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Orthodox Good Friday in United States

Quick Facts

Many Orthodox Christians in the United States remember the events leading up to Jesus Christ's crucifixion on Great Friday.

Local names

NameLanguage
Orthodox Good FridayEnglish
Viernes Santo OrtodoxoSpanish

Orthodox Good Friday 2012

Friday, April 13, 2012

Orthodox Good Friday 2013

Friday, May 3, 2013
List of dates for other years

Orthodox Christian churches in the United States generally observe Good Friday at a later date than the Good Friday date observed by many western churches. Good Friday focuses on Jesus Christ’s death, which is described in the Christian bible. The day is also known as Great Friday, Holy Friday, and Holy and Great Friday.

Many people of the Orthodox Christian faith remember Jesus' death on the cross on Great Friday. ©iStockphoto.com/paulgeor

What do people do?

Great Friday is a strict day of fasting for many Greek Orthodox Christians in the United States. Some Orthodox churches begin observing Holy Friday on Thursday night where the liturgy’s main feature is the reading of 12 sections from the gospels, all of which are accounts of Jesus Christ’s passion. Other churches may have a Good Friday liturgy in the evening.  Some priests remove icons of Jesus from crosses and wrap them in linen to reenact ancient burial rites.

Some Orthodox Bulgarian churches have special traditions, which include allowing people to pass under a table in the middle of the church and light a candle after the church bell rings. This ritual is believed to wash away one’s sins. Many families of the Orthodox Christian faith may spend time on Great Friday to decorate Easter eggs as part of the Easter preparations.

Public life

Great Friday is not a federal public holiday in the United States. However parking conditions may be affected near churches where Great Friday liturgies are held, particularly in busy urban areas.

Background

Many Orthodox churches retained the Julian calendar after the Gregorian calendar was introduced in Europe in 1582. Therefore they often follow a different Easter date compared with many western churches. Easter holidays, such as Good Friday, are “moveable feasts” as these dates change according to calendar calculations.

There are different types of Orthodox churches that are well-established in the United States, including the Greek Hellenic Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, and the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church in North America can be traced back to the late 18th century, where a Russian church was built on Kodiak Island in Alaska during that period.  Alaska was previously part of Russia until the United States bought the land. The number of Greek Orthodox churches grew as Greek immigration increased after the late 19th century in the United States.

Symbols

Many Orthodox Christian families prepare Easter eggs, which are beautifully decorated and often dyed red to symbolize the Jesus Christ’s blood.

About Orthodox Good Friday in other countries

Read more about Orthodox Good Friday.

Orthodox Good Friday Observances

WeekdayDateYearNameHoliday typeWhere it is observed
FriApr 41980Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 241981Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 161982Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriMay 61983Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 201984Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 121985Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriMay 21986Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 171987Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 81988Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 281989Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 131990Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 51991Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 241992Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 161993Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 291994Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 211995Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 121996Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 251997Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 171998Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 91999Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 282000Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 132001Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriMay 32002Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 252003Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 92004Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 292005Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 212006Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 62007Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 252008Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 172009Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 22010Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 222011Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 132012Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriMay 32013Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 182014Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
FriApr 102015Orthodox Good FridayOrthodox 

Related holidays

Other holidays in April 2012 in United States

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