrary, calmed him down and said: Or are you not afraid of God, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing? , Lord, when you come into your kingdom! And Jesus said to him: truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
Now it was about the sixth hour of the day, and there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour: and the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in the middle. Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said: Father! I commit My spirit into Your hands. And having said this, he gave up the ghost. The centurion, seeing what was happening, glorified God and said: Truly this man was a righteous man. And all the people who had gathered to see this spectacle, seeing what was happening, returned, beating their chests. All those who knew Him, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance and looked at this." Gospel of Luke, chapter 23, verses 32-49.
As a sign that on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself, the Divine Liturgy is not served on Good Friday. For six long hours the Lord suffered painfully on the cross, redeeming with His suffering all humanity from slavery to sin. Christ's death on the cross took place according to the Gospel at the ninth hour (about three o'clock in our time). Therefore, it is at this time that the shroud is taken out in churches - a sewn image of the crucified Body of the Savior taken from the Cross. The shroud is taken out of the altar and placed on a specially prepared table in the center of the temple - the tomb, and then the clergy and all worshipers bow before it. The shroud is in the middle of the temple for three incomplete days, reminding us of the three-day stay of Jesus Christ in the tomb. This removal of the shroud also takes place in the main church of the country - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where, according to tradition, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' celebrates Good Friday Vespers at two o'clock in the afternoon.
Great (Good) Friday is the day of the strictest fasting of the year: before the removal of the shroud, no food is eaten at all.
Orthodox calendar with Maria Gorodova
Tomorrow, April 11, Holy Saturday is the day when “let all flesh be silent,” the day the body of Jesus Christ remains in the tomb, the day of our inner concentration, when we are in a state of spiritual anticipation of the Resurrection of Christ. On Holy Saturday the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated (it is served only a few times a year), during which the readings are read in front of the shroud. bible prophecies, and the clergy, during the Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday, as a sign of the victory of life over death, change from black to light clothes. On Saturday, everyone strives to bless Easter cakes, Easter cakes and brasno (that is, meat and eggs), so that later, after the festive Easter service, they can break their fast, that is, begin to eat non-Lenten food. Blessing food means that we receive blessings for eating it.