Good Friday, observed by the Western Church, is a highly significant holiday in Lebanon. Being a country with a rich mosaic of different religions and traditions, Lebanon's majority Christian population celebrates Good Friday as one of the most solemn and important holidays in the Christian calendar. They commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of Jesus Christ.
On Good Friday, known in Lebanon as 'Al Juma’a Al Ahime', many Christians across the country participate in rituals and ceremonies signifying Christ's sacrifice. They attend church services, where priests often lead congregations in prayer and reflection and perform readings of the Gospel stories of the crucifixion. Many Lebanese Christians also engage in the Stations of the Cross, a 14-step process that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man.
Apart from the religious observances, Good Friday is also a public holiday in Lebanon, resulting in the closure of public offices, schools, and many businesses. It is a day when the bustle of daily life subsides, and people take time for contemplation and family. Traditionally, people also abstain from eating meat on Good Friday, as a form of fasting in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus.