Good Friday is the day which marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ which took place at Golgotha (The place of the scull) otherwise known as Calvary around 2,000 years ago. It is traditionally seen as a day of mourning when Christians reflect and meditate on his suffering and death and what it really means for humanity. The origin of the name Good Friday is uncertain because there would seem to be nothing Good about an execution of an innocent person but some think it reflects the idea that the death of Jesus was good for humanity in that he died for our sins in order that we might receive Gods righteousness, grace and everlasting spiritual life. Some think that it was originally called Gods Friday and in some countries it is still known today as Holy Friday or Black Friday.
The date of the Easter celebration varies and is celebrated on the first Sunday following the Pashcal full moon. Easter takes place at the same time as the Jewish Passover which celebrated the harvest and the delivery of the Israelite's from bondage in Egypt. In the U.K. Good Friday is an official public holiday. Churches mark the occasion with special services, vigils, fasting and alms giving. In many countries there are street processions and festivals.
The events of that first Good Friday began with Jesus being arrested by roman soldiers in the garden of Gethsemane in the early hours of the morning after he had been praying to his heavenly father. His whereabouts had been revealed to the authorities by the traitor Judas Iscariot for thirty pieces of silver. He was investigated by Annas the former high priest then Caiaphas the high priest who would investigate and provide evidence to the Sanhedrin the ruling Jewish body. Jesus acknowledged that he was the Messiah before the Sanhedrin which brought the charge of blasphemy against him, a crime punishable by death in Jewish law. Neither Pilate the Roman governor nor Herod the King could find a crime that warranted the death penalty in Roman law so attempted to invoke the Passover amnesty but the crowd demanded his execution and asked that the criminal Barabbus be released instead.
Pilate washed his hands of the whole affair before handing him over. Jesus was forced to carry his own cross, wear a crown of thorns while being beaten and mocked. Jesus was crucified between two common criminals, he was naked on the cross for six hours before he finally gave up his spirit. The earth trembled and the sky darkened and the temple curtain split from top to bottom. The splitting of the temple curtain was a sign that the barrier to us receiving God’s grace other than through the law was broken and that God’s grace through the suffering death of Jesus Christ was now available to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. A Roman centurion confirmed his death by piecing his side with a sword. His body was placed in a tomb sealed with a large stone at the request of Joseph of Arimathea with Nicodemus supplying the spices needed to preserve his body before wrapping up his corpse in linen.
Good Friday is the first day of Easter and is traditionally marked by the eating of hot cross buns and in recent years there has been an increase in the number of passion plays being performed in public places which re-enact the final hours in the life of Jesus. Easter culminates two days later on Easter Sunday when Jesus is resurrected from the dead.