Christian Holiday

Good Friday

Good Friday is the day Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It falls on the Friday before Easter, and Good Friday 2027 is Friday, March 26, 2027. Churches mark it with solemn services, Scripture readings of the Passion, prayer and fasting. Orthodox churches observe it on April 30, 2027.

Next: Friday, March 26, 2027

When Is Good Friday?

2027Next

Good FridayFriday, March 26, 2027

Orthodox Holy FridayFriday, April 30, 2027

2028

Good FridayFriday, April 14, 2028

Orthodox Holy FridayFriday, April 14, 2028

What Good Friday Means

Good Friday stands as the most somber day in the Christian year, yet it is called 'good' because through the suffering and death of Jesus, the work of redemption was accomplished. Christians believe that Jesus, fully God and fully human, bore the sin of the world on the cross. His death was not a tragedy interrupted by resurrection; it was the necessary and willing sacrifice that made resurrection and new life possible. The cross, once a symbol of Roman execution and shame, became the central symbol of Christian faith because it represents the love of God taken to its furthest possible expression: dying so that others may live.

Good Friday in the Bible

Luke 23:33-34KJV
“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

John 19:30KJV
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

Isaiah 53:5KJV
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

How Good Friday Is Observed

Good Friday is observed with solemn church services, often featuring the reading of the Passion narrative, meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ, and extended periods of silence and prayer. Many Christians fast on Good Friday. Churches may strip their altars, drape crosses in black, and dim the lights to reflect the gravity of the day. Hot cross buns, marked with a cross, are a traditional Good Friday food in many cultures.

Catholic

Catholics observe Good Friday as a day of fasting and abstinence. No Mass is celebrated. The afternoon Celebration of the Lord's Passion includes the reading of John's Passion, solemn prayers for the world, the veneration of the cross and Holy Communion from hosts consecrated the day before. Many parishes also pray the Stations of the Cross.

Orthodox

Orthodox Christians call the day Great and Holy Friday. The Matins of the Passion, with twelve Gospel readings, is usually served on Thursday evening. No Divine Liturgy is celebrated, and at afternoon Vespers the burial shroud of Christ, the epitaphion, is carried in procession and placed in a tomb for veneration.

Protestant

Anglican and Episcopal churches keep Good Friday as a fast in the Book of Common Prayer, without a celebration of the Eucharist. Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist and other churches hold services of the Seven Last Words, Tenebrae or quiet prayer, often between noon and three in the afternoon.

Where It Falls in the Christian Year

Good Friday follows Maundy Thursday and leads to the silence of Holy Saturday and the joy of Easter. Read Luke's account of the crucifixion in Luke 23.

Good Friday FAQ

What is Good Friday?

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter, when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus on the cross outside Jerusalem. It is the most solemn day of the Christian year and part of Holy Week.

When is Good Friday 2027?

Good Friday 2027 is on Friday, March 26, 2027, two days before Easter Sunday on March 28, 2027. Orthodox churches observe Holy Friday on April 30, 2027. In 2028, Good Friday falls on Friday, April 14, 2028.

Why is it called Good Friday?

Christians call it good because they believe Jesus's death brought salvation, the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. Some scholars also connect the English name to an older sense of good meaning holy. In many other languages the day is called Holy Friday or Great Friday.

Is Good Friday a federal holiday?

No. Good Friday is not a federal holiday in the United States, and federal offices stay open. A few states, along with some schools and employers, close for it, so local policies vary.

What happened on Good Friday in the Bible?

The Gospels say Jesus was tried before Pilate, scourged, and crucified at a place called Calvary between two criminals. Darkness covered the land from the sixth to the ninth hour, and he died, saying, It is finished (John 19:30). His body was laid in a tomb before sunset.

Do you eat meat on Good Friday?

Catholics 14 and older abstain from meat on Good Friday, and those ages 18 to 59 also fast. Many Orthodox Christians keep a strict fast all day. Most Protestant churches leave fasting to personal choice.