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Why are fasting and penance traditionally observed on Good Friday?
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Easter
Resurrection of Christ, oil on wood panel by Raphael, 1499ā1502; in the Museu de Arte de SĆ£o Paulo, SĆ£o Paulo, Brazil. 52 Ć 44 cm.
Good Friday is observed as a day of fasting and penance because it commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.12
From the early days of Christianity, the day has been marked by sorrow and reflection on the significance of Jesusā Passion as part of the Christian understanding of salvation. The practice of fasting is rooted in the tradition of observing the days "when the Bridegroom was taken away," a reference to the period following Jesus' arrest and death.123
Because of its intense religious focus on Christ's suffering, Good Friday remains a solemn day of prayer and reflection, distinct from the celebratory nature of Easter.12