The Roman Catholics celebrate Good Friday by fasting; in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, fasting is equivalent to consuming one meal per day and two small snacks. This may be contrary to what most may think of as fasting; however this is the proper definition as per the Roman Catholic Church. Most religions do not mandate that this holiday is one in which people should not work. Therefore, in the United States and other countries, most people work as usual. Some countries will hold readings and sing songs in honor of this day. Some countries will mark Good Friday by having many people walk in a procession while holding statues of Jesus on the cross.
The Roman Catholic Church actually has a certain time of death for Jesus Christ; that being three PM in the afternoon; this is the exact time that the Bible is believed to have said Jesus died on the cross. The Latin Rite version of Good Friday will have those involved in the holiday attending a church service from noon until three PM. This three hour period of time is called the Three Hours of Agony.
In Poland, a replica of Jesus’ tomb is unveiled and many people will go to this to worship and pray long into the night. It is Polish tradition to kiss the statue of Jesus to symbolize kissing the wounds that Jesus was said to endure.
According to the bible, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane which was near to the Temple Guards. This happened with the aid of Judas. Judas was questioned. Jesus was then questioned and did not answer to any of them. Jesus is said to have finally replied, “You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven.” It was after Jesus said those words, that the high priest sentenced Jesus to death via crucifixion on the grounds of blasphemy.
The next day, the church assembly brought Jesus to the governor of Rome to face more charges, such as opposing taxes to Caesar and trying to make himself a King. Jesus was whipped for those alleged crimes and was going to be let free. Many people wanted to have Jesus be killed on the cross. It is said that Jesus was made to carry his own cross, for a long distance, to the site at which he was to be killed. It is also said that for three hours, Jesus suffered unimaginable pain as he slowly died. At the moment of his death, an earthquake occures, tombs broke open and a temple exploded. Jesus was stabbed with a sword to be sure that he was indeed dead. His body was wrapped in linens and placed in a tomb. The followers and believers of Jesus are said to have put a very heavy and large rock in front of the tomb.
The day of Good Friday is a day for all believers to think about the sacrifice that Jesus made; he did so to take away the sins of man and to show all that he was indeed the son of God.