Christians in Ghana are today joining their counterparts all over the world to commemorate Good Friday, one of the most significant events on the Christian calendar.
The Day marks the suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of the world and reconcile believers with God eternally.
Holy Friday is observed as part of the Paschal Triduum, which is the final three days of Lent and Holy Week – the Friday preceding Easter Sunday.
Many Christians in Ghana wear black or mourning clothing to attend special church services to commemorate the day, which is one of the pillars of Christianity.
Some churches organise conventions for soul winning or musical concerts to celebrate Christ for His gift of life to mankind.
Good Friday comes barely a week after Palm Sunday, which marked the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
Many Christians have over the Lent period been fasting, praying and asking for repentance and meditation on the agony and suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and to understand what this means for their faith.
Members of Christian denominations including; Catholics, Methodists, and Anglicans observe the Holy Friday with worship services, prayer and vigil services, fasting and almsgiving.
However, according to the Moravian church, communicants have a Good Friday tradition of cleaning gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.
Good Friday is a widely instituted legal holiday in many countries around the world, including Ghana.
In Germany, laws prohibit some acts, such as dancing and horse racing that are seen as violating the solemn nature of the day.
The Catholics celebrate Baptism and the anointing of the sick as the only sacraments during this time.
Though the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, a traditional prayer book of the Anglican Church, did not specify a particular rule to be observed on Good Friday, local custom mandates an assortment of services including; the “Seven Last Words from the Cross.
Ahead of the celebrations, some Christians have extended best wishes, advices and word of encouragement to the Christian community.
The Reverend Dr Lawrence Tetteh, Founder and President of Worldwide Miracle Outreach, for instance, urged Christians to learn lessons from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to give meaning to His suffering.
He said Jesus Christ’s humility, Service, obedience and selflessness should be “our hallmark.”
“My prayer is that as a people, we will reflect on the mercies of our God and bless others accordingly…. May the nations be blessed as we renew our minds to deepened our relationship with our maker,” he added.
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, the Most Bishop Paul Boafo, urged repentance and the adoption of healthy lifestyles that would promote peace, unity and national advancement.
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