This weekend, Christians come together to honour the sacrifice and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Discover the enduring traditions and vibrant customs that illuminate the path from sorrow to joy, and from death to new life.
A time for reflection, celebration, and renewal
Christians will observe Good Friday and Easter Sunday this year, which fall today and Sunday (31 March), respectively.
Christians of various denominations worldwide celebrate these two significant festivals with a number of religious activities.
This is especially so in Sarawak, which has the highest number of Christians in Malaysia, with Christians accounting for more than half of the entire population (50.1 per cent), according to the 2020 census.
Sabah and Sarawak are the only states where Good Friday is a public holiday.
Mural of The Last Supper
The congregation of St Agnes Tsaou’s Catholic Church in Bau, some 30 kilometres from Kuching, will celebrate Good Friday in a more vibrant spirit this year as the church added a breathtaking new mural of The Last Supper.
The church’s chairman, Batholomew Janli Johen, was glad to share that members of the church were delighted with the mural, which brings pride to the church, which has a capacity of approximately 700 people.
He also said that the mural garnered a lot of praise from visitors, including participants in a recent seminar held in the church, which was attended by Christians from different parts of the district and from outside Bau.
Janli revealed that the mural project was sponsored by two of his church members as a thank-you gift to the Lord Jesus for answering their prayers during a difficult time, when one of them was involved in a life-threatening accident and later recovered with the Lord’s blessing.
The mural was 13 feet long and 4.5 feet wide, painted 8 feet above ground on the church’s inner wall facing the altar.
The mural was painted by Fook Liew, a well-known mural artist from Bau.
Working on his own, he dedicated his spare time to this monumental task, spending his evenings from 7pm to 10pm. It took him more than two months to complete it by the end of September last year.
It is a replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, meticulously brought to life by artist Fook Liew.
The mural was blessed by Rector Father Peter Liston last October.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper is an iconic moment in Christian history, an event that holds immense significance for believers worldwide.
It depicts the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion.
During this meal, Jesus broke bread and shared wine with his disciples, telling them that the bread represented his body, which would be broken for them, and the wine represented his blood, which would be shed for the forgiveness of sins.
This action is re-enacted in churches nowadays with wafer and grape juice in a ritual known as Holy Communion or the Eucharist, especially on special occasions.
In many churches, it is held once a month, typically during the first Sunday service of the month, as is the case with Faith Methodist Church in Kuching.
The night of the Last Supper is also celebrated nowadays as Maundy Thursday, with church services held on the eve of Good Friday.
Good Friday
Good Friday is observed to remember and honour the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on a cross for humanity’s redemption.
According to the Bible, the crucifixion of Jesus by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, occurred on a Friday, around AD 30 (specifically on April 3, at approximately 3pm), after He was arrested and charged with claiming to be the King of the Jews. This claim was considered an act of treason and punishable by death.
Jesus was whipped, carried His own cross, and then was hung on the cross between two thieves. He was pierced in the side and died a few hours later, before being buried.
On Good Friday, Christians solemnly honour the way Jesus suffered and died for their sins.
They might attend a church service that recounts Jesus’ painful crucifixion, and some even refrain from eating (fasting) to show their sorrow.
Good Friday serves as a reminder of the importance of forgiveness, compassion, and selflessness in the Christian faith. It prompts believers to reflect on their own lives and actions, striving to emulate the values demonstrated by Jesus Christ.
Many people, including new church members (Christians), wonder why the day when Jesus was crucified is called “Good Friday” instead of “sad Friday”.
A pastor explained to me that the “Good” here actually means “Holy” or “Sacred”. The event is considered good for those who accept Jesus as their saviour. From the viewpoint of salvation, it is indeed good.
Thus, while Good Friday is a day of mourning and reflection on the sacrifice of Jesus, it is also seen as an event full of hope for believers.
On this day, Christians wear dark clothing and speak solemnly when attending worship services, as a sign of respect.
Many churches hold special prayer services on Good Friday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Activities including prayers, hymns, scripture readings and sermons are being conducted.
Some churches may organise processions, dramas or re-enactments of the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.
Symbol of Jesus on the cross
“Jesus on the Cross”, known as a crucifix or simply a plain cross, derived from the “Crucifixion of Jesus”, has been adopted as a principal symbol for Christianity.
Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus
According to the Gospel, Jesus rose from his death, from the grave on the third day of his crucifixion. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is being celebrated as Easter Sunday.
For Christians worldwide, it is a day of joy and triumph as the resurrection of Jesus signified victory over death, new life, new hope and redemption of sins for his believers as well as the promise of eternal life for all the Christians.
On Easter Sunday, Christians will go for special church services in a joyous mood, wearing bright coloured clothing for the celebration.
They participate in prayers, hymns, and readings from the Bible that recount the story of Jesus’ resurrection, or drama showing re-enactment of the event of the resurrection of Jesus. These services often culminated in the joyful proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One of the most cherished traditions among Malaysian Christians is the Easter eggs hunt, a joyful activity enjoyed by children and adults alike.
The egg symbolises new life emerging from the eggshell, just like Jesus rose from the tomb during resurrection.
Traditionally, the eggs were coloured red to signify the blood of Jesus during the crucifixion. Nowadays, the eggs are painted with multiple colours and written with messages such as “I Love Jesus” and verses from the Bible.
In some churches, Easter meals are being served and Easter gifts are also being distributed to the church members to brighten up the day.
