Good Friday

Good Friday Festival, Goa

Good Friday festival is also referred to as Black Friday, Holy Friday, Great Friday or Easter Friday. This festival holds a special significance for the Christian community. This day is celebrated as the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and even the death on Friday just before the Easter Sunday. It has been seen that Christians do fasting and praying on this very day and Three Hours’ Agony prayer is offered from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 PM.

Every Christian calendar, which is also known as liturgical calendar, is marked with four significant days of the Easter week. The first day of the Easter week is Holy Thursday, then Good Friday, then Holy Saturday and this week comes to an end with the celebrations on Easter Sunday.

Unlike Christmas which is usually celebrated on a fixed date of the year that is 25th December, the date of Easter varies each year. Celebration date of this depends on the Hebrew or Jewish calendar.

Easter celebrations in Goa

As we all know, Christians are staying in good numbers in Goa, so the celebration of Easter week is of a different level. In reality, the day of crucifixion of Jesus Christ is celebrated in a totally different way in Goa. The real celebration of Good Friday in Goa begins on the day just before. A feast is arranged to celebrate the Last Supper as described in the Bible. The next day is celebrated as Good Friday by Goa people.

The Good Friday festival is celebrated all over Goa, but the most stunning celebration of this festival happens in the city of Panaji, the capital city of Goa. As every Church of Goa observes Easter, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in Panaji, Goa is the main attraction point of the festivities and so, it attracts the crowd from all over the world to celebrate Good Friday. People gather to this place only to join the crowd and observe the Way of the Cross. The Way of the Cross is actually a re-enactment of the events leading up to Jesus Christ crucifixion. A cross made up of wood is carried down the church steps and moved through all the streets of the city and then is bring back to the church by clergymen. A huge crowd dressed in formal clothing follows the entire procession. In order to witness the procession with a band playing the music to re-create the same atmosphere, people line up on the roadside.

Easter Eggs

To symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus, Easter eggs are used. Previously, chicken eggs are embellished with different colors, but now eggs have been replaced with jellybeans and chocolates of egg-shape.

Easter Feast

As Easter signifies the end of 40 days of Lent, the Easter feast is extremely delicious. A line of cuisines and desserts are prepared only for this grand feast, some of the popular dishes and desserts prepared specially for the Easter feast are mentioned below:

. Vindaloo

. Sorpotel

. Xacuti

. Bebinka

If you want to witness the biggest celebration of Good Friday festival in India, visit only Goa.

Information:-

2025 Festival Date: Friday, 18 April

2024 Festival Date: Friday, 29 March

2023 Festival Date: Friday, 7 April

2022 Festival Date: Friday, 15 April

2021 Festival Date: Friday, 2 April

2020 Festival Date: Friday, 10 April

2019 Festival Date:Friday, 19 April

2018 Festival Date: Friday, 30 March

Importance : Death day of the Jesus Christ.

Type : Christian Religion Festival.

Frequency: Annual