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- Sen. Keven Stratton is sponsoring SB259 to make Good Friday a legal holiday in Utah.
- Good Friday is part of the Paschal Triduum, a sacred period for Catholics.
- Faith leaders express support but emphasize voluntary observance and personal reflection.
SALT LAKE CITY — As Utah has the highest religious population of any state in the U.S., Sen. Keven Stratton, R-Orem, sponsored SB259, which would designate Good Friday as a legal holiday in Utah.
Currently, 12 states designate Good Friday as a legal holiday, including Hawaii, Texas, Indiana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Florida, Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey.
What is Good Friday, and what is the Paschal Triduum?
"Good Friday commemorates the day the Savior was crucified," The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explains. "That may not sound 'good,' but it comes from the definition of 'good' that means holy. It's a Holy Friday, the day the Savior gave his life for the world."
Father Stephen Tilley, a Catholic priest at St. John the Baptist Parish in Draper, told the Deseret News what this holiday means for Catholics.
"Good Friday is one of the most sacred days for Catholics," Father Tilley said.
Father Tilley said Good Friday is part of the Paschal Triduum, which includes Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday. Holy Thursday commences with Christ's institution of the Eucharist, establishment of the priesthood and his betrayal at the hands of Judas Iscariot.
The second day in the triduum is Good Friday, which includes remembering Christ's death on the cross. "On Good Friday, we venerate the cross; we practice stations of the cross, some of the parishes will even do processions from one church to another," Father Tilley said.
According to Father Tilley, Good Friday "is a day where we reflect deeply on the selfless and sacrificial love that Jesus Christ gave us on the cross."
The final day of the triduum is Easter Sunday, when Catholics and Christians as a whole celebrate Christ's resurrection. "But we consider it, really, one act," Father Tilley said.
Utah faith leaders' take on SB259
"Good Friday is not a day of obligation for Catholics," Father Tilley said. "It is a very sacred day for us, you know, all the diocese employees would receive the day off. It's a day dedicated to fasting and prayer."
However, Father Tilley said diocese leaders do not have a stance on the bill. "The day is already sacred for us," he said, adding, "But in my personal opinion, the more we reflect on the love of Jesus, the better people we are. Regardless of what the state does, it's a sacred day for us."
A professor of Latter-day Saint church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University, Steven Harper, also commented on the bill. "I'm pleased to see any awareness of Good Friday and Holy Week generally. Anything we can do to draw attention to Christ in the week of his Atonement is great."
However, Harper added that he hopes the law strikes a balance. "I wouldn't want anyone to feel compelled or coerced to celebrate but also wouldn't want to have any laws encroach on my ability to commemorate or celebrate on Good Friday," he said.
Father Tilley explained how many Catholics make Holy Week observance a priority every spring. And, if passed into law, this bill would allow Catholics working 9-to-5 jobs the chance to observe Good Friday services at the time their liturgical books specify.
"The liturgical books would recommend the Good Friday service being at 3 in the afternoon because that's the hour traditionally that Christ dies on the cross," Father Tilley said.
He added, "There are a lot of Catholics that, when it comes to the triduum, it's important to them. They'll come to Holy Thursday, they'll come to Good Friday, they will fast on Holy Saturday, and they will celebrate triumphantly on Easter Sunday."
