Good Friday is a significant public holiday in Eswatini, a Southern African country landlocked by Mozambique and South Africa. It is part of the Holy Week in the Christian calendar that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary, which is an event that is observed with reverence and solemnity. The date of Good Friday varies each year as it is based on the lunar calendar, falling on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday.
On Good Friday in Eswatini, churches hold solemn services honoring Christ's sacrifice and Christians partake in various religious activities reflecting on the crucifixion. Some participate in processions or passion plays recreating the events leading up to Jesus' death. It is also a day of fasting and penance for many devotees, with meals usually consisting only of plain food with no meat, a symbolic form of sharing in the suffering of Jesus.
While Good Friday tends to be a quiet, solemn day focused on spiritual reflection, it is followed by the celebration of Easter Sunday, which in Eswatini, as in many Christian countries, celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection. Despite the solemnity of Good Friday, it ultimately leads to joyous celebrations symbolizing hope and rebirth, reflecting the Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion.