Christians across Rwanda will join millions worldwide on April 3 to mark Good Friday, a key date in the Christian calendar that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The observance falls within Holy Week, the period leading up to Easter Sunday. According to Christian tradition, Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate before being executed by crucifixion, a form of punishment used in the Roman Empire. ALSO READ: What’s good about Good Friday? For Christians, the day marks the death of Jesus, believed to be a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, based on teachings in the Old and New Testaments. The term “Good Friday” is often linked to an older meaning of “good” as “holy,” while some traditions associate it with the belief that the events of that day brought redemption to humanity. Father Vedaste Kayisabe, Secretary General of the Council of Catholic Bishops in Rwanda, said the day centres on the suffering and death of Christ and its deeper meaning. “Good Friday is a day to remember the Holy Cross and the suffering Jesus endured on his way to death. It commemorates the passion and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is both God and man,” he said. He noted that Christians believe Christ came into the world out of love, with the mission of saving humanity from sin. “He came because he loved humanity and wanted people to turn away from sin. Commemorating the passion and death of Jesus Christ is to remember that great love from God and the sacrifice that redeemed humanity,” Father Kayisabe said. In Rwanda, churches mark the day through activities such as the Way of the Cross, which retraces the path Jesus took to his crucifixion. In some parishes, believers carry a cross during the procession, depending on organisation and security considerations. Practices vary across dioceses, but the Way of the Cross is typically held in the morning, between 8am and noon. Later in the day, Christians gather for the Passion Liturgy, usually beginning at 3pm. “At 3pm, there is the celebration of the Passion Liturgy. This includes readings from the Word of God and prayers for the world and all people,” he said.
