Today is ‘Long Friday’ in Sweden, ‘Good Friday’ in English-speaking countries. If you hold to the Christian belief, it’s the day Jesus was crucified on Golgata, outside of Jerusalem.
Why the differences in names for this day? In English-speaking countries, there are differences of opinions as to why it’s called Good Friday. Some people claim Good is an old English word meaning Holy – so Holy Friday. Others say it’s a development of the word God. And other theories say it is good because it is the day Jesus, dying on his cross, was victorious over sin, death and the devil and took upon him all the sins of Mankind. Heavy stuff.
In Sweden, it is called Long Friday as it was said to be a day of mourning for the long day of suffering that Jesus endured will being crucified.
In Sweden, today is a public holiday, though all the shops and places of entertainment are open. Some people go to church to pay their respects, some paint boiled eggs and decorate Easter trees with colourful feathers, some prepare food for Easter Saturday. For many, it is a day of travelling the sometimes-long distances to visit relatives.
Watching the Swedes 
