Caritas Cyprus Closed on Orthodox Good Friday – April 18, 2025

Caritas Cyprus will be closed on Friday, April 18, 2025, in observance of Orthodox Good Friday (Μεγάλη Παρασκευή), a significant day in the Orthodox Christian calendar.

Good Friday serves to commemorate the day that Jesus was crucified. Following Jesus’ arrest on Holy Thursday, he is found guilty of proclaiming himself to be the King of Jews and sentenced to crucifixion. This day is celebrated in many different ways, from taking down the cross in the Orthodox faith to recounting the story of Jesus’ last days, which is called the Passion of Christ.

In Orthodox Christian tradition, the day is called Holy and/or Great Friday (in Greek, Μεγάλη Παρασκευή). In the morning of Good Friday, people bring flowers to church to decorate the Epitaphios (Ἐπιτάφιος) which represents the buried Christ. Later in the day, a cross is removed from the church sanctuary and the congregation observes a service that focuses on Christ’s burial in the tomb. They cover Christ’s “coffin” in an embroidered cloth and march the Epitaphios through the streets in a great procession that ends back at the church.

Caritas Cyprus will resume normal operations on the following working day. Thank you for your understanding.