Orthodox Religious icons and colors associated with Good Friday

The customs and practices of the Orthodox Christian Church are steeped in tradition and theological significance. It is perhaps during the Lenten season and the Paschal Feast that they may be observed most easily. Good Friday is one of the most sacred days in the Christian Church. Here is a look into some customs associated with Good Friday. Although these customs may vary based on the location and congregational, the essence remains the same.

Orthodox Religious Icons

Orthodox religious icons are works of art, usually paintings, that depict sacred images that are used in religious devotions, which may include depictions of Christ, the Theotokos, Holy Angels, Saints, as well as scenes from the Bible. They are often painted on wooden panels but may also be embroidered on cloth, and printed in various mediums.

The Orthodox Epitaphios is one of the most widely-recognized orthodox religious icons in the Orthodox Church. A long-standing and beloved tradition is the Orthodox Epitaphios being used during Good Friday liturgical services, where it is placed on the Holy Table before the service of the Apokathelosis. Towards the end of the service, it is placed inside the wooden sepulcher that symbolizes Christ’s tomb. The Orthodox Epitaphios is a richly embroidered rectangular cloth depicting the body of Christ lying supine in his tomb. Around him are the Theotokos, Holy Angels, and other figures such as Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, and John the Beloved disciple. The four evangelists — Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John may be depicted in the four corners. The Orthodox Epitaphios often has a burgundy-colored border with a gold fringe. It may also have embroidery around the edges of gold lettering with special or symbolic meaning.

Special colors of vestment fabric

In the Orthodox Christian Church, a vestment fabric is not just a piece of cloth used during liturgical services. The clergy, consisting of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons wear different vestments; some are worn by all three orders, while others are worn by certain orders only. Each component of the vestments worn by the clergy has a deeply religious significance. In the early days of the church, the main color of the vestment fabric was white. Over time, however, colors began to be used. The color of a vestment fabric is again associated with different Feasts of the Orthodox Church. Traditionally, the color white is worn during Lent, Good Friday, and Pascha. However, in some churches such as in Moscow, Jerusalem and on Mount Athos, red may be used during Pascha. During Good Friday, the clergy may wear white as the color of their vestment fabric as it is the color of purity and is associated with death and resurrection.