Good Friday commemorates the
crucifixion of Jesus. It is the most solemn day in the Christian calendar. The dates of Good Friday, which vary each year, occur between March 20
th and April 23
rd. It falls on the last Friday before
Easter.
It is the pinnacle of the Holy Week. All Christians observe this day
with great humility and reverence. It is this spirit of humility and
reverence that is reflected in each of the
Good Friday PowerPoints, which can be used as a preaching aid on Good Friday.
History of Good Friday
As early as the first century, the Church set aside every Friday as a
special day of prayer and fasting. It was not until the fourth century,
however, that the Church began observing the Friday before Easter as the
day associated with the crucifixion of Christ. First called Holy or
Great Friday by the Greek Church, the name "Good Friday" was adopted by
the Roman Church around the sixth or seventh century. This collection of
Good Friday videos reflect the types of traditions associated with the history of Good Friday.
Good Friday Origins
There are two possible origins for the name "Good Friday". The first may
have come from the Gallican Church in Gaul (modern-day France and
Germany). The name "Gute Freitag" is Germanic in origin and literally
means "good" or "holy" Friday. The second possibility is a variation on
the name "God's Friday," where the word "good" was used to replace the
word "God," which was often viewed as too holy to be spoken aloud.
Good Friday Traditions
Good Friday rituals and traditions are distinct from every other Church
observances. They add to Good Friday's significance. The ceremony is
somber, with priests and deacons dressing in black vestments. The pulpit
and the altar are bare; no candles are lit. The purpose behind the
solemn presentation is to create an awareness of grief over the
sacrifice of God's only begotten Son. Today, many churches hold special
services on Good Friday evening to commemorate this important day. (
View our collection of flyers designed to announce Good Friday services)
Good Friday Church Rituals
Starting anytime between midnight and 3 a.m., priests and other clerics
begin to recite specific prayers. At the morning ceremony, the priest or
church official recites lessons from the scriptures. Afterward, there
is a succession of prayers asking for God's mercy and forgiveness on all
mankind.
At the noon hour comes the Adoration of the Cross, where a
representation of the True Cross is unveiled and the clergy and laity
pay homage to the sacrifice of Christ. In the Jerusalem Church, a
remnant of the True Cross itself is presented for the ceremony. Next
comes the Mass of the Presanctified, in which the priest or church
official takes Communion from the host that was blessed during the
Maundy Thursday ceremony. The ceremony concludes around 3 p.m. with a procession, which is followed by evening prayers.
In many Protestant churches, Good Friday observances begin at noon and
last until 3 p.m. This coincides with the hours that Jesus hung on the
cross. These services often include sermons on the last seven phrases
that Jesus spoke while being crucified. Other services include
reenactments of the Passion according to the Gospel of John, processions
of the Stations of the Cross, and the singing of appropriate hymns. The
library of
Good Friday clipart provides a collection of images to aid the in celebration of Good Friday.
To many Christians, Good Friday is a day of sorrow mingled with joy. It
is a time to grieve over the sin of man and to meditate and rejoice upon
God's love in giving His only Son for the redemption of sin.
Your church may not celebrate Good Friday with the same
elaborate rituals that have been historically practiced. However, you
may wish to obtain membership with Sharefaith , which gives you access to tens of thousands of powerful, professionally-designed Christian resources such as PowerPoints, Videos, Newsletter Templates, and Bulletin Covers. It is the ideal way for the modern church to celebrate Good Friday. Click here to get started.
