Good Friday is an important religious holiday for Christians throughout the world. It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ and is the most solemn day of the Christian year. It is the day before Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Here are the Top 10 Facts about Good Friday that you should know.

1. Good Friday marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ who Christians believe died for our sins.

Jesus was betrayed by his friend Judas, after which he was sentenced to death for claiming to be the Son of God. It can be quite a shocking story to learn about, especially when we are young.

On Good Friday, Christians believe Jesus dies for our sins and that this great gift shows just how much he loves us.

2. Good Friday is also known as Holy Friday

Different places call Good Friday by different names. Other names for Good Friday include Holy Friday, Great Friday, Black Friday or Easter Friday.

3. Good Friday can take place any day between 20th March and 23rd April.

The date of good Friday changes every year. Good Friday is always the Friday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Luckily you can usually find it on a calendar.

4. It’s traditional to bake Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday

Hot Cross Buns were traditionally baked on Good Friday to be eaten on Easter Sunday are said to be good luck. Nowadays we eat them throughout the Easter period!

Some people believed buns baked on this day would never go bad, would protect against shipwrecks and even shield your home from fire.

5. In Jamaica they crack eggs on Good Friday that are said to predict the future

Before sunrise on Good Friday in Jamaica there is an old tradition where you crack an egg and add the egg white to a glass of water.

As the rising sun heats the egg it makes patterns in the water. People believed these patterns could predict the way in which you will die.

6. In Central America they make art with sawdust on Good Friday

These are called alfrombras and are made from colourful sawdust. You can see these in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

7. It’s illegal to dance in Germany on Good Friday

Dancing is prohibited on Good Friday in Germany. Nightclubs, where people would usually dance on Friday nights, are forced to close of risk being fined €1,000.

8. We don’t know why Good Friday is called Good Friday

Some people think that ‘Good’ came from ‘Holy’ and it may have once been known as ‘Holy Friday’. Other people think ‘Good’ is a change overtime from the world ‘God’, however nobody knows for sure.

9. It is celebrated with special prayers in Church

Special prayer services are held and Christian leaders often read accounts from the Gospels of the events leading up to the crucifixion such as Judas betraying Jesus. 

10. Catholics don’t eat meat on Good Friday

Catholics are not supposed to eat meat on Good Friday. Instead Catholics will often eat fish instead and this is where the tradition of having a ‘chippy tea’ on Good Friday comes from.

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