The Crucifixion of Christ (Holy Friday) - 00FHF001

Feast Day/Commemorated: Friday Before Great and Holy Pascha

On Great and Holy Friday, the Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Christ on the Cross. This marks the culmination of His Passion, through which our Lord suffered and died for our sins. The commemoration begins on Thursday evening with the Matins of Holy Friday and concludes with Vespers on Friday afternoon, observing Christ's unnailing from the Cross and the placement of His body in the tomb.

Commemoration of Great and Holy Friday

On this solemn day, we remember Christ's immense suffering: the mockery, the crown of thorns, the scourging, the nails, the thirst, the vinegar and gall, the cry of desolation, and all the Savior endured on the Cross.

The day of Christ's death is synonymous with the day of sin. The sin that corrupted God's creation since the dawn of time reached its horrifying peak on Golgotha. There, sin, evil, destruction, and death fully manifested. Ungodly men nailed Him to the Cross, aiming to destroy Him. However, His death irrevocably condemned the fallen world by revealing its true, abnormal nature.

In Christ, the New Adam, there is no sin, and therefore, no death. He embraced death because He took on the full tragedy of our lives. He chose to pour His life into death to destroy it and break the hold of evil. His death is the ultimate revelation of His perfect obedience and love. He endured the excruciating pain of absolute solitude and alienation for us: "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me!" (Mark 15:34). Then, He accepted the ultimate horror of death with the agonizing cry, "It is finished" (John 19:30). His cry simultaneously indicated His control over His death and the completion, finishing, and fulfillment of His redemptive work. How paradoxical! While our death signifies radical unfulfillment, His is total fulfillment.

Christ's death has become our true birthday. Within the mystery of Christ, who is dead and resurrected, death gains positive value. Even if physical, biological death still appears to reign, it's no longer the final stage in a destructive process. It has become the essential doorway and sure sign of our ultimate Pascha, our passage from death to life, rather than from life to death.

Since the beginning, the Church has annually commemorated the decisive and crucial three days of sacred history: Great Friday, Great Saturday, and Pascha. Great Friday and Saturday have been observed as days of profound sorrow and strict fasting since Christian antiquity.

Great Friday and Saturday direct our attention to Christ's trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. We are immersed in the awe-inspiring mystery of our suffering God's extreme humility. Therefore, these days are both days of deep gloom and watchful expectation. The Author of life is actively transforming death into life: "Come, let us see our Life lying in the tomb, that he may give life to those that in their tombs lie dead" (Sticheron of Great Saturday Orthros).

Liturgically, the profound and awe-inspiring event of God's death and burial in the flesh is marked by a unique silence: the absence of a eucharistic celebration. Great Friday and Great Saturday are the only two days of the year when no eucharistic assembly is held. However, before the twelfth century, it was customary to celebrate the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts on Great Friday.

The divine services of Great Friday, with their rich and ample Scripture lessons, superb hymnography, and vivid liturgical actions, bring the Passion of Christ and its cosmic significance into sharp focus. The hymns of the services on this day help us understand how the Church comprehends and celebrates the awesome mystery of Christ's passion and death.

Icons of Great and Holy Friday

On Great and Holy Friday, Orthodox churches display the icon known as "Axra Tapeinosis - The Extreme Humility." This icon depicts the crucified dead body of Christ upright in the tomb with the Cross in the background. It combines the two awesome events of Great Friday: the crucifixion and burial of Christ.

The Church also features an icon of the Crucifixion of Christ, showing Him nailed to the Cross. His right side is pierced, and from the wound flows blood and water. At the foot of the Cross is a skull, as Golgotha, the Mount of the Crucifixion, means "the place of the skull." Tradition holds that Christ's Cross stood directly over the grave of our Forefather Adam. On the top bar of the Cross is the inscription "I.N.B.I.", the initials for the Greek words meaning "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." To Christ's left, the Theotokos and St. Mary Magdalene are often pictured, while the youthful St. John the Beloved Disciple and St. Longinus the Centurion (Mark 15:39) are shown to the right if they are depicted.

Another icon portraying the events of Holy Friday is known as the Epitaphios Thrinos. In this icon, Christ has been taken off the Cross, and His body is being prepared for burial. Surrounding His body and mourning His death are His mother, the Theotokos and Virgin Mary, John the beloved disciple, Joseph of Arimathea, and Mary Magdalene.

In addition to these icons, Orthodox churches process with and display a large wooden Crucifix with an image of Christ attached. At Vespers on Friday, the image of Christ is removed from the Cross and wrapped in a white cloth. Another icon, depicting Christ's body removed from the Cross, appears on the Epitaphios that is carried and placed in the tomb during this service.

Orthodox Celebration of Great and Holy Friday

The commemorations of Holy Friday begin with the Matins service, conducted on Thursday evening. This is a unique Matins service featuring twelve Gospel readings that start with Christ's discourse at the Last Supper and conclude with the account of His burial: John 13:31-18:1, John 18:1-29, Matthew 26:57-75, John 18:28 - 19:16, Matthew 27:3-32, Mark 15:16-32, Matthew 27:33-54, Luke 23:32-49, John 19:38-42, Mark 15:43-47, John 19:38-42, Matthew 27:62-66.

These readings recount Christ's final instructions to His disciples, the prophecy of the drama of the Cross, His dramatic prayer, and His new commandment. After the fifth Gospel reading, a procession with the Crucifix takes place around the church, while the priest chants the Fifteenth Antiphon:

"Today is hung upon the Tree, He Who did hang the land in the midst of the waters. A Crown of thorns crowns Him Who is King of Angels. He is wrapped about with the purple of mockery Who wrapped the Heavens with clouds. He received buffetings Who freed Adam in Jordan. He was transfixed with nails Who is the Bridegroom of the Church. He was pierced with a spear Who is the Son of the Virgin. We worship Thy Passion, O Christ. Show also unto us thy glorious Resurrection."

During the procession, Orthodox Christians kneel and venerate the Cross, praying for their spiritual well-being, imitating the thief on the Cross who confessed his faith and devotion to Christ. The faithful then approach and reverently kiss the Crucifix, which has been placed at the front of the church.

On Friday morning, the services of the Royal Hours are observed. These services primarily consist of readings of prayers, hymns, and passages from the Old Testament, Epistles, and Gospels. The Scripture readings for these services are: First Hour: Zechariah 11:10-13, Galatians 6:14-18, Matthew 27:1-56; Third Hour: Isaiah 50:4-11, Romans 5:6-10, Mark 15:6-41; Sixth Hour: Isaiah 52:13-54:1, Hebrews 2:11-18; Luke 23:32-49; Ninth Hour: Jeremiah 11:18-23,12:1-5,9-11,14-15, Hebrews 10:19-31, John 18:28-19:37.

The Vespers of Friday afternoon are a continuation of the Royal Hours. During this service, the removal of Christ's Body from the Cross is commemorated with a sense of profound mourning. Once more, excerpts from the Old Testament are read along with hymns, and the entire story is recounted, followed by the removal of Christ from the Cross and the wrapping of His body with a white sheet, as Joseph of Arimathea did.

As the priest reads the Gospel, "and taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in a white cloth," he removes the Body of Christ from the Cross, wraps it in a white cloth, and takes it to the altar. The priest then chants a mourning hymn: "When Joseph of Arimathea took Thee, the life of all, down from the Tree dead, he buried Thee with myrrh and fine linen . . . rejoicing. Glory to Thy humiliation, O Master, who clothest Thyself with light as it were with a garment." The priest then carries the cloth, on which the Body of Christ is painted or embroidered, around the church before placing it inside the Sepulcher, a carved bier symbolizing the Tomb of Christ. We are reminded that during Christ's entombment, He descends into Hades to free the dead of the ages before His Resurrection.

The Scripture readings for Vespers are: Exodus 33:11-23; Job 42:12-17; Isaiah 52:13-54:1; I Corinthians 1:18-2:2; and from the Gospels Matthew 27:1-38; Luke 23:39-43; Matthew 27:39-54; John 19:31-37; and Matthew 27:55-61.

Hymns and Prayers for Great and Holy Friday

Fifteenth Antiphon of the Matins (Plagal of the Second Tone)

"Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross. He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns. He who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery. He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face. The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails. The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear. We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ. Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection."

Exapostelarion

"On the same day, O Lord, You granted the Robber Paradise. Now by the wood of the Cross, illumine me and save me."

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