Good Friday Service Conducted in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle with great devotion

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 18 April 2025: In the Christian calendar, Good Friday, the commemoration of the Crucifixion and death of Jesus occupies an important place. Good Friday is being celebrated throughout the world with great devotion and sorrow.

 

The Good Friday service in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle commenced at 04 pm on Friday, 18 April 2025 with Fr. Rickson Monteiro, Assistant Parish Priest of St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle as the chief celebrant along with Fr. George D’Souza, Parish Priest and Fr. Jnyan Prakash, Rector of Diocesan Regional Seminary, Moodubelle. 

 

The Good Friday Service was divided into four segments - First, reading of passages from Holy Scriptures including the Passion of Christ from the Gospel of St. John the Evangelist, Solemn prayers for the intentions of the Holy Church, Unveiling and veneration of the Crucifix and Holy Communion.

 

The Passion of Christ was narrated by Fr. George D’Souza.  Fr. Rickson Monteiro recited the dialogue of Jesus, Pritish D’Sa read the dialogue of Pilate and the choir responded as different persons narrated in the Holy Gospel.

 

Delivering the homily of Good Friday, Fr. Rickson Monteiro narrated the significance of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. He said that Jesus loved all those who were responsible for His sufferings and death. He further said that love speaks loudest in silence as Jesus accepted all the sufferings in silence. Love bleeds, as Jesus was beaten, bruised, crowned with thorns and was crucified. Love forgives those who betrayed Him. In His life He had always taught of forgiving one’s enemies and He practiced the same who betrayed Him. Love converts the thief who was hanged by His right side. Fr. Rickson stressed on the fact that by His sufferings and death on the Cross, Jesus opened the gates of heaven to all humanity. Along with Jesus, His Mother Mary also suffered in silence and participated in the redemption of mankind. 

The next part of the Good Friday Service was the ‘Solemn Intercessions’. Fr. Rickson Monteiro introduced each and every prayer and asked the people to pray for a minute in silence. Thereafter, he recited the prayer aloud.

 

Following the ‘Solemn Intercessions’, Fr. Rickson Monteiro broght the veiled Crucifix to the main altar and unveiled the Crucifix in three stages. The priests and later the faithful venerated Crucified Christ.

 

The Communion Service was the last part of the Good Friday devotion. Following the Holy Communion, faithful departed from the church in silence meditating and reflecting on the mystery of Good Friday.