Good Friday: the most powerful prayer, church service

Good Friday is a special day filled with holy awe and silent sadness. It is on this day that the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ is remembered — the culmination of His earthly sufferings and an act of immeasurable love for humanity. In 2025, according to the Orthodox calendar, Good Friday falls on April 18, and on this day Orthodox Christians gather in churches to reverently participate in divine services. What time the service begins, what prayers are read, how to turn to the Lord on this day — in the material of Izvestia.

Good Friday, April 18: what time is the service in the church, how long does it last

On this day, special services are held in Orthodox churches, characterized by rigor and penetration. They are not like the usual liturgy — the Eucharist is not celebrated on Good Friday, because Christ has not yet risen and remains on the cross.

Main worship services of the day:

The Great, or Royal, hours are the morning divine service, which usually begins around 8:00 a.m. At each hour, certain apostolic and evangelical readings take place, the popular name "Royal" arose due to the fact that in Byzantium, the emperor and his retinue were present at these hours in the cathedral. Believers return to the events of Jesus' trial.

Vespers with the removal of the Shroud is performed in the afternoon, usually around 2 p.m. or later, depending on the temple. The shroud is a cloth with the image of the buried Jesus, which is taken out of the altar as the image of the Lord, taken down from the cross and placed in the coffin.

The Matinee of Holy Saturday with the rite of the Burial of the Shroud is most often served on Friday evening, at 18:00. In fact, at this service, believers share the fate of Christ and mourn his sacrifice. The service continues with a procession with the Shroud around the temple, after which it is brought into the temple and brought to the Royal Gate, the central one in the altar. After the service, parishioners can venerate the Shroud.

The time of worship services may vary slightly in different churches. It is better to check the schedule on your parish's website or on the church's bulletin board.

The Canon of the Crucifixion of the Lord and the Lament of the Most Holy Theotokos

The Canon of the Crucifixion of the Lord and the canon of the lament of the Most Holy Theotokos are special poetic prayers of Good Friday.

They express the pain and sorrow of the Mother of God at the sight of the crucified Son, the penitent contemplation of the passion of Christ on behalf of the believer.

The Canon of the Crucifixion of the Lord

This canon is written with deep reverence and appeals to Christ, who suffers on the cross. He expresses contrition for the sins that brought the Lord to Golgotha and a request for mercy. The words are especially touching:

"O Master, You were raised up on a tree like a lamb slain, and you drew everything from the earth to salvation..."

The Canon of the Lament of the Virgin

It contains the voice of a Mother mourning the death of Her Son. These troparia are filled with spiritual pain and maternal love. This is not only an artistic image, but also a spiritual sympathy for everyone who has lost a loved one.

Reading these canons helps the believer to join the Theotokos' grief and to comprehend the Savior's Sacrifice more deeply.

What to pray for on Good Friday: the most powerful prayer

Good Friday is a day of silent and tearful prayer. There is no place for fuss, requests for mundane things, or any noisy fun. This is the time when a Christian's heart should be with the Lord.

On this day, they pray for the forgiveness of sins, for humility and repentance, as well as for inner transformation.

A powerful prayer for Good Friday: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Your sufferings, for the sake of the Blood shed on the cross, have mercy on me, a sinner. Grant me tears of repentance, strength of patience and strong faith. May I not pass by Your Cross indifferently, but with the fear of God and love I will fall down to You, my Savior. Amen to that."