02/04/2026
What's so Good about Good Friday? And why do we traditionally eat fish tomorrow?
Tomorrow is Good Friday, the day Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus. At first, the name can sound strange and inappropriate. Why call such a dark and sorrowful day âgoodâ? Christians have traditionally used the word not because the events were pleasant, but because of what we believe God was doing through them: in the suffering and death of Jesus, God was at work for the salvation of the world. Good Friday is solemn, even grief-filled: but it is also called âgoodâ because we believe it is part of the good news of Godâs love.
In many Christian traditions, people avoid eating meat on Good Friday, especially red meat, as a small act of self-denial and remembrance. Historically, this comes especially from Catholic practice, where, from very early times, abstaining from meat became a common way of marking sorrow, reflection, and repentance â taking time to recognise the weight of sin and our need for Godâs mercy. Fish was traditionally eaten during these times, partly because it was seen as a plain, simple food, while meat from land animals was expensive and seen as luxurious. Eating fish was considered fasting, not feasting!
In Australia today, many who would not describe themselves as especially religious still keep to the custom of choosing fish on Good Friday. Like many traditions, it has travelled beyond regular church life and into our wider culture.
