Hyderabad City observes Good Friday

Hyderabad: The city's churches reverberated with prayers as multitudes of devotees gathered from early morning on Good Friday to witness the ‘passion play,' an enactment of Jesus Christ’s suffering until his crucifixion, and to offer prayers. While some churches began prayer services on Thursday, most others began special prayer services on Friday morning.

Catholic churches across Hyderabad conducted meditations in three different languages: Tamil, Telugu, and English. In addition to special masses and meditations, churches including St Mary’s Basilica, Joseph’s Church, and the Methodist Church organised the passion play, a reenactment of the trial and crucifixion of Christ, which also included the Way of the Cross with individuals carrying wooden crosses.

G Selvavice, secretary of the United Christmas Celebration Committee, said, “This year, in addition to our traditional rituals, the Christian community is offering special prayers for good governance in light of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Furthermore, the prayer hall has been beautifully adorned in preparation for the Easter celebration on Sunday.”

“One of the oldest churches in the city, St Mary’s Basilica, saw around 5,000 visitors offering prayers. Our church’s prayer service began at noon and concluded by 3 pm, featuring meditation on the last seven words spoken by Jesus on the cross. In the evening, a veneration of the cross service was observed,” said a pastor of St Mary’s Basilica. A senior pastor of Trinity Assembly of God Church stated that “Our prayer services actually commenced in the early morning, but we primarily offer evening services. We do not perform any passion plays; instead, our approach is more of a memorial. We reflect on what Jesus Christ did for us, his sacrifice as atonement for our sins, so that mankind may be redeemed from sin.”