Holy Friday (Good Friday ) Epitaphios.

 

On Holy Friday (Good Friday) the Church mourns the death and burial of Christ. The Epitaphio symbolises the tomb of Christ.

Housewives do not do any housework on this day and avoid cooking. Instead young women and children (I was glad to be included in this category) go to church to traditionally adorn the Epitaphio with fresh flowers ready to receive the body of Christ. 

The flowers are purchased using the evening collection money and added to flowers picked from the villagers own gardens.

 
Collection baskets

We assembled early morning on Holy Friday, when the Epitaphio is brought out of storage. The flowers are decoratively arranged, pushing the stems through the carvings of the wooden Epitaphio which are then trimmed inside.

2021

Hand tied posies are made to cover the four pillars.

Children make petal confetti for inside the Epitaphio where the photograph of Jesus Christ will lay.

 2022

2022

On Holy Day's evening service we observed the unnailing of Christ's body from the cross and the placement of his body in the tomb (placing of photograph) on a bed of fresh petals where the faithful venerate it. (kiss the photograph). This is the saddest day for Christians and traditionally there is a somber procession carrying the cross and then the tomb around the village of Haradiatica, but in 2021 the Epitaphio was only carried around the Church yard. 

The Epitaphio is then raised high so that faithful may pass under it to receive Gods Grace, kissing the Bible held by the Priest. 

The flowers are then carefully taken from the Epitaphio and distributed amongst the village worshipers who take them to their homes.

On Holy Day it is also said that men stop doing any craft that might involve nails or spikes, which refers to Christs death on the cross. Many people also drink vinegar in resemblance to the vinegar given to Jesus on the cross.   

If you have an opportunity to attend a local church service on Holy Friday then remember to take your camera. The Epitaphio adorned with flowers is truly a sight not to be missed.