Good Friday is the most mournful day of the pre-Easter week, because it was on Friday that Jesus Christ was subjected to severe torture and executed. What traditions should be followed on this day, what should you not do on Good Friday, so as not to experience troubles for a whole year?
We have collected 7 basic rules of behavior on Good Friday. Follow them and share the advice with your loved ones!
1. Good Friday is the strictest fasting day throughout Lent. Even if you haven’t fasted before, but want to make up for lost time at least a little, you can start today. According to Christian canons, on this day believers refuse any food until the Shroud is taken out. After three o'clock in the afternoon you can satisfy your hunger with a slice of bread and a glass clean water. The belief says that if a person can endure thirst throughout Good Friday, no drink can harm him for the entire year.
2. Don't laugh and refrain from visiting entertainment venues and events. We are not talking, of course, about a reaction to a funny joke. But you shouldn’t purposefully have fun on Good Friday. It is believed that a person who is overly joyful on this day will next year will cry.
3. Don't wash, don't sew, don't cut. Any housework is prohibited on Good Friday.
4. Do not pierce the ground with iron objects - this will lead to grief and misfortune. By this rule, our ancestors, of course, meant seasonal work in the field and in the garden. But even in modern conditions there is something to think about: for example, from a transplant indoor plants or seedlings, it’s better to refuse for now.
By the way, there is one exception to this rule: the Slavs have long believed that parsley planted on Good Friday will give a double harvest. But keep in mind that you will have to sow the seeds without touching the ground with sharp or metal objects. 
5. Bless the ring in the church. It will protect you from all diseases. Not necessarily a wedding item, not necessarily a precious one - just a favorite thing that you don’t part with every day.
6. In the old days they said: in order for your baby to grow strong and happy, you need to wean him on Good Friday. A controversial rule, of course, but if you think that folk signs- it’s not fiction, it’s still worth a try.
7. Bring home twelve burning candles from a church service and let them burn out completely. This will bring you material well-being, luck and joy.
Folk signs for Good Friday
In addition to customs and traditions that are at least somehow related to Christianity, Good Friday is fraught with many frankly pagan beliefs in its history.
Among them, the most interesting are these.
1. On Good Friday you can find out if there is a “spoken” thing in your house (one that has been damaged by an evil person). To do this, they bring an unburned candle from the church, light it in the house and go around all the rooms with it, bringing it to different corners. They say that it is precisely in the place where the candle flame begins to crackle that the enchanted object is located.
2. On this day, people traditionally guessed about the harvest based on the weather. If the sky is starry, expect a grain harvest. if it’s cloudy all day, “the bread will be with the weeds,” our ancestors said. Which means expect a bad harvest this year.
What does Good Friday mean?
According to tradition, Christians believe that it was on this day that Jesus was crucified on Mount Golgotha. Therefore, the day of remembrance of the Passion of the Savior is essentially mourning for believers - this explains the abundance of strict prohibitions.
Good or Good Friday has always been highly revered among the people. After all, the death of Christ symbolizes the slaughter of an innocent lamb for the sins of all mankind - and Jesus’ gratitude for his act has no measure.
Of course, Orthodox and pagan customs were mixed on this day. In Rus', for example, it was customary to drive evil spirits out of the village - for this, boys and girls, armed with what, walked and rode through the village from end to end on foot and on horseback. These and many other traditions are a thing of the past, and some, on the contrary, have only now been revived. In any case, knowing the customs of your ancestors is a commendable thing, and observing them is doubly commendable
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Get answers to your questions from experts!
In 2018, Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter on April 8. The entire week preceding this event (from April 2 to April 7) is called Holy Week, as believers remember the suffering (passion) of Christ. The climax comes at good friday, and many believers in this regard ask questions about what it is, and what can be done on this day, and what cannot be done.
Passionate, or Great, Friday is the day when the trial of Christ took place, after which the Savior was crucified and died on the cross. It is believed that on the same day the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross and buried. The story is described in detail in all four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The death of Christ was a very tragic event. The Bible reports that as soon as he died, the stones next to the cross split, and the day became dark as night. The crowd of people shuddered, and many of them sincerely believed that Jesus was truly the Son of God, and not a common fraudster, as his accusers believed.
However, the tragedy of history lies not so much in these shocks, but in the fact that, in fact, many people betrayed the Savior. Indeed, not even a week had passed before the crowd enthusiastically greeted his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (today it is celebrated in honor of Palm Sunday). And on Friday, during the trial before Pontius Pilate, many of them, in a fit of anger, shouted: “Crucify him!”
That is why on Good Friday believers remember the feat of Christ with special reverence. On this day, services are held all over the world, and Orthodox Christians are even forbidden to eat any food. People want to show their respect and gratitude to the sacrifice of Christ, and besides, they strive, as it were, to come into contact with his suffering, pacifying the natural needs of the body.
Here short description events of that day, which happened about 2000 years ago: the trial of the Lord and his execution.
Services on Good Friday: removal of the shroud
On such a day there is no morning service. But in the afternoon at the service at about 15 o’clock, when, according to the biblical description, the Savior “gave up the ghost,” i.e. died on the cross, the ritual of removing the shroud is performed.
The Shroud is a rather unusual icon. We are all accustomed to the fact that an image is usually drawn on a hard surface. However, in the case of the shroud, the image is applied to thick fabric (plate, which is where the name comes from). It depicts Christ laid in a tomb. Several clergymen, dressed in robes, carry out the icon dark shades as a sign of mourning.
Temples are usually darkened, the light is coming only from flickering candles. In such an environment, a special mood is truly created, in which many contrasting emotions merge: grief for the deceased, resentment and annoyance for the betrayal of people who have committed a grave sin. And perhaps a person can experience the feeling of an approaching holiday, which marks the triumph of life over death, because two more days will pass and we will say: “Christ is risen! Truly risen!”
What to do on Good Friday before Easter
Believers often ask questions about what can and cannot be done on Good Friday before Easter. Indeed, this is a special day of the year, and many will find it useful to know how to behave appropriately in connection with the events that happened 2000 years ago.
The most important thing to do on Good Friday is not even a visit to the temple, which many busy people There really may not be time left. Moreover, the service with the removal of the shroud is held during the day, when many are still at work. However, everyone can pay tribute to the Lord.
On such a day, it is worth paying attention to reflecting on the feat of Christ and reading the corresponding biblical story(eg Luke 23).
It won’t be superfluous to give alms or do any good deed that will really bring joy to someone. You can visit a loved one with whom you have not communicated for a long time. Reconcile and forgive grievances that have accumulated for a long time and are making themselves felt. In a word, for modern people there is a certain freedom of choice, which is not denied by church representatives. The main thing is good aspirations, a sincere desire to pay tribute to the Lord.
What not to do on Good Friday
For a long time in Rus' on Red Friday they tried to follow very strict rules, for example:
- do nothing around the house;
- do not sew or cut fabric;
- do not cook anything, do not light a fire;
- do not work on the ground, do not dig, etc.
However, it is quite clear to what extent the lifestyle has changed modern man. Sometimes we simply have no choice: we need to go to work, dress and feed our children, help our family, cook dinner, etc.
Therefore, everyone acts in accordance with the circumstances. The corresponding commentary is given by many representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, for example, Archpriest John Makarenko.
At the same time, it is intuitively clear what exactly should not be done on Good Friday before Easter:
- indulge in any carnal pleasures;
- spend the day having fun;
- drink alcohol;
- watch entertainment programs, performances, etc.
Such behavior in itself is not reprehensible - every person strives for pleasure. But on such a mournful day, a believer cannot rejoice fully, because in these hours 2000 years ago one of the most tragic events in the history of mankind took place.
And having fun on Good Friday means almost the same as having a party on the day of a funeral or memorial.
NOTE
Among the questions about what can be done on Good Friday, believers are interested in baking Easter cakes and dyeing boiled eggs. According to tradition, it is better to do this on Maundy Thursday or at least on Saturday. It is not advisable to do such things on Friday, except in situations of extreme necessity.
Fasting on Good Friday
Also, one of the important questions is what you can’t eat on Good Friday before Easter. This time is considered the strictest during the entire Lent. Believers should not eat anything or even drink water until the end of the service and the removal of the shroud. And then, in the evening, you can drink water and eat bread. There is no need to prepare any dishes - all this time the mourning for the crucified Lord continues.
Quite strict rules continue to apply on Saturday. All the better will be the holiday itself - the Holy Resurrection of Christ, when you are allowed to eat any food, and a few glasses of good red wine are also not forbidden.
At the same time, church representatives say that each person should act according to his own feelings. For example, if someone has a stomach problem or we're talking about A pregnant or nursing mother should not refuse food and water, because we are talking about health.
Here is Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko’s commentary on this matter.
Folk traditions and signs on Good Friday
Of course, any significant event is reflected in many faces in the mirror. folk history. After several centuries, it turns out that the memorable date begins to live its own life and acquires its own signs. Something similar happened with Good Friday.
For example, in Rus' on this day they often baked baked goods, for example, a bun in the shape of a cross. It was believed that such bread would never become moldy. And sailors took buns on long voyages and believed that they would be the ship’s talisman and protect them from maritime disasters.
Another interesting custom is that believers tried to bring 12 burning candles from the church, with which they stood at the service. These candles were carried lit and placed in any part of the house. They needed to burn out to the end. It was believed that throughout the year (12 months) there would be peace and prosperity in the house.
Thus, Good Friday is the tragic day before Holy Saturday, dedicated to the remembrance of the earthly death of Christ. However, the holiday will be very soon, because the Lord will certainly rise again. And when Easter comes, everyone can sincerely rejoice and enjoy this solemn moment, which occupies a central place in the entire Christian religion.
The article talks about what Good Friday is and what customs and rituals are associated with this important day.
From the article you will learn why the Friday before Easter was called Holy, what rituals and signs exist of this important day before Christ's Sunday.
Easter in relation to Good Friday
One of the strictest fasts of the year ends at the end of Holy Week (Holy Week), during which believers remember the events that led Jesus Christ to death: the culmination of the Savior’s physical life was spiritual and physical torment.
On Good Friday, laity read about the Last Supper, the taking of Christ into custody, the trial of the Divine Prisoner, the scourging and execution of the death sentence, which ended with the crucifixion. The last six days of Lent are called “Great” or “Passionate”. During Holy Week, special services are held, and the Orthodox adhere to a particularly strict fast.
For the laity, Holy Week is spent remembering the last days spent on earth by Jesus.
On Maundy Monday In churches they read the Gospel parable about the roadside fig tree cursed by the Lord. The symbolism and spiritual meaning of the image of the barren fig tree is revealed in detail:
- the roadside fig tree personifies one who is perishing in unrepentance, whose soul does not bring faith, prayer and good deeds
- the moment when the tree withered from the words of the Lord shows the Divine power of the Savior, the censure of people who outwardly pretend to be fulfillers of God’s commandments, but from whom it is impossible to expect good fruits
On Maundy Tuesday Believers devote themselves to reading the parables that the Son of God spoke in the Temple of Jerusalem: about the resurrection, about the trial of the Savior, about the ten virgins.
Believers spend Good Friday in remembrance of the passions that save Christians
Great Wednesday Believers devote themselves to reading the parable of the precious ointment poured on the head of the Savior by sinners. In this way they prepared him for his rest. On this day, the greed for money and the betrayal of Judas are condemned and cursed. It also talks about the destined fate of the two different people: Judas, who betrayed the Lord and thereby destroyed his soul, and the harlot Mary Magdalene, who repented and accepted salvation.
On Maundy Thursday several events occurred: Jesus’ establishment of the sacrament of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, the Savior’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Good Friday Believers devote them to memories of the saving passions and death of Jesus on the cross for churchgoers.
Holy Saturday the laity devote themselves to reading about the burial of the Savior and how his body remained in the tomb. The Holy Fire, which is carried out on this day from the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, is a symbol of the Resurrection of the Lord.
Holy Week Believers devote themselves to preparations for Easter: cleaning is carried out, Easter cakes are baked, Easter eggs are painted.
During Holy Week, believers prepare for the holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ With Easter cakes and krashankas, believers go to the Divine Service on Holy Saturday, where the products are blessed.
Holy Week ends with the celebration of Easter - Christ's Resurrection.
Good Friday - the essence of what it is, what it means, what happens on Good Friday
Good Friday is the day the Son of God was crucified. During the Divine Service, the clergy remember that event three times, reading the Gospel:
- at Matins there is a service of the 12 Gospels, excerpts from which recall the saving suffering and crucifixion of Jesus, which occurred on Friday
- The Great (Royal) Hours are spent reading the narratives of the four evangelists
- Great Vespers takes place with the reading of the composite Gospel
On Good Friday we remember the torment of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion Video: GREAT LENT. PASSIONATE WEEK. GOOD FRIDAY
When is the Shroud taken out on Good Friday?
- There is no liturgy in the church on Good Friday. However, on the day that Good Friday falls on the Annunciation, the service of St. John Chrysostom takes place.
- On Good Friday, the canon “On the Crucifixion of the Lord” is performed in the church, and the clergy also bring out the Shroud - a symbolic funeral shroud with the body of the Savior depicted on it in full height who lies in a coffin.
There are no bells in the church on Good Friday. On this day the Shroud is taken out - The iconographic image of the Savior in the tomb is a mandatory attribute of the divine service of the last two days of Holy Week: Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Priests in black robes carry out the Shroud - The Shroud is placed on a special elevation, symbolizing the Holy Sepulcher, in front of the Royal Doors. At the same time, the Savior’s Head is turned to the north, and his feet are turned to the south. Incense is applied to the Shroud and flowers are laid out. These actions symbolize the anointing of the Body of the executed Savior with incense by the myrrh-bearing women.
- The service on the day of special repentance begins at two o'clock in the afternoon. The shroud is taken out an hour after the start of the service - at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross.
What can you do on Good Friday?
On Good Friday, those who served in the service carry home 12 burning candles, which are not allowed to burn out completely. These candles bring prosperity and happiness to the house where they are kept. On this day you can sow a vegetable garden or field. Sown in small quantity dill and peas are the key to a good harvest.
All preparations for the celebration of Easter are made before Maundy Thursday Can I bake on Good Friday?
Baking Easter cakes on Good Friday is allowed. Baked Easter cakes should be covered with sacred willow. Such willow branches are then used as a talisman against evil spirits.
Is it possible to get married on Good Friday?
Believers spend strict fasting on Good Friday in prayer, and also attend the mournful service (Lamentation of the Virgin Mary). If you decide to get married in April, then it is better to wait another 2 weeks after Easter. Go to church, and at the end of Lent you can get married and have a fun wedding.
In Orthodoxy it is allowed to get married after Red Hill (Antipascha) What does a wedding on Good Friday mean?
On Easter week- on the biggest and most punishable holiday you cannot go out and have fun. Therefore, it is better to postpone the wedding date. Consider whether it's worth starting family life with a great sin and how the wedding on Good Friday will then turn out for both of you, because this is the time to prepare for the resurrection of the Savior.
On Easter week on Good Friday no one gets married and no one marries newlyweds in church What should you not do on Good Friday?
The following actions are prohibited:
- wash
- sticking iron objects into the ground
- alcohol consumption
- fun
If a person spends this day having fun, he will shed tears all year long.
On this day women are not allowed to:
- spin
- clean the house
On this day men are not allowed to:
- chopping wood
- use a cleaver, plane
- plant trees
Women are not allowed to sew on Good Friday What does a dream on Good Friday mean on Saturday: signs
A dream from Thursday to Friday predicts the future, but the dream takes on special significance on Good Friday. Usually such a dream is filled with accurate predictions. Having seen a prophetic dream, wait for its fulfillment until noon (lunch) of the same day.
Dream on Good Friday What does it mean if a child is born on Good Friday?
This day will not affect the fate of a child born on Good Friday.
What does it mean if a child is born on Good Friday? What does a birthday on Good Friday mean?
- In the old days, it was believed that a baby born on Good Friday should be taken to his grandmother so that she would reprimand him from future troubles, and so that the child would not suffer a difficult fate.
- But the clergy have a different opinion on this matter: all the troubles that will happen in the life of such a child will ultimately turn into great joy. That's why you shouldn't count bad sign the birth of a baby on a mournful day.
What does Birthday on Good Friday mean? What does bread baked on Good Friday mean?
It is believed that if you bake bread on Good Friday, it will remain fresh for a long time and will not become moldy. This bread is used as a remedy to relieve illness. The sailors took the bun baked on Good Friday with them on long journeys, using it as a talisman. If you store such a bun at home, it will become a talisman against fires.
Is it possible to bake bread on Good Friday? What does it mean to die on Good Friday?
Anyone who leaves this world on Good Friday will experience the torment of life with the Savior and will be resurrected with him.
What does it mean to die on Good Friday? Lent - Good Friday: what can you eat?
Food is not consumed on Good Friday until the Shroud is taken out. But even after this, only bread and water are allowed.
Good Friday: what conspiracies, rituals and prayers to read?
A conspiracy against alcoholism, drunkenness and relief from extreme melancholy
- Furnace ash is taken from the oven on Good Friday.
- It falls at an intersection where there are no cars.
The plot is read three times:
Just as this ash will not sprout, and the sprouts will not produce petals, and the petals will not produce fruit, so the slave (name) will not take wine into his mouth: neither on Sunday, nor on Saturday, nor on Friday, nor on Thursday, nor on Wednesday, nor on Tuesday, and not on Monday. Amen. Just as this ash does not fill with a spring, does not sing like a nightingale, so the slave (name) will not drink green wine. Amen. Just as this ash will not farrow or whelp, so the slave (name) will say goodbye to wine forever. He will not drink: neither on Sunday, nor on Saturday, nor on Friday, nor on Thursday, nor on Wednesday, nor on Tuesday, nor on Monday, nor on weekdays, nor on Holy Days. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen.
- Repeat the ritual two Fridays in a row.
- Hide the remaining ash and use it at times when the temptation to drink is great.
Good Friday spell for stress and depression
- To perform the ceremony you will need three easter eggs, which must be lowered into a container of water, over which the following magical text is read:
Strengthen my faithful words, Lord, Strengthen, Christ, the servant of God (name). Just as people rejoice at the bright Easter, so may the servant of God (name) be glad of life. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen.
- A person suffering from depression should wash his face with this water.
- On Good Friday you need to bake a small loaf of bread.
- One half is eaten by those who perform the ritual, and the other is kept all year behind the icons. But before you put the bread behind the icons, you need to say:
“Lord, save, preserve, defend. Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Prayers for Good Friday:
Prayer for others
O Jesus, have mercy on your holy Church; take care of him.
O Jesus, have mercy on poor sinners and save them from hell.
Oh Jesus, bless my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters, and everything I have to pray.
O Jesus, have pity on the souls in purgatory and bring them to your heavenly rest.Prayer to express sorrow for sins
God my Father,
I am very sorry for turning my back on your friendship.
You showed only love for me.
I sometimes show a little love in return.
Because of you, your only one, Jesus, who died and rose again for me, forgive me all my sins.
Father, not only have I offended you with my sins, but I have also offended your community here on earth.
I promise to show great love to my neighbor in order to make up for my sins.
I can't do anything unless your Holy Spirit helps me lead a life like Jesus, a life spent forgetting about myself in the service of others.
Prayer for Holiness on Good Friday
Lord, I don’t pray for tomorrow and its needs,Unity Prayer
Heavenly Father,
you are the Father of all men.
We ask you to send the Holy Spirit,
The spirit that unites people
so all people
forget past troubles
put aside unfair opinions,
and work together for the benefit of all,
regardless of their religion,
no matter what their races are,
so in the end
this world,
did good men working together,
in the spirit of Jesus and work with you,
may be given to you by your Son,
Unite especially all Christians
so they can be together again soon,
as one flock around the table of the Lord's Supper.
We ask you to unite more closely those of our Church,
so under the guidance of the Spirit towards Thy kingdom,
we can work, pray and live happily together
in love and peace. (Amen)
Prayers for Good Friday
Prayer for Holiness on Good Friday
Lord, I don’t pray for tomorrow and its needs,
Keep me, my God, from the stain of sins,
Let me both work diligently and pray properly,
Let me be kind words and business for others,
Let me not do anything wrong or idle in words, thoughtlessly say,
Set you a lock on my lips
Let me in the season, Lord, be honest, in the season of gays,
Let me be faithful to your grace just for today,
And if today my tide of life should fade,
Oh bet, if I die today, come home today,
So, for tomorrow and its needs, I don't pray,
But hold me, guide and love me, Lord, I pray you.
Conspiracy for the whole year from all enemies
"In the name of the Father and the Son
And the Holy Spirit.
King Herod fights, fights,
Blood is shed, no one
Doesn't regret it
Doesn't let anyone down.
Against evil man There is
Great Sagittarius -
God the Father!
At our Lord's
Jesus Christ
The sun is a bow, the month is an arrow:
There is something to shoot.
The Lord will not give to anyone
To offend me.
The Lord God is ahead of me,
Our Lady is behind
With them I am not afraid of anyone,
With Them I fear no one.
And you, my villainous enemies,
You have a knitting needle in your tongues,
Red-hot pincers in fangs
And in the vile eyes of the sand.
In the name of the Father and the Son
And the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen".A conspiracy to ask forgiveness from the deceased
Read on the evening of Good Friday.
“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
There is no beginning without an end.
In the name of the Creator.
In the name of Jesus Christ.
I will stand up and cross myself.
I'll go out the door
Blessed,
I'll go to the holy church,
To the golden cross
To the Mother of God
And her son Jesus Christ.
I'll beg you with bows
And crosses
I will pay with tears of repentance.
In the dead kingdom
The dead state
Among the darkness
The darkness of dead people.
Kings, executioners,
Judges and sovereigns,
Dashing and kind people
There is one dead soul.
Before this soul
It's my fault.
For the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For His crown of thorns
I ask and beg you to forgive me (name)
And my living soul
Let go of sin.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and forever
And forever and ever. Amen."Video: Good Friday. Our Easter is Christ!
It's better to give up household chores
The clergy call Good Friday the most difficult day of Holy Week - this is the day when Christ was crucified on the cross. Good Friday 2018 falls on April 6th. This is the most mournful day of the year, and even if for some reason the Orthodox did not observe Lent or attend services before, they should definitely go to church on Friday, the priests advise. There are also folk signs associated with Good Friday.
Although Good Friday is the penultimate day of Lent, it is also considered the strictest. All the thoughts of the believer should be turned to the torment of Jesus, crucified on the cross, which he himself carried to Calvary. On the same day, the Savior’s body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb - the church service that night is dedicated to this.
Vice-Rector for Social and Missionary Work of Orthodox St. Tikhon's State University Father Philip Ilyashenko says:
Good Friday is considered the strictest and most terrible day of the year. The service of the twelve Gospels, the Passion of Christ, is celebrated late on the night from Thursday to Friday, and then early in the morning - the service of Great Friday. Over and over again every year we experience the suffering of Christ in his last days and hours, from arrest and conviction to beating and crucifixion, and then death and burial.
Therefore, Friday begins late at night on Thursday: in the rhythm of a modern metropolis, few people can come to an early service. During Friday we carry out the shroud - this is a service dedicated to the removal from the cross, anointing and preparation for burial.
We serve the funeral service on the night from Friday to Saturday - this is the morning Most Blessed Saturday, procession in the dark, with a rare ringing of bells, without the glow of candles. This is a move dedicated to the burial of the body of Jesus - we carry the shroud around the temple. On this day the Savior suffers, dies painfully, the sun hid his face, and the dead rose and returned to the city. On such a day, no fun, entertainment, or any extraneous matters are allowed. This is a day of strict fasting - some even refuse food altogether: how can you eat enough when Christ is crucified and dying?
– It turns out that you need to spend all your time in the temple?
On Friday, when the Savior is crucified and dies, and on the night from Friday to Saturday, when his body is placed in the tomb, services are held so tightly that a believer will be occupied only with them. If time permits, it is better to visit all of them and postpone household chores until the future or complete them earlier. The night service is long and tiring; we need to prepare for the Most Blessed Saturday, on which Christ fell asleep. There is no point in getting carried away with household chores these days. On Friday we serve evening services - the removal of the shroud, the removal of the shroud - it is worth devoting time to prayers.
- Someone is sure that even if Lent did not comply, then you can start fasting on Holy Week, and this is enough for an Orthodox person.
Yes, many believe that if for some reason they missed Lent, even through negligence, then getting down to business during Holy Week is already good. Saint John Chrysostom thinks so, and since his catechumen sermon for Easter is considered fundamental, there is no reason to doubt it. If anyone has worked hard, fasting, from the first hour, let him rejoice, and whoever was late for the beginning, and even the one who came only at the last hour, let him not doubt at all and join in. And even those who just wanted to fast, let them join in too - God sees everything: He gives to the first and has mercy on the last...
Meanwhile, many Russians have simple, “everyday” questions - what should not be done on Good Friday?
Priests advise, for example, to spend less time on the Internet, looking through social networks, and not to engage in idle conversations. You also need to abstain from carnal pleasures.
On Good Friday you cannot cook Easter cakes, paint eggs, make Easter cottage cheese, or clean up - all this is supposed to be done on Maundy Thursday.
And under no circumstances should you quarrel with colleagues and loved ones.
There are also some folk signs that sound strange to modern people, but nonetheless. It is believed, for example, that one should not pierce the ground with iron objects - for example, digging with a shovel.
If you don't drink anything all day on Good Friday, no drinks will harm you for a year.
If you bring home a candle from church service that you held in your hands in church and light it again after walking through the rooms, it will crackle next to the damaged item.
Good Friday: what not to do? You cannot clean the house or cook food on this day. Good Friday is one of the key days of Lent. It is believed that it was on this day that Jesus Christ was crucified. Despite the lack of a clear connection to a calendar date, it is customary to mourn it on the Friday preceding Easter. In 2019, Good or Good Friday falls on April 26th.
What and why is banned on this day?
The day is called Passionate or Great. These names do not replace each other, but complement each other. “Passionate” means passion for Christ, which reached its climax on the day of his death. “Great” means very different from the others in terms of the scale of what is happening.
This day stands out among the other days of fasting for everyone. Starting from the church service, mandatory element which becomes the reading of part of the Gospel about Jesus and his accomplishments on Earth, ending with an exceptional event - the removal of the shroud. It is considered one of the most powerful arguments testifying to the life of Jesus and his resurrection.
The requirements for all Christians are also different. On Good Friday you cannot do what you can do on the other days of Lent. For example, cleaning the house or preparing food. For this there is a day called Maundy Thursday. It takes place on the eve of Friday, and, as a rule, all preparations for the upcoming weekend and Friday must be made during this day. Why not? It is believed that cleaning the outside distracts from the cleanliness of the inside. On the day of the greatest tribulation of mankind, all our time should be devoted to prayer and thoughts of the great deeds of Jesus.
For the same reason, it is customary not to wash your face and eat almost nothing. The food usually used is crackers, bread and some water. Food on this day is needed solely to drown out the urges from a “hungry” stomach. Nothing should distract from the affairs of the temple on Good Friday.
During Lent, and especially on Good Friday, no entertainment is allowed. The church is especially strict about noisy feasts, entertainment programs and idle wandering around the Internet. Of course, nothing can cancel some work commitments or family emergencies today. Therefore, on this day it is necessary to strictly adhere to your inner guide, the course of which is aimed at prayer, work and purification.
