Understanding the history and significance Good Friday
Explore the meaning and traditions of Good Friday and why it’s a somber day for Christians globally. Learn about fasting practices and more.
As April begins, Lent ends, welcoming the Easter weekend of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
With preparations for Easter dinner and egg hunts underway, do not forget that before the day of celebration for the resurrection on Sunday comes the day of remembrance of Jesus’ death on Friday. Falling on April 3 this year, Good Friday is celebrated differently by different denominations, but in Catholicism, it is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence, meaning the religious holiday comes with a set of rules to follow.
Need a refresher? Here’s how to properly observe Good Friday as a Catholic.
What is Good Friday?
According to the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Good Friday is a commemoration of Jesus’ death on the cross. Good Friday is always celebrated on the Friday before Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead, to commemorate how Jesus died on Friday and resurrected on Sunday, according to the Bible.
Good Friday rules for Catholics
In Catholic tradition, Good Friday is a day of sorrow, repentance and fasting.
As with every Friday during Lent, Catholics age 14 and over abstain from eating meat on Good Friday. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Good Friday is also an obligatory day of fasting for Catholics. All members of the Catholic Church aged 18-59 are allowed to eat one full meal on Good Friday, as well as two smaller meals that do not equal one full meal together if needed.
While there are no other official restrictions on how to spend Good Friday, the day of solemnity is typically observed with quiet reflection and church service rather than social activities and errands.
Good Friday is not a holy day of obligation, meaning attending mass is not required, though Catholic churches typically still hold some type of service for those who wish to celebrate in the church. Most often, the holiday is commemorated with a reading of the passion of Jesus Christ from the Gospels and veneration of the cross.
When is Good Friday 2026?
Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, falls on April 3, 2026.
When is Easter 2026?
In 2026, Easter Sunday will be on Sunday, April 5. The holiday, which celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead after he was crucified, is regarded as the holiest day in Christianity.
