Orthodox Church marks Great Friday today

Orthodox Church marks known as Great Friday or Black Friday today. This is a day when Orthodox Christians commemorate crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This day is the hardest among the days of Holy Week that precede Easter Sunday. Holy Friday is a holiday observed primarily by adherents to Christianity commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary.

The Crucifixion of Jesus was on a Friday, the Bible says. The estimated year of Good Friday is AD 33. On Holy Friday the Stations of the Cross are often prayed either in the church or outside, and a prayer service is held. In the afternoon, at 2 PM the parish gathers for the Vespers of the Taking-Down from the Cross, commemorating the Deposition from the Cross.

Because of the penitence and sorrow associated with the Crucifixion of Jesus, the Divine Liturgy is never celebrated on Great Friday.

Good Friday is the hardest day of the Great Lent that precedes Easter. Some believers receive blessing of the priests not to eat anything during the day, some have only bread and water.

Eggs are painted red and Paska, special Easter bread symbolizing Golgotha, the mountain where Christ was crucified, is made on this day.