Good friday 2022 , The wondrous season of spring is considered the most beautiful and alluring of all seasons. Rife with celebratory festivals and the harvest period, the Indian Spring lasts generally from February to March.
The spring, in India, brings with it the observance of Good Friday, which is a day that holds special significance to the Christian community in India.
Observed to commemorate the crucifixion of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it is important to learn about this day to truly understand the commitments of the followers of Christianity to the rituals they follow on the occasion of Good Friday.
Good Friday 2022
Significance and History of Good Friday
It is widely believed among Christians across the world that Good Friday was the day of the Lord’s crucifixion at the Roman Cavalry, and that he was resurrected three days later on Easter Sunday.
The New Testament narrates the story of 'Jesus’ crucifixion. It is said that Jewish religious leaders condemned Jesus’ claims of being the Son of God as blasphemy and brought him to Pontius Pilate, a Roman leader, who sentenced Jesus to his fate on the cross.
The Bible states that Jesus was beaten publicly and crowned with thorns before being forced to carry a heavy cross through a jeering crowd and being nailed by his wrists and feet to the same cross until he breathed his last.
Good Friday festival is hailed to be the day that Jesus suffered and died for the sins of all humans. It is hence that this day is also known as Black Friday and Great and Holy Friday.
When is Good Friday 2022?
Good Friday is observed on different dates each year in accordance with the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The Gregorian calendar is used to calculate the day on which Easter Sunday falls by determining the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.
Good Friday festival is simply observed on Friday before Easter is celebrated.
How is Good Friday celebrated?
Black Friday, as it is more suitably known, is regarded as a day for sobriety and reflection among the followers of Christ who fast on this day of mourning and seek forgiveness for the sins committed by them.
They honor the brutal way in which Jesus suffered and died for humans’ sins and attend mass or service that recounts the painful crucifixion of Christ. Some dress in black and maintain silence in the hours of Jesus’ suffering.
The day is celebrated as one of the fasts in the Roman Catholic Church wherein the faithful abstain from consuming meat. Specific prayers and devotions,
Alongside “acts of reparations” for the sufferings of Jesus Christ partake in and street processions and enactments of the sufferings of Christ are a common sight in many Christian countries and neighborhoods.
Some go as far as to nail themselves to a cross on this day in countries like the Philippines. On the other hand, Protestant Churches commemorate the day with the service of worship
And Byzantine Catholics attend the Holy Matins and read the Twelve Passions Gospels on Good Friday. Passion Plays are organized and partook in many communities as well.
The ultimate aim of observing Good Friday in the community is to be mindful of the sacrifices of Christ and to understand the magnitude of his actions in the favor of mankind.
Symbols of Good Friday
The Cross is the most significant symbol of Good Friday, seeing that Jesus was compelled to humiliatingly carry the cross among jeering crowds and was later nailed to the same.
The Cross has come to symbolize Jesus’ sacrifice and his death and has become a symbol representing the religion as a whole. One of the rituals of Good Friday involves serving hot cross buns to devotees refraining from meat or rich foods
As the cross manifests on these buns. Another symbol associated with this day is a black cloth that is used to cover flowers, shiny objects, paintings, and statues to maintain a bare look in the home or church in keeping with the somber nature of the day.
Best Places In India To Spend Memorable Good Friday Holiday 2022
Good Friday is celebrated across India by the 27.3 million adherents in the country. Some of the most beautiful churches in the country are housed by the state of Goa,
And the services at Se Cathedral Church and the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa are worth a visit. Kerala is another state which hosts some of the most wonderful churches.
The masses at the Santa Cruz Basilica, the Vallarpadam Church, and the Francis Church in the State are of note. The Paul Cathedral in Kolkata, Christ Church in Shimla,
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pondicherry, and St. Philomena’s Church in Mysore are also worth visiting. The North-Eastern states of India are also home to a majority Christian population,
Which makes the truly stunning North-Eastern region of India an even more attractive destination during the Good Friday holiday.
Good Friday is followed shortly by Easter Sunday
Which is the day on which Jesus Christ is believed to have been resurrected or raised from the dead. Easter is a celebration of life that is marked by Easter eggs which symbolize new life- seeming dead from the outside but full of life on the inside.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Why do we celebrate Good Friday 2022?
Good Friday is celebrated (or observed) to honor the crucifixion of Jesus Christ which Christians believe occurred on this day. We celebrate Good Friday
Because it is believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that humanity is forgiven for its sins so that we may receive life and attain the heavenly abode upon death as Jesus had already repented for our sins by dying on the cross on Good Friday.
Q2. Is Good Friday a national holiday?
Good Friday is not a national holiday in India but it is a public holiday observed in almost all states in the country. India has only three national holidays-
Independence Day, Republic Day, and Gandhi Jayanti. Other public holidays like Good Friday are generally observed at religious festivals or birthdays of historical figures.