Good Friday is one of the most important festivals in Christianity. This day commemorates the death of Jesus, and therefore, is regarded as a Day of Atonement and sorrow by the Christian community. It is the day when Jesus was crucified at a hill near Jerusalem and left his mortal form. While Good Friday signifies the tragic event in the history of the Christians, it is observed with great passion and spirit all around the world.

According to the Christian literature, Good Friday falls in the final week of Lent— also known as “Holy Week”— which starts with Maundy Thursday and concludes with Easter Sunday. As per Gregorian calendar, Good Friday will be observed on 2^nd April this year, a Friday before Easter.

Since everything has been disrupted by the pandemic, expect to see some major changes in this holiday, too. While everything in the past year has been cancelled or postponed, find solace in the fact that Easter is NOT cancelled. The spirit of Good Friday and Easter is alive and well – and it depends on how we make the most out of it.

Look, we know things aren’t the same as they were in the last years, but at least, we are on the path to progress, thanks to the vaccine. Since mass distribution of the vaccine is a pretty hectic and time-consuming task, we have to wait a bit longer to see things getting back to normal as they were in the pre-coronavirus days.

Vaccines are rolling out for the elderly and front line workers, and will take some time to become accessible to the rest of us. The invisible enemy is still prevalent, and we have to contain it. So, in order to do that, we still have to follow the mandatory COVID-19 prevention protocols.

Yes, Good Friday may seem a bit different this year, but it’s okay, since it’s going to be the last time we will be celebrating it at home (hopefully!). Here are some ideas to celebrate Good Friday 2021 and Holy week during quarantine:

Attend Virtual Mass or Church on Good Friday:

In an attempt to stop the virus from spreading, many churches have decided to live-stream masses and services during quarantine. Good Friday services are no exception. So, there is no need to go out and expose yourself to the virus while you can still participate in the services virtually.

Check out these links:

Emanuel Faith Community Church (Escondido): www.efcc.org/easter
First United Methodist Church (Mission Valley): www.fumcsd.org/news-events/events

Even better, tune into EWTN and CatholicTV to watch the services live.

Download spiritual and sacred music

As Holy Week is fast approaching, consider downloading some sacred music. Find relevant yet appropriate songs and make your own playlists for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. There is no better way to observe Good Friday than by listening to melodious tunes of Good Friday and beautiful music of Resurrection.

Attend a virtual Retreat

A number of retreats and events have been cancelled and moved to online platforms in the wake of the pandemic.

This Good Friday, tune into a televised parish mission and meditate from the comfort of your home.

Cook Traditional Foods

Well, we are not going to detail any specifics about what to have on Easter. You might have that in mind already.

But let’s not jump to Easter first, when Good Friday is at hand.

It’s a no brainer that food is a fundamental part of every festival.  So the best way to celebrate the spirit of Good Friday at home is by making traditional foods. This will provide you an opportunity to connect with your religion and culture in the most delicious way.

Since Good Friday is the day of fasting, you will be eating one meat-free meal and two smaller snacks. Snacks like Hot cross buns are the traditional Good Friday breakfast.

Good Friday has always been a day when we take the weight off our feet. We get in terms with the darkness that oftentimes seems to take over our lives. On this day, we pray to God for taking away our hardships, anxiety, anger and grief. There’s no denying that you will experience all of those feelings in a completely different way.

This Good Friday, dedicate some time for yourself and express what you have been going through this last year.

Let all your feelings out by writing them, expressing them through music, or simply sharing them with your good friend or family member.

On the day of Good Friday, revisit your self-expression. Reach out to God for help and acknowledge that He is with you in your hard times. Explore how Jesus’s resurrection changes the grief of Friday.

Learn about Other Cultures’ Good Friday traditions

Source: Compassion International 

Now is the perfect time to explore and learn how other countries observe the Holy Week and Good Friday. Did you know that in Ghana, every celebrant wears white for Easter Sunday? It’s a good opportunity to broaden your knowledge about other traditions outside of your own.

So, what are your plans for Good Friday? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Have a safe and healthy Good Friday!