Names of Good Friday

Good Friday is the most solemn day in the calendar followed by the Christians. It is not a fixed date and varies every year. This religious occasion solemnize the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and is observed on the last Friday before Easter (between March20 to April 23). It is the culmination of the Holy Week and the Christians pay their tribute to their Lord Jesus with reverence and humility.

Good Friday is also popularly known by various other cognomen or terms like Holy Friday, Great Friday and much more. Each name has its own relevance and origin.

Good Friday: There are mainly two ideologies behind the name Good Friday. The first school believed that it originates from the words “God’s Friday”. It is the corruption of the words. Another school believes that “good” is related to pious and so to signify the goodness the day is known as Good Friday.

Great Friday: Orthodox Christians and Byzantine Christians refer to Good Friday as Great Friday in order to recall the events that lead to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On this day they fast and each hour is considered as a new suffering in the name of the Saviour.

Black Friday: Good Friday is also referred as Black Friday as it symbolises mourning. On this day the cross, statues and other objects inside the Church are covered with black cloth. Even people wear black cloth. In U.S.A, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Thursday. On this day, people gather in the stores to buy items and the marks the beginning of Christmas shopping.

Easter Friday: Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and the Friday before the Easter, that falls on the Holy week is popularly known as Easter Friday.

There are many other names that are associated with Good Friday and also many ideologies behind the nomenclature of this pious religious occasion.