Liturgy for Good Friday, Rite II

The Crucifixion of Our Lord Good Friday is the most solemn day of the Episcopal year — a day set apart for fasting, prayer, and unflinching attention to the story of the Cross. It is the second day of the Easter Triduum, and it asks something of us that no other day does: to sit with the death of Jesus, to resist the urge to rush toward Easter, and to let the weight of this day be what it is. The Liturgy for Good Friday is a service of stark, austere beauty. There is no Eucharist, no festive music, no triumphant send-off. Instead, the liturgy draws us deeply into scripture, prayer, and meditation on the Passion of our Lord. The Solemn Collects — ancient prayers for the whole world — are chanted in the tradition of the church, and the Veneration of the Cross invites each worshiper into a personal act of devotion before the symbol of our salvation. Come and keep this holy day. Come and stand at the foot of the Cross. He was crucified, died, and was buried.