How to Celebrate Ethiopia's Good Friday 2026?

Joining Good Friday in Ethiopia is a genuinely unique and special event. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church observes Good Friday as one of its most important festivals, which is a day for introspection and remembrance. Visiting this stunning nation has never been simpler, thanks to the ease of an Ethiopian e-visa.

This article will go over everything you need to know about applying for an e-visa and traveling to Ethiopia on Good Friday, including the holiday's cultural importance. So whether you've traveled abroad before or this will be your first time, read on to learn everything there is to know about this amazing experience.

Good Friday in Ethiopia

What is Good Friday in Ethiopia?

Millions of Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia observe Good Friday as a vacation to recall the occasions building up to Jesus' crucifixion. It's also referred to as "Great Friday." Ethiopian Good Friday is observed on the final Friday before Orthodox Easter Sunday, which is decided using the Julian calendar, which is still used by the majority of Orthodox churches.

When is Good Friday in Ethiopia 2026?

The exact date of Ethiopian Good Friday changes every year. On Friday, April 10, 2026, Ethiopia will celebrate Good Friday, an Ethiopian public holiday.

How is Good Friday celebrated in Ethiopia today?

Ethiopian Christians will commemorate Easter, or the resurrection of Christ, on Sunday.  This is the day on which Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, also known as Good Friday.

Good Friday at Ethiopian is held at Orthodox Tewahedo, Catholic, and Evangelical churches. People throng to churches to worship at all hours of the day and night. A variety of religious prayer rituals, fasting, and kneeling. 

What do people do on Ethiopian Good Friday?

On Easter Sunday, the festivities begin early in the morning. People gather for festivities and an Easter meal while dressed in their traditional attire.

Additionally, homes are set up differently, with grass spread out, popcorn, traditional large bread, and coffee arranged in the living room. After breakfast, buna, an Ethiopian coffee that requires a lengthy preparation process, is served. When more visitors come, the procedure is repeated with fresh roasting.

People gather for festivities and an Easter meal while dressed in their traditional attire

What traditional food to eat on Ethiopian Good Friday?

Easter lunch, which often features the greatest regional cuisine, is the main celebration. Cooking for the Easter festival features a variety of dishes that combine regionally famous breads, such defo dabo, hibist, ambasha, and kocho with spicy native spices.

On Good Friday, fish is preferred over beef since it is thought to be a distinct sort of flesh. On what is now known as Good Friday, Jesus, according to Christians, offered his body as a sacrifice. This is the reason why people usually avoid eating meat on Good Friday.

Additionally, Christians utilized fish-shaped symbols to identify one another, and many of Jesus' disciples are said to have been fishermen.

What food is available on Good Friday?

The festival meals include injera (a big flatbread) and a variety of hot stews made with delectable combinations of meat, lamb, fish, and chicken. Households prepare a variety of traditional local dishes for Easter, including :

• Gord gored (raw meat cut into cubes)
• Kitfo (minced raw beef)
• Tibs (traditionally seasoned and fried meat)
• Doro (chicken stew) with boiled eggs, and chopped collard greens, as well as sweets, treats like cakes, and sweet roasted cereals and pastries.

This "Good Friday" is observed as a day of fasting by Christians, particularly Catholics, during which just one meal is permitted and meat should be avoided.

Customary dishes for both Good Friday and Passover week

This Friday also falls during Passover week for Jews. Here are some customary dishes for these two celebrations:

• First, Christians who observe Good Friday should refrain from eating meat during their one substantial meal of the day with the intention of only sustaining rather than gratifying their hunger. By keeping the dinner modest, worshipers won't be drawn away from the importance of the Lord's Crucifixion Day.

• With some bread, a salad, or simply cooked veggies, several fish dishes or a straightforward soup are popular. Due to the fact that eggs and dairy items are permitted, omelets can also be a common Good Friday supper.

• Fish and shellfish meals, straightforward veggies, fish and chips, and vegetarian pasta dishes are perhaps among of the most common foods consumed on Good Friday by Christians. Don't forget to include the classic Hot Cross Buns. On Good Friday, it is usual for Roman Catholics to consume Hot Cross Buns, which are little buns with a white cross on top.

Customary dishes for both Good Friday and Passover week

What should I bring along on my trip to join Good Friday in Ethiopia?

Here are some things to think about if you intend to journey to Good Friday in Ethiopia:

• Because of Ethiopia's great height, the country experiences cooler temperatures than you might anticipate. To keep warm, remember to bring layers and fleece.

• Maintaining adequate hydration is crucial to preventing dehydration, particularly in a humid and arid environment. In the event of severe depletion, keep electrolyte granules on hand to mix with water.

• Investigate cultural experiences: One of the few regions of the globe that has not been significantly affected by Western culture is the Omo Valley, which is one of Ethiopia's most distinctive cultural experiences.

Additionally, keep in mind that Ethiopia observes Good Friday according to the Orthodox Easter calendar, which may be different from the times Western religions use.

Are you prepared for an event that will live long in your memory? Join the countless number of Orthodox Christians who will be celebrating the events for Good Friday in Ethiopia. It will show you more fascinating cultural experiences than before.

The greatest bit, though? Online registration for an e-visa to Ethiopia is simple, saving you the trouble of dealing with paper visa applications. Don't pass up this chance to experience a distinctive cultural festival and make priceless memories. Start packing your luggage for a once-in-a-lifetime journey by obtaining your Ethiopia e-visa right away!