Good Friday…
- szuuted
- 3 maj 2023
- 2 minut(y) czytania
Sant Friday is a normal workday in Italy. Everything is open and after work, people slowly start to prepare themselves for the most important day, Holy Sunday. They begin to do or order traditional baking, specialties in supermarkets, paniciffico, or rosticceria. For the children, the big chocolate eggs are bought. You can find and buy them everywhere since the beginning of fasting.
Typical chocolate eggs
On Holly Friday, according to the Catholic Church, there is a strict fast. In Italy, this tradition is observed, and no meat dishes are eaten, only fish or seafood. There are no masses in churches, only Good Friday services. During this, there is a liturgy of the word, in which a passion is read, divided into roles. Another significant moment is the procession of the cross. Priests take the covered cross and walk with it to the altar so that they can unveil it before the entire people. After this, communion is distributed and so the service ends. Everyone leaves the church in silence and deep reflection.
In many parishes, there is organized adoration of the cross with prayers. Later in the evening/night around 9:00 pm, Stations of the Cross are taken place for parishioners, during which prayers usually go out on the street streets with candles and follow the cross.
Good Friday services
When I was in Pompeii, I experienced an amazing service and an unusual happening for me. First, they organized a via cruces for children in Piazza Giovanni XXIII in the territory of Santuario della Beata Vergine Maria del Santo Rosario di Pompei. The scouts prepared their cross way, with their paintings, prayers, etc. Another really breaking experience was during the procession of the veiled cross to the altar. I saw many people sad, pensive, and crying. But this was nothing compared to one lady who ran out in front of the cross and started shouting, crying, asking Jesus why he was leaving us, not letting him, stopping him to continue going on the cross. It was an unbelievable experience, as if I went back in time to the passion in Jerusalem!
Traditions are beautiful, important, and part of our self. But on this day of reverie, it's worth it for us to hold on to our own lives, reflect, and fast. Easily take a little time to prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming events as well!
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