The collected works of G.K. Chesterton (1987)

Christ the Redeemer

G.K. Chesterton The collected works of G.K. Chesterton (1987) pp.188-90

• All the great groups that stood about the Cross represent in one way or another the great historical truth of the time; that the world could not save itself. Man could do no more. Rome and Jerusalem and Athens and everything else were going down like a sea turned into a slow cataract. Externally indeed the ancient world was still at its strongest; it is always at that moment that the inmost weakness begins. But in order to understand that weakness we must repeat what has been said more than once; that it was not the weakness of a thing originally weak. It was emphatically the strength of the world that was turned to weakness and the wisdom of the world that was turned to folly.
• In this story of Good Friday it is the best things in the world that are at their worst. That is what really shows us the world at its worst. It was, for instance, the priests of a true monotheism and the soldiers of an international civilisation. Rome, the legend, founded upon fallen Troy and triumphant over fallen Carthage, had stood for a heroism which was the nearest that any pagan ever came to chivalry. Rome had defended the household gods and the human decencies against the ogres of Africa and the hermaphrodite monstrosities of Greece. But in the lightning flash of this incident, we see great Rome, the imperial republic, going downward under her Lucretian doom. Scepticism has eaten away even the confident sanity of the conquerors of the world. He who is enthroned to say what is justice can only ask:
• ‘What is truth?’ So in that drama which decided the whole fate of antiquity, one of the central figures is fixed in what seems the reverse of his true role. Rome was almost another name for responsibility. Yet he stands for ever as a sort of rocking statue of the irresponsible. Man could do no more. Even the practical had become the impracticable. Standing between the pillars of his own judgement-seat, a Roman had washed his hands of the world.
• Since that day it has never been quite enough to say that God is his heaven and all is right with the world; since the rumour that God had left his heavens to set it right.

Holy Friday (24. April 2008) Serbian Orthodox Church

Because of the penitence and sorrow associated with the Crucifixion, the Divine Liturgy is never celebrated on Good Friday, which Eastern Orthodox call "Holy and Great Friday", except when this day coincides with the feast of the Annunciation. The faithful revisit the events of the day through public reading of the Psalms and Gospels, and singing hymns about Christ's death. Rich visual imagery and symbolism as well as stirring hymnody are remarkable elements of these observances. In the Orthodox understanding, the events of Holy Week are not simply an annual commemoration of past events, but the faithful actually participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Holy Friday (24. April 2008) Serbian Orthodox Church

• Because of the penitence and sorrow associated with the Crucifixion, the Divine Liturgy is never celebrated on Good Friday, which Eastern Orthodox call "Holy and Great Friday", except when this day coincides with the feast of the Annunciation.
• The faithful revisit the events of the day through public reading of the Psalms and Gospels, and singing hymns about Christ's death. Rich visual imagery and symbolism as well as stirring hymnody are remarkable elements of these observances. In the Orthodox understanding, the events of Holy Week are not simply an annual commemoration of past events, but the faithful actually participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus. *Each hour of this day is the new suffering and the new effort of the expiatory suffering of the Savior. And the echo of this suffering is already heard in every word of our worship service -unique and incomparable both in the power of tenderness and feeling and in the depth of the boundless compassion for the suffering of the Savior. The Holy Church opens before the eyes of believers a full picture of the redeeming suffering of the Lord beginning with the bloody sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane up to the crucifixion on Golgotha. Taking us back through the past centuries in thought, the Holy Church brings us to the foot of the cross of Christ erected on Golgotha, and makes us present among the quivering spectators of all the torture of the Savior. Holy and Great Friday is observed as a strict fast, and adult Byzantine Christians are expected to abstain from all food and drink the entire day to the extent that their health permits. On this Holy day neither a meal is offered nor do we eat on this day of the crucifixion. If someone is unable or has become very old [or is] unable to fast, he may be given bread and water after sunset. In this way we come to the holy commandment of the Holy Apostles not to eat on Great Friday. *On this Holy day neither a meal is offered nor do we eat on this day of the crucifixion. If someone is unable or has become very old [or is] unable to fast, he may be given bread and water after sunset. In this way we come to the holy commandment of the Holy Apostles not to eat on Great Friday. *Holy and Great Friday is observed as a strict fast, and adult Byzantine Christians are expected to abstain from all food and drink the entire day to the extent that their health permits.

  Date of Christ's Death

  *Jesus Christ died at 3 p.m. on the Good Friday, April 3, 33AD and rose again at 4 a.m. on April 5. **Romanian astronomers determination of the time of Jesus Christ's death, in Date of Christ's Death Pinpointed (16 May 2003) *The New Testament says that Jesus Christ died on the day after the first night with a full moon following the vernal equinox day. The astronomers employed information about revolution of the planets within 26-35 AD and found out that it was only two times within the period that the fool moon followed the vernal equinox immediately. The first date was Friday, April 7, 30 AD and the second time this combination repeated was April 3, 33AD. However, the Bible also mentions a solar eclipse that occurred during crucifixion of Jesus Christ. According to astronomy records, a partial solar eclipse was registered only in 33AD. **Reasoning attributed to Bible for determination of the date of Christ’s death, in "Date of Christ's Death Pinpointed (16 May 2003)".

  Communion

  

  ... Because people remain to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, any work on the environment should be done in silence, particularly if the place of repose is within earshot....The Blessed Sacrament is brought into the sanctuary for Holy Communion along with a fair linen, corporal and candles. These are returned to the altar of repose and the sacristy, respectively after Communion.
  *Enough hosts should be consecrated to allow for the Communion of the faithful on Good Friday. The altar of repose for the Blessed Sacrament should be carefully constructed, but need not be overly ornate. **Robert C. Rabe, et. Al, in Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays 2014: The Almanac for Pastoral..., p. 147 *The rubrics call for the altar to be stripped and the removal or veiling of crosses after the liturgy in preparation for Good Friday. Veils should be violet in color. If the font is to be emptied, this may happen at this time also. While the church need not be stripped of furniture and art, generally simplicity should be the norm for Good Friday. Because people remain to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, any work on the environment should be done in silence, particularly if the place of repose is within earshot....The Blessed Sacrament is brought into the sanctuary for Holy Communion along with a fair linen, corporal and candles. These are returned to the altar of repose and the sacristy, respectively after Communion. **Robert C. Rabe, et. Al, in "Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays 2014: The Almanac for Pastoral...", p. 147 Epitaphios *The emergence of the epitaphios from the Late Byzantine era 121 is related to the standardization of the Holy Saturday service (called Lamentations and held by anticipation on the evening of Good Friday) in the fourteenth century. Initially, the epitaphios depicted the amnos (lamb), the dead Christ. By the fourteenth century the epitaphios became the epitaphios threnos (burial lament). Instead of a solitary Christ lying dead as in the early epitaphios, the epitaphios threnos, depicting a funeral gathering of figures, includes the lamentation of the Theotokos over the dead son. ** Eugen J. Pentiuc, in The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition {9 January 2014, p. 310

  Ban on Gambling

  *To allow gambling and encourage avarice on Good Friday, when we are remembering the sacrifice Jesus made for the world, is particularly regrettable. **Mike Judge, of the Christian Institute, Objecting to the lifting of the ban on gambling on Good Friday in Good Friday gambling angers churches (21 March 2008) *Ironically, the soldiers who crucified Jesus then gambled for his clothes. But Jesus said, 'Father forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing'. ** Rev Ken Howcroft, in “Good Friday gambling angers churches (21 March 2008)”

  Self-flagellation

  Kathy Marks Dozens ignore warnings to re-enact crucifixion 22 March 2008 *Dozens of people were nailed to crosses in the devoutly Roman Catholic Philippines on Good Friday, in a gruesome re-enactment of the crucifixion, while others atoned for their sins by flaying themselves with bamboo whips or paddles tipped with broken glass. *The ritual has become a Good Friday tradition in certain villages, where tourists flock to hear the locals scream in agony as seven-inch nails are driven into their hands and feet. Penitents are then hoisted up on crosses and left for five minutes in the scorching sun before the nails are pulled out. *It is painful and difficult. But I will continue doing this for as long as I can. This is my pledge to God. ** Ruben Enaje, donned a crown of thorns in Cutud [near Manila] before being nailed to a cross for the 22nd time. Mr Enaje, a 47-year-old decorator told he had missed the ritual only once, eight years ago. He was subsequently stricken with stomach ulcers and his wife was taken ill. *The Church does not recommend it, because the Church is against self-flagellation. But we cannot question somebody's faith. ** Fr Norman Vitug *[just a] show. The spiritual dimension is totally lost. *Deogracias Iniguez *This Good Friday, help me Lord to become a humble and loving person, just like you. Make me more like you Jesus so that I may lead others to you. Amen **Wolston Lobo

  Procession

  *In many places, Christians of different denominations join for a procession [on Good Friday] through a city or town. The procession passes through the streets, usually with one or two people carrying a large wooden cross, which may be placed in a square or other area large enough to allow a short act of worship to take place.

  • Gordon Geddes, Jane Griffiths, in "Christian Belief and Practice: The Roman Catholic Tradition (2002)", p. 115

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns traditionally toasted and eaten on Good Friday

• In Greece and a number of other countries it is customary to eat something on Good Friday to which vinegar is added, in memory of the vinegar that Christ was offered on the cross. To this good soup the vinegar adds a symbolic touch… Unlike [today] Good Friday, when it is to be found throughout Lent, the Hot Cross Bun was originally eaten only on Good Friday.
  • Evelyn Birge Vitz (1991), in A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith ..., p. 190

• The Church of England associates them with Good Friday, that day when the symbolism of the cross is all important. But you can find some references to them being eaten during Lent.
  • Finlo Rohrer, in How did hot cross buns become two a penny? (1 April 2010), p. 190

• You have got the bread, as per the communion, you have got the spices that represent the spices Jesus was wrapped in in the tomb, and you have got the cross. They are fairly full of Christian symbolism.
  • Finlo Rohrer, in “How did hot cross buns become two a penny? (1 April 2010)”