03/04/2026
*CELEBRATING HOLY WEEK RIGHT:* *Guidance on Common Liturgical Errors*
*Good Friday*
1. Good Friday is the only day of the year when no Mass is celebrated. Only the sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick are permitted (cf. Rubric for the Friday of the Passion of the Lord (FPL), 1).
2. The Good Friday liturgy takes place at about 3:00 p.m., unless pastoral reasons suggest a later hour (cf. FPL, 4).
3. The priest and ministers proceed to the altar in silence, without any singing (cf. PS 65).
4. On arrival at the altar, there is often confusion about the proper posture of the priest celebrant and the other ministers. After making the reverence to the altar, they prostrate themselves or, if appropriate, kneel and pray in silence for a while, while the rest of the congregation kneels (cf. FPL, 6).
5. When the priest celebrant goes to his chair, he says the prayer with hands extended, facing the people, without the invitation, "Let us pray" (cf. FPL, 6).
6. Neither incense nor candles are used for the narrative of the Passion. Just like on Palm Sunday, the greeting of the people and the signing of the book are omitted.
7. After the verse of the death of the Lord, all kneel and a brief pause is observed. "This is the Gospel of the Lord" is said without the book being kissed.
8. During the showing of the cross, at every instance when the one who carries the cross says "Behold the wood of the cross", we are all invited to respond "Come let us adore", and at the end of the singing, kneel for a brief moment and adore in silence while the priest stands and holds the cross raised.
9. During the adoration of the cross, the priest celebrant alone approaches the cross with the chasuble and his shoes removed, if appropriate (cf. FPL, 18).
10. According to the rubrics, only the cross should be used for adoration (cf. FPL, 19).
11. The cross is venerated by the clergy and the faithful, moving as if in a procession. Before the cross, they make a simple genuflection or perform some other appropriate sign of reverence according to local custom, for example, the kissing of the cross (cf. CB 322).
12. If, because of the large number of people, it is not possible for all to approach individually, the priest, after some of the clergy and faithful have adored, takes the cross and, standing in the middle before the altar, invites the people in a few words to adore the Holy Cross, and afterwards holds the cross elevated higher for a brief time, for the faithful to adore it in silence (cf. FPL, 19; CB 323).
13. When the Blessed Sacrament is brought from the altar of repose (or from the chapel where it was reserved) to the main altar for distribution during communion, the faithful stand in silence (cf. FPL, 22).
14. When the distribution of communion has been completed, as stated in the rubric, "the ciborium is taken by the deacon or another suitable minister to a place prepared outside the church or, if circumstances so require, it is placed in the tabernacle" (FPL, 29).
15. On this day, after the blessing, all depart in silence. Without the silence, we cannot contemplate, reflect, and hear our crucified Lord. Where Good Friday becomes truly silent, there the mystery of salvation is most heard
