The Easter bank holiday weekend is finally upon us, although you’d be forgiven for not noticing, what with the schools’ closure and Nigeria lockdown, which is now nearing the end of its second week.
For the vast majority, this weekend will be spent like most others, as they stay at home and only leave the house for essential purposes, like grocery shopping.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday?
Yes, today, Good Friday, is indeed a bank holiday, although check with your employer that bank holidays are included as part of your statutory leave before you clock off for the day.
Monday is also a bank holiday for Nigeria. Once Easter Monday is over, Nigeria have seven more bank holidays in 2020,. These totals include Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Remaining Nigeria bank holidays in 2020
The next bank holiday, after the Easter weekend, falls on Friday 1st May, although whether or not lockdown will be lifted remains to be seen. Here are the full bank holidays remaining in 2020:
Good Friday: Friday 10 April
Easter Monday: Monday 13 April
Workers Day: Friday 1 May
Sallah: Monday 25 May
Democracy Day: Friday 12 June
Eid El Kabir: Friday 31 July
Independence Day: Thursday 1 October
Christmas Day: Friday 25 December
Boxing Day (substitute day): Monday 28 December
Why is it called Good Friday?
Good Friday does not refer to a happy time, as it is the day that Jesus was crucified by the Romans – with Easter Sunday bringing his resurrection or rebirth.
Instead, ‘Good’ comes from the ‘Holy’ or ‘pious’.
Another reference around the name relates to the Bible in which has been called ‘the good book’, while others refer it to Christmas – or Shrovetide – and Good Wednesday during Holy Week.
When is Good Friday?
The date for Good Friday changes every year as Easter is always determined by the Moon.
In 2020, Good Friday falls on April 10.
Easter falls on the first Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon – the first Full Moon after the spring equinox.
In 2020 the spring equinox fell on March 20, with the first Full Moon after this date on April 8.
So then Easter Sunday is calculated as April 12, meaning Good Friday lands on April 10.
Good Friday Is What?
Good Friday is a Christian holiday which marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
According to Christianity, it is when Jesus died to resurrect three days later, which is celebrated on Easter Sunday.
Christians believe Christ came to earth in order to sacrifice himself so sinners would be redeemed.
Several Christian denominations including Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Orthodox mark the day with church services which are sometimes solemn, as they reflect on the suffering Christ went through in order to save mankind, according to the Bible.
This year, as a result of the Government’s directive of a lockdown and for Brits to practice social distancing due to the spread of coronavirus, churches will remain shut for the Easter celebrations.
Many churches across Nigeria are holding online services using Zoom, Facebookc and other media channels.