Good Friday

Date:

Moveable Feast (March 21, 2008)

Type of Feast:

Commemoration

Prayers:

The Litany of Humility; Prayer Before a Crucifix; Divine Mercy Novena

History:

Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, commemorates the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday; instead, the Church celebrates a special liturgy in which the account of the Passion according to the Gospel of John is read, a series of intercessory prayers (prayers for special intentions are offered), and the faithful venerate the Cross by coming forward and kissing it. The liturgy concludes with the distribution of Holy Communion. Since there was no Mass (and, therefore, the Eucharist was not consecrated), Hosts that were reserved from the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday are distributed instead.

Good Friday is a day of strict fast and abstinence. Since the date of Good Friday is dependent on the date of Easter, it changes from year to year.