# What's good about Good Friday?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 7, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117 "2007-04-07T18:01:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@solkoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solkoe)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/1 "2007-04-07T18:01:21Z")
Well?
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### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/2 "2007-04-07T18:26:24Z")
‘Good’ in this context means ‘Holy’. The day is, in fact, called Holy Friday in many languages.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/3 "2007-04-07T18:34:55Z")
Around here, a day off from work. Unfortunately all the bars are closed.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/4 "2007-04-07T18:53:43Z")
From what I’ve read, the idea is that Jesus’s death is a good thing because he dies for Christians’ sins. Since his death was necessary for this to happen, it was good for those who follow him. The fact that he rose from the dead is even better.
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### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/5 "2007-04-07T18:58:45Z")
The [Catholic Encyclopedia](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06643a.htm) says:
> [@](#):
>
> The origin of the term Good is not clear. Some say it is from “God’s Friday” (_Gottes Freitag_); others maintain that it is from the German _Gute Freitag_, and not specially English.
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/6 "2007-04-07T19:25:05Z")
[QUOTE=solkoe]
Well?
[/QUOTE]
Most of the time, I get a day off work. Other than that, it’s just another day.
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### Author:  [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/7 "2007-04-07T21:01:13Z")
It’s good because I can use four days “holiday” from work, and get nine days off in a row!
Maybe it should be Ace Friday
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/8 "2007-04-07T22:17:53Z")
Friday is merely good.
The Depression was [great](http://tinyurl.com/2azhzj)
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### Author:  [@Tess\_of\_the\_Derbyville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess_of_the_Derbyville)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/9 "2007-04-07T23:31:16Z")
I have a vague memory as a child of hearing it called “Sad Friday.” Anyone else?
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### Author:  [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/10 "2007-04-08T00:13:42Z")
it is great and holy friday in the orthodox world. the days of holy week are great and holy, pascha is sunday, and the week following pascha is bright.
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### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2007, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/11 "2007-04-08T01:07:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> The dripping blood our only drink,
> The bloody flesh our only food:
> In spite of which we like to think
> That we are sound, substantial flesh and blood –
> Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.
–T.S. Eliot
Obviously not a GQ answer for everyone, but Eliot’s way with words says quite a bit in a very few words about its impact on some people.
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### Author:  [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/12 "2007-04-08T18:20:58Z")
Perhaps it should be called “Not So Good” Friday and “Good” Sunday. ?
I mean, JC was having a really bad day that Friday. Sunday was a\* lot\* better.
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### Author:  [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-good-about-good-friday/399117/13 "2007-04-08T19:02:15Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara]
‘Good’ in this context means ‘Holy’. The day is, in fact, called Holy Friday in many languages.
[/QUOTE]
Exactly right.
OED has this sense under Good, 8, c
**c. of a day or season observed as holy by the church. good tide: (a) Christmas; (b) Shrove Tuesday. Cf. GOOD FRIDAY.**