Why Is it Called 'Good Friday'?
Those who observe Christian theology celebrate Good Friday in memory of the day that the Romans crucified Jesus Christ. Modern Christians celebrate this holiday on the Friday before Easter, falling between March 20 and April 23.
Other People Are Reading
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Misconceptions
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Neither the words "good" nor "Friday" appear in the canonical Christian bible, but are the English equivalents of the terms used by the languages of the earliest Christians.
Fun Fact
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The Germans call Good Friday "Karfreitag", which means Mourning Friday; the Greeks called it "he hagia kai megale paraskeue," or the Holy and Great Friday; and the Romance languages refer to Holy Friday.
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Expert Insight
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Reverend Ken Collins, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), believes that Christians call the Friday crucifixion of Jesus "Good Friday" because it falls in line with Christian theology--that even good things can come from something so sorrowful as death.
Considerations
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Christian theologists know why we celebrate Good Friday on Friday, but the "good" part remains up for debate. Some speculate that "good" is used because of its closeness to the word "God."
Tips
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Some theologians, such as Ken Collins, believe that the vernacular does not matter so much as the faith in the day. The German translation (Mourning Friday), for example, can be interpreted as the belief that being a Christian is not easy.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Luz A. Villa
