Today, Christians around the world observe Good Friday, or the Day of the Cross of Christ, reports LETA.
Today, on Good Friday, churches are adorned in black, chandeliers are dimmed, and hymns are sung without accompaniment. In each community, these traditions may vary, as they are established by the people themselves.
Good Friday — a time of suffering — is inextricably linked to the cross. The crucified Jesus is a victim of human violence. His bloody execution was meant to create a terrifying impression and demonstrate Jesus' 'helplessness,' as he helped others but could not help himself.
The notion that the Son of God died on the cross seemed impossible to Jesus' contemporaries, as death on the cross was considered disgraceful. Educated Romans found the cross so repugnant that it should be kept away not only from the bodies of Roman citizens but also from their sight. For aesthetes, this spectacle was not beautiful at all.
Many people expect Christianity to offer a life free of suffering and the fulfillment of all desires and needs, avoiding the cross. However, Easter is unthinkable without Good Friday, when Jesus takes a different path, and this path cannot be without suffering — they are at its very center.
Services dedicated to Good Friday will take place today in many churches across Latvia.
On this day, the Gospel about the trial of Christ is read in church, and prayers are offered for everyone — believers and non-believers. After this prayer, the veil is removed from the cross, and the image of the crucified is revealed to the faithful. This is followed by the morning service of Holy Communion and a procession with the Holy Sacrament to the altar of the 'Tomb of the Lord.'
In the Orthodox religion, Good Friday will be observed in a week.
