Eating fish on Good Friday is a tradition that millions of British households follow.
In fact, it is one of the oldest traditions in the country, as Brits have been abstaining from eating meat on the day for hundreds of years.
In fact, the origins of the tradition can be traced way back to the Bible itself.
Catholics in particular follow it, and countless Christians across the country similarly keep the ritual alive. But the reason for leaving meat off the menu is more complicated than it may first appear.
Why do we eat fish on Good Friday?
The reason fish has become a tradition on Good Friday has everything to do with the reason we celebrate it to begin with.
The day was set aside to remember and reflect on Jesus’ death and resurrection, as is believed by Christians. Specifically, it is thought he died on the cross on a Friday.
As such, the Church chose Good Friday as a day to offer the ‘penance’, and meat was therefore seen as a worthy sacrifice as it was closely linked with celebrations and festivities.
Something had to take its place, and fish was the obvious choice, especially due to its connotations in the 2,000-year-old text.
The reason why fish was chosen was because the Church specifically stated “land animals”.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states: "Abstinence laws consider that meat comes only from animals such as chickens, cows, sheep or pigs — all of which live on land. Birds are also considered meat."
Fish have always been considered separate from meat and even today away from religious doctrine, many put fish in its own food category.
However, their separation can be traced back to their Latin translations, with meat being known as carnis, which translates as ‘animal flesh’.
Can you eat meat on Good Friday?
The strictest group against eating meat on Good Friday is Catholics, who would definitely say no to consuming it on the Holy day.
Many Catholics abstain for 40 days during Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday.
However, it may not necessarily be meat they give up, as it can be a variety of things including alcohol, smoking and even chocolate.
For most, eating meat on Good Friday is simply a choice, but for many Christians it is something they would never consider.
What are the origins of Good Friday?
Good Friday marks the day Jesus was believed to have been crucified by the Romans.
He died on the Friday and rose three days later on what is now known as Easter Sunday, which will be celebrated on April 17 this year.
The origins of Good Friday’s name is heavily debated, as some believe it means God’s Day.
Some believe “good” simply means Holy, but the origins of the name can be traced back to Roman times.
