There are still many people who misunderstand the difference between The Good Friday and The Ascension Day. Both are important events, especially in Christianity and the difference must be understood.

The two events occurred sequentially, but the events and warnings were different. So it is important to understand the different meanings of these two events and how Christians commemorate them.

Understanding The Good Friday and Its Meaning

Done every Friday before Easter, the day Jesus died is also called Good Friday. Other terms that are usually used include Great Friday, Holy Friday, or Good Friday.

Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the story of the crucifixion and the death of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is also one part of the Tri Holy Days of Christian Easter celebrations.

1. History of Good Friday Commemoration

The commemoration of Good Friday has been known since the early history of Christianity in the world. Good Friday is a day of sorrow, penance, and fasting to commemorate Jesus' sacrifice.

Good Friday is included in the church's liturgical calendar which is included in Holy Week (1 week before the celebration of Easter). This day is believed to be a holy day where Jesus sacrificed to save humanity.

Since 1953, Indonesia has designated the day of the death of Jesus Christ as a national holiday. This is stipulated through Presidential Decree no. 24 of 1953 concerning Holidays.

2. Good Friday Worship Services Performed by Christians

In commemoration of Good Friday or the death of Jesus Christ, Christians throughout the world perform worship. This service consists of three parts, namely the Service of the Word, the Service of Respect, and the Service of Holy Communion.

There are differences in Good Friday celebrations for several Christian communities. However, the basic meaning is the same, namely remembering the sacrifice and death of Jesus Christ.

1. Especially for followers of the Catholic religion, no mass is held on Good Friday and only reception of Holy Communion is held. So the procession is carried out by praying in the form of a holy sacrament.
   
   
2. Churches will hold holy masses, and some churches even hold stations of the cross.
   
   
3. Fast on Good Friday or eat less.
   
   
4. If you do not attend mass at church, exactly at 15.00, stop doing any activities. Use the time to pray and reflect on God.
   
   
5. Especially for Orthodox Christians, abstain from consuming meat (including milk and eggs).
   
   
6. Orthodox Christians also attended the morning service where the Twelve Passion Stories from the Bible were read, as well as the Afternoon Funeral Service.

In essence, the processions carried out in commemoration of Good Friday are different for each group. You can follow according to your individual beliefs and the church you use as a role model.

3.The meaning of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ

Some of these things are the meaning of the crucifixion carried out on Jesus Christ. It is also important to understand the deep meaning of the commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ.

1. Jesus was crucified because he was the alleged victim of the hatred and hostility of the Jewish religious leaders.
   
   
2. The story of Jesus' crucifixion and death is Jesus' sacrifice to atone for human sins which has become God's plan of salvation.
   
   
3. In the Gospels, it is stated that Jesus' death was the central expression of God's true and unlimited love.
   
   
4. Jesus' suffering when he was crucified was a manifestation of God's solidarity with humans, so that humans could gain strength and hope.
   
   
5. Jesus' suffering is also interpreted as a reference for Christians in viewing the suffering of life.

Understanding the Ascension of Jesus Christ and its Meaning

In contrast to commemorating The Good Friday, the ascension of Isa the Messiah is the day of Jesus' ascension to heaven. The commemoration takes place 39 days after Easter week or the 40th day of Easter.

Because it usually falls on Thursday, the ascension of Jesus Christ is often called Ascension Thursday or Holy Thursday. The ascension of Jesus Christ has a very deep meaning for Christians and Catholics.

The following are 4 meanings of Jesus' resurrection based on church tradition and theology:

1. The Resurrection of Jesus as an Eschatological Act
   The eschatological characteristic lies in the resurrection itself which concerns God in the last days. In this case, Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
   
   So Jesus' resurrection itself has two complementary dimensions. That is, between God who resurrected Jesus and Jesus who acted for his own resurrection.
   
   
2. The Resurrection of Jesus as Salvation
   Jesus was the firstborn of those who had died, because His resurrection was the beginning of the resurrection of all the dead. This is the meaning of hope for salvation in Jesus.
   
   
3. The Resurrection Is a New Way of Jesus' Presence
   The resurrection of Jesus is the moment when Jesus is present again among His disciples, humans, and the whole world. Jesus has transcended space and time itself, so he will always be present.
   
   
4. The Resurrection of Jesus as Exaltation
   Exaltation itself is the meaning of the heavenly introduction and inauguration of Jesus into the dignity and power of God. So the event of His resurrection was the moment when Jesus entered into the glory of God.

This glory of God can be understood and seen through faith and the Church. So this is the event when Jesus headed to Heaven, which is the place of the eternal God.

Conclusion

By understanding the difference between The Good Friday and The Ascension Day, you now know that these two events are interconnected. So there are several things you can understand about these two events, namely:

1. The events of the death and ascension of Jesus Christ occurred sequentially and have their own meaning.
2. The celebration of the death and ascension of Jesus Christ is carried out as a form of belief for Christians and Catholics.

The celebration procession is carried out based on the beliefs of each group, but has the same basic meaning.