Good Friday Resurrection Celebration Approaches Amid Lent Observances

PALM SPRINGS, California — As Christians prepare to observe Good Friday on April 18, preparations are underway for a celebration of Easter following the somber day marking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Good Friday is part of Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday, a day that commemorates Jesus entering Jerusalem. This year, Palm Sunday falls on April 13. The end of Lent, a period of fasting and reflection, culminates in the joyous celebration of Easter Sunday, which this year is on April 20.

Father Dustin Dought, executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, emphasized the solemn nature of Good Friday. “Good Friday is a day of strict fasting and abstinence for Roman Catholics as we reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus,” he told USA Today.

The entire week is significant in the Christian calendar. It begins with Holy Thursday, which is also known as Maundy Thursday and commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus established the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Good Friday follows, leading into Holy Saturday, a day often observed in quiet reflection before Easter Sunday.

This year, Easter Sunday marks the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The date of Easter varies each year, occurring on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This means Easter can be celebrated between March 22 and April 25, while the Eastern Orthodox Church may observe it between April 4 and May 8.

Interestingly, the term “Good Friday” can be misleading. In other languages, the day is referred to as “Sorrowful Friday.” Christianity.com notes that some believe “Good” could derive from an older name, “God’s Friday.” Others argue it appropriately reflects the “good news” of the gospel and the promise of eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

On Good Friday, many schools close, as do stock exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, recognizing the observance. However, it’s not designated as a federal holiday, and while mass is celebrated, it is not a Holy Day of Obligation.

Additionally, the period of Lent, lasting 40 days, calls Christians to a deeper prayer and fasting in memory of Jesus’ time in the desert. As such, it prepares the faithful for the significance of Easter and the hope it brings.