Good Friday has left many scratching their heads as they discover the reason behind the tradition of eating fish on this day.
The holy day, observed today (April 18), sees people worldwide ditching their usual diets in favour of seafood. Curious about why? Turns out there’s a pretty straightforward reason.
The debate made its way onto Reddit, stirring quite the conversation amongst social media users as they delved into the rationale behind the Easter seafood munching ritual.
A Reddit user mused: “Do practicing Christians HAVE to eat fish on Good Friday? Well, I’m a former Christian and now Agnostic, but feeling superstitious due to a rough month, and thought I should probably pay my dues to Uncle J today by abstaining from meat.
“The problem is I’ve been out with my dad and his friends all day, so I haven’t had a chance to make food. Traditionally dinner with my mom would be salmon, but I live on my own.
“It’s now midnight, I’m kind of ready to hit the sack, but a part of me thinks that one HAS to eat fish today. Like, you aren’t meant to just sacrifice eating red meat and poultry, you specifically have to eat a symbolic fish while in prayer?”
Another chimed in with their two cents, stating: “No, you don’t have to eat fish on Good Friday. Avoiding red meat and poultry on Fridays in general is mostly a Catholic tradition. Plenty of Christians don’t follow it, especially protestants.”
Someone else expressed their opinion, saying: “No. They could chose the eat nothing or anything but meat. Since the traditional meal includes a protein, fish is the main protein of choice when meat is not available.”
Another individual joined the conversation, stating: “Even people who ascribe to the ‘no meat on Good Friday’ tradition (not Biblical imperative, but tradition) can just eat a salad. Nowhere does it say you have to eat fish.”
Adding to the debate, someone else remarked: “I’m Christian and literally don’t know anyone who does this. That, I believe, is a Catholic thing. And it’s no red meat, not must eat fish.”
For many Christians, Good Friday marks a time for abstinence, commemorating Jesus’ sacrifice.
Over time, fish has become a popular choice for those abstaining from meat, allowing for a substantial meal without breaking tradition. However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and practices vary.
While fish on Good Friday is a common custom, it’s by no means universal. To some Christians, it’s more about symbolism than strict adherence.
The practice stems from the Catholic Church‘s historical prohibition on meat consumption on Fridays, which has evolved over time. Fish often serves as the go-to meat substitute, and even some non-Christians have embraced the Good Friday fish meal as part of cultural tradition.
Certain Christian denominations are fairly flexible about their dietary choices. For some, the act of abstaining from meat holds more significance than the actual food consumed on the day.
Fish and chips is a popular meal choice for many in the UK, particularly on Good Friday. This tradition isn’t exclusive to Christians – even non-Christians may choose to partake.
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