Good Friday in France

Good Friday (Le Vendredi saint) falls two days before Easter Sunday. It is an occasion for many Christians in France to remember the sacrifices Jesus made and his crucifixion. It is a public holiday in some parts of France.

The cross is a popular Christian symbol that is often seen on Good Friday.

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What do people do?

Observant Christians, particularly in the Alsace region, take time to attend special church services. However, church bells are not rung. Some people do not eat any meat or fast totally. For other people, Good Friday is a normal working day. Easter Monday is a public holiday in France so some people leave for a short vacation or trip to visit family members on Good Friday.

Public life

Good Friday is not a public holiday in many parts of France. However, schools and other educational establishments are closed on the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. Good Friday is a public holiday in some parts of Alsace and Lorraine.

Good Friday is also a public holiday in some areas close to the German border and the overseas departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses may be closed or have limited opening hours.

Background

Good Friday is the culmination of a week in which many events in Jesus' life are remembered, according to Christian belief. People commemorate his crucifixion on Good Friday. The crucifixion is an important event for Christians, as they feel it represents the sacrifice that Jesus made for them. Christianity was introduced to France between 300 CE and 400 CE at the time of the Roman Empire.

Symbols

Simple crosses, often made of twigs or palm fronds, and images of Jesus on the cross are common symbols of Good Friday. In some areas, people eat Brioche du Carême. These are small rolls made of bread containing dried fruit and marked with a cross. They are similar to the hot cross buns eaten on Good Friday in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

About Good Friday in other countries

Good Friday Observances

Related holidays

• Easter Day ―Sunday, March 31, 2013
• Easter Monday ―Monday, April 1, 2013

Other holidays in March 2013 in France

• Easter Day ―Sunday, March 31, 2013