Christians Silently Mark Good Friday

As the church marks Good Friday, Christians are desperately following invisible events over the radio, recorded events on TV as some flashback their old memories before the outbreak of coronavirus.

With the surge in covid-19 cases, only limited and masked faithfuls are allowed to attend the services.

The Easter week is the most sacred time for all Christians as they commemorate the most important mystery and aspect of their faith such as the redeeming Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, says Anthony Muheria, Archbishop Nyeri Catholic Diocese.

During the previous years, the church would urge all her members to attend the celebration as opposed to last year and this year when only a third of the Christians in every church excluding those with health complications are allowed as others from the locked zones watch from a distance.

It is on this day that Christians believe that Christ was crucified to purge them from their sins- a day believed that John 3:16 takes great effect- for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son that whoever believed shall not perish but have everlasting life.

On this day Christians are advised to give up one’s self before experiencing the joy of the resurrection.

Good Friday as known in the church calendar has for a long time encompassed movement along the roads with Christians imitating every torture that Christ went through before his death.

On this day, Christians would be seen carrying the cross and kneeling on different stages to pray and mirror Christ until his death at the Calvary.

The majority of the churches were fully packed for the liturgical service and veneration of the cross a special practice where Christians kiss the feet of Christ at the cross as a sign of gratitude and great appreciation to the redeeming act of Christ dying on the cross.

Archbishop Muheria described the process as a way of trying humanly to get as close to the event as possible.

However, due to the covid pandemic, the process will not be done.

"We will not be able  to touch the cross, and besides to avoid occasion of infection, people will not move from their places," he said.

He added: "Therefore veneration will be done differently, by the cross being raised and all from their places making a deep bow of reverence to the cross. "

It is also the only day when the altar remains bare, saints’ statues, the cross, and the crucifix veiled with a purple cloth.

Good Friday is celebrated after the holy Thursday when Christians reflected on the institution of the Eucharist, the last supper when Jesus also washed his disciples' feet.

With the disruption of the normal practices of the church and the health directives in place, a lot had to take a different lane not excluding the Easter vigil services.

"We will not have the Night Vigil of the resurrection. We only had a very reduced participation in the mass of Chrism, and we did not have the washing of the feet," said the Bishop.

The Bishop, however,  urged all the believers to participate deeply in a spiritual way, within their small congregations or in the restricted areas within their  homes.

"We are still connected even when we may not be next to one another, we are connected to the event and great mystery of our redemption; Pleas es find time to be part with your families," he said.