The Union Statesman

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Image from WikipediaI am a Christian, but not the type who celebrates those orthodox holidays like Good Friday and Ash Wednesday and Fat Tuesday. I’m always a little confused when an encyclopedia or textbook says Christians celebrate those holidays–because in America, most people have no idea what they’re about. So I, like you if you googled here, am writing today about what Good Friday is.

“Good Friday” is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday. Since Jesus Christ was resurrected on the third day after his death on the cross, he therefore died on the cross Friday and was resurrected on Sunday.

So the whole part where Jesus suffered in Gethsemane, where Judas betrayed Jesus, then Jesus was brought before Annas the former Jewish High Priest, then Caiaphas the current High Priest, then Pilate the Roman Governor of Judaea was Thursday night, all night, and Friday morning. Pilate then sent Jesus to Herod the King of the Jews, who sent him back to Pilate. Then Pilate bows to special interest pressure and orders Christ executed. (A few years later, and perhaps because of this special interest favor, Judaea renews its franchise as a Roman state.)

Catholics in the United States generally “fast” on this day, which to them means having small meals, often without meat. They also may have church services, the largest at 3 p.m., the time most readings of the Bible see Christ to have died. In many churches there is a ceremony of the “taking down of the cross” at this point.

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