The last days before Easter are associated mainly with the passion of Jesus Christ who carried out the atonement for all mankind and voluntarily sacrificed himself. Because of his atonement, all people will be resurrected and those who obey his gospel will receive the gift of eternal life with God. The culmination of Christ's passion is Good Friday, the day when the Son of God was scourged, accused, wore a crown of thorns,covered with mockeries and slaps, crucified and buried. The cross was sanctified with Christ's passion, thus turning into a symbol of salvation.

During the Holy Week the church calls on the believers to share the passion of our Savior and experience what the Son of God went through for the sake of mankind. The gospels of the apostles that are read on church liturgies help us understand the nature of those symbolical events. Jesus Christ is the second person of the Holy Trinity who descends to Earth led by his love towards mankind only. Good Friday falls on the 6th day of the biblical week. This is the day when Adam reached for the tree of knowledge, in order to learn what's good and evil, despite the behest of God.  For this reason Christ suffered all passions in the 6th day of the week, in order to rehabilitate for the sins of the first Adam. That is why the church calls him the second Adam.

The Saviour stood all those sufferings in the name of love-the greatest Christian virtue and the main characteristic of a Christian. “By this shall men know that you are my disciples if you love each other”, Jesus Christ said. He himself gives us such an example of love, even to his enemies and those who crucified him, he prayed until his last breath and begged God not to punish them for their sin.

God forgives peoples' sins if they repent sincerely.The thief who was crucified next to Jesus also repented for his sins and joined Jesus to Eden.

According to Christian traditions, on Good Friday (the day when Christ was crucified), people do not eat food before the burial service. Only elderly, weak and ill people are allowed to eat bread and drink water. This is the day when Christians repent and pay homage to Christ's sacrifice.

At the end of the Holy Week those who adhere to the Easter fasting confess of their sins and receive communion. During the days of fasting and the last days before Easter the Christians who want to receive Holy Communion pay special attention to the purity of their thoughts, feelings, intentions and deeds.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov