History & traditions
Why Good Friday and Easter are observed
Holy Week
Easter is the most important festival of the Christian year. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Christians believe took place on the third day after his crucifixion. It comes at the end of Lent, forty days of prayer, fasting and charity that begin on Ash Wednesday, and of Holy Week, the last week of Lent. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, recalling Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, when people waved palm branches; in India, churches distribute palm fronds or tender coconut leaves.
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday
On Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday), Christians remember the Last Supper, when Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples and washed their feet. Many churches hold a foot-washing service. In Kerala, Syrian Christian families make Pesaha appam, an unleavened bread, and a sweet drink called Pesaha paal, eaten together at home after prayers.
Good Friday is a solemn day remembering the crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary (Golgotha) outside Jerusalem. It is called 'good' because Christians believe his death brought salvation. Churches hold long services with readings of the Passion, the Way of the Cross (fourteen Stations of the Cross), and silent prayer; many people fast. In India, Good Friday is a public holiday. Pilgrims climb to the hill shrine of Malayattoor in Kerala carrying crosses, and processions are held in Goa, Mumbai, Mangaluru, Chennai and the North-East.
Easter Sunday
Holy Saturday is quiet, and the Easter Vigil begins on Saturday night with the lighting of a new fire and the Paschal candle, symbolising Christ as the light of the world. Easter Sunday is a day of joy: churches are decorated with white flowers and lilies, bells ring, and hymns of 'Alleluia' return after Lent. Families gather for a festive meal — in Kerala often appam with stew or meat curry, in Goa sweets and roasts — and in many homes children enjoy Easter eggs, a symbol of new life.
Why the date changes
Easter does not have a fixed date. Since the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, Western churches have calculated it as the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox, set as 21 March for this purpose. So Easter falls between 22 March and 25 April. Orthodox churches use the older Julian calendar for the calculation, so their Easter is often later. Good Friday is always the Friday before Easter Sunday.
Planning your trip
The Good Friday–Easter weekend is a popular short break, especially in Goa, Kerala, Mumbai and the North-East, and coincides with the end of the school year in many states. Book early if you want to attend services in a particular church, and check service timings, as some parishes hold services in several languages.