NIRANKAR SOLUTIONS: GOOD FRIDAY 2016

Saturday, 26 March 2016

GOOD FRIDAY 2016

MEANING OF GOOD FRIDAY AND ITS DETAILS

The Friday before Easter sunday, on which the Crucifixion of Christ is commemorated in the Church. It is traditionally the day of fasting and penance.

A Stabat Mater depiction, 1868

Type	Christian
Significance	Commemorates thecrucifixion and death ofJesus Christ
Celebrations	No traditional celebrations
Observances	Worship services, prayer andvigil services, fasting,almsgiving
Date	the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday
2015 date	April 3 (Western Churches) April 10 (Eastern Churches)
2016 date	March 25 (Western Churches) April 29 (Eastern Churches)
2017 date	April 14 (Western Churches) April 14 (Eastern churches)

This hollyday is observed during holi week. Good Friday is a widely instituted legal holiday in many national governments around the world, including in mostWestern countries (especially amongAnglican and Catholic nations) as well as in 12 U.S. states.^[7] Some countries, such as Germany, have laws prohibiting certain acts, such as dancing and horse racing, that are seen as profaning the solemn nature of the day.^[8]^[9]

ETYMOLOGY

The etymology of the term "good" in the context of Good Friday is contested. Some sources claim "good" to simply mean pious or holy,^[10] while others contend that it is a corruption of "God Friday". The Oxford English Dictionary supports the first etymology, giving "of a day or season observed as holy by the church" as an archaic sense of good (good, adj. 8c), and providing examples of good tidemeaning "Christmas" or "Shrove Tuesday", and Good Wednesdaymeaning the Wednesday in Holy Week.^[11]

In German-speaking countries, Good Friday is generally referred to asKarfreitag (Kar from Old High Germankara‚ "bewail", "grieve"‚ "mourn", Freitag for "Friday"): Mourning Friday. The Karprefix is an ancestor of the English word "care" in the sense of cares and woes; it meant mourning. The day is also known as Stiller Freitag ("Silent Friday") and Hoher Freitag ("High Friday, Holy Friday").