Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks Good Friday (photos)

On Good Friday the Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Christ on the Cross.

Good Friday is the day of strictest fasting. By abstaining from water and food, believers express their compassion for Christ's suffering. The faith commands that no work of any kind be undertaken on that day.

In the Christian churches in Bulgaria, a replica of the Holy Shroud is taken out as symbol of Jesus Christ’s divine presence on earth. Believers pass underneath the shroud and pray for health and divine favour.

The rituals in the temples today are dedicated to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

In churches across the country, believers gather for morning services where twelve excerpts from the Gospel recounting Christ's sufferings are read.

During the service, the faithful hold lit candles in their hands - a symbol of the greatness of the Savior during his passion and the spiritual vigilance of Christians. It is no coincidence that it is on this day of the Holy Week that fasting is especially strict - the Church commands that nothing be eaten or drunk, not even water. Christ's shroud, in which his body was wrapped after being taken down from the cross, is taken out.

Before the service begins, Christ's "tomb" is erected in the middle of the church, decorated with flowers, and the shroud is placed on the throne - a piece of cloth on which the image of the Saviour laid in the tomb is embroidered. Nowadays the shroud is usually placed on a table and Orthodox Christians pass under it.

For church ritual, this action has the value of bowing before the tomb of the Lord, and for folk tradition, the hope of health.

The evening service focuses on Christ's death.

Bulgarian Orthodox church marks the start of the Holy Week

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva