Why Good Friday is Called “Good”

By Harun Mugambi

Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, is the Christian day to remember the death of Christ at Calvary.

As Christians worldwide mark Good Friday, a solemn day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a question often arises among believers and non-believers alike: Why is this sorrowful day referred to as "Good"?

The day is marked with sombre services, silent prayers, and reflections on the suffering and death of Jesus at Calvary. Despite the darkness of the events—betrayal, unjust trial, torture, and crucifixion—the Church has, for centuries, called it “Good”.

The Bible provides the reason behind this paradox. In Isaiah 53:5, it is written: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Christian tradition teaches that Jesus's death defeated sin and offered humanity redemption. What appeared to be a day of defeat became the foundation of salvation.

The Gospel of John 15:13 declares: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” That sacrificial love is at the heart of Good Friday. The "goodness" of Good Friday lies in what it accomplished: the ultimate sacrifice of love.

Churches across Kenya held early morning prayers, reenactments of the Passion, and moments of silence in remembrance. In Ndagani, Chuka believers from the Catholic Church gathered for an ecumenical walk of witness commonly known as the Way of the Cross, carrying crosses and singing hymns of lament and hope.

Though sorrowful, Good Friday is a day of divine purpose—a day when, through death, life was made possible.

As Christians look forward to the joy of Easter Sunday, they remember the cross not just as a symbol of suffering, but of grace and victory.