why is Good Friday called Good?

The Old Anglo-Saxon name for Good Friday was 'Lang Fredag or Long Friday.   It was called 'long' because it created the sense of being great and significant.

Good Friday is called Good because it is the day that:

• our salvation was won for us by Christ on the Cross.

• sorrow, solemnity and mourning occur in the Liturgy.
• represents it being 'God's Friday'.
• the good thief rebuked the other thief dying with Jesus and Jesus granted him ' today you will be with me in paradise'.

The Church decrees that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday  are days of fasting and abstinence for all adult Catholics from 14-65 years.  It is only a minimum requirement laid down by the Church, but fasting, prayer and almsgiving are essential tools in our journey of conversion of heart  in this season of penance. For health reasons, the Church does not expect the sick and infirm to fast and abstain..

What does the Church mean by fasting?   The Church's expectation of fasting means to eat much less than would normally be eaten on these 2 days specifically, by eating one main meal and two light snacks. A traditional main meal dish on Good Friday is either fish  or vegetable casserole. Hot Cross buns are usually served as the light snack.  It is highly recommended that we maintain fasting by not eating between these snacks and main meal on these two days.  Abstinence requires that we abstain from all meat and meat products.

Good Friday is vital to every Christian as it is the day Christ gave His life for humanity so that salvation may be won for all.

May this Good Friday bring you new meaning and appreciation 

for the eternal life won for you by Christ's death on the cross.