GOOD FRIDAY MEANING AND PURPOSE

What is the true meaning of Good Friday?
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The anniversary of Jesus' death on the cross is observed as Good Friday. According to the Gospels, Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter Day. Good Friday is a day on which most Christians use as a day of religious reflection. Forms of observance include prayer and meditation at the Stations of the Cross, a succession of 14 images, usually on wooden crosses, depicting Christ's crucifixion and the events leading up to it. It's traditional to eat hot cross buns on Good Friday (God's Friday). The pastry cross on top of the bun symbolizes of the cross that Jesus was killed on.

According to Professor Laurence Hull Stookey in 'Calendar: Christ's Time for the Church' Good Friday may be a corruption of the English phrase "God's Friday." The term 'Good Friday' does not enjoy universal usage. It has also been called 'Holy Friday,' 'Long Friday,' 'Sad Friday,' 'Sorrowful Friday' and Feria VI.
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GOOD FRIDAY: MEANING AND PURPOSE 
by: Tina Brewster

Good Friday’s purpose and meaning is to remind Christians of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, which happened on a Friday. “Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus.” (Source 2) Jesus of Nazareth was betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot, on a Thursday evening.  This was shortly after Jesus had conducted the Last Supper in which he prophesied that one of the disciples would betray him that very evening.

Judas brought the Jewish priests to where Jesus and the other disciples where, telling them that one he kissed was the man they sought.  The priest took Jesus into custody and interrogated him. Jesus said nothing for along time and when he finally admitted to being the son of God they charged him with blasphemy and sentenced him to death. Because Jews were not allowed to execute anyone they took him to Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman governor of the area.  Pontius could not find any serious fault in Jesus but had Jesus whipped to try to pacify the Jewish priests. He tried several times to set Jesus free but the Jewish priests would not hear of it.  After much going back and forth, Pontius "declared Jesus innocent and washed in own hands in water to show he has no part in this condemnation." (Source 1) Pontius was forced to agreed to crucify Jesus in order to avoid a riot.  Jesus was put on the cross that day, Friday, where he spent six agonizing hours before finally dying.  He was put in the tomb of one of his followers, Joseph of Arimathea, and rose again the following Sunday, Easter Sunday.

The Church that was created after Jesus died “set aside every Friday as a special day of prayer and fasting.” (Source 1) Later, a woman, who had traveled on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, gave testimony of the practice of celebrating  Good Friday.  “The celebration of Good Friday is ancient, and some of the practices associated with Good Friday are attested to by Egeria in the 4th century.” Over time the churches stopped setting aside every Friday and just started commemorating the anniversary of Jesus' death. 

The name Good Friday may have come from the Germanic phrase "Gute Freitag", which translated means “good” or “holy” Friday. This was believed to have been used by the Gallican Church of Gaul.  Gaul was where modern day France and Germany are.  Good Friday was also called “God’s Friday,” but it is believed it was changed to Good Friday because God’s name was too holy to be spoken.

People still recognize Good Friday as a religious holiday and spend time in church, prayer, meditation and often fast

Source 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G ood_Friday

Source 2: www.faithclipart.com/guide/Chr istian-Holidays/good-friday-si gnificance.html

Source 3: www.churchyear.net/goodfriday. html