The states that recognize Good Friday as a holiday in the USA
Although Good Friday is not recognized as one of the eleven federal holidays, twelve states in the United States do recognize it as a holiday.
The most important days of Holy Week have arrived. This March 29, Good Friday is celebrated, which corresponds to the Friday before Easter Sunday, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary.
Like the rest of the Fridays during Lent, Good Friday in the Catholic tradition is marked as a day of fasting and prayer. Abstaining from food and physical activity allows the faithful more time to dedicate to prayer. Although people may not have a full meal during Good Friday, some people usually have two snacks, that is, a smaller meal in the morning and another at night.
Additionally, no meat is eaten. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, abstinence laws consider “meat” to come only from animals such as chickens, cows, sheep or pigs, all of which live on land. Other types of poultry or fowl is also considered meat. On the other hand, fish and shellfish do not fall into that same classification, so their consumption is not prohibited.
Despite being an important day in the liturgical calendar of Christians and the Catholic Church, it is not one of the eleven official federal holidays in the United States. However, 12 of the country’s 50 states recognize it as a holiday.
States that recognize Good Friday as a holiday
Good Friday is currently recognized as a state or government holiday in 12 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
Because it is not a federal holiday, included in the Federal Reserve’s holiday calendar, banks remain open on this day. However, states that recognize Good Friday as a state holiday may reduce work hours.
On the other hand, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq do not operate on stock market holidays. Good Friday is a registered stock market holiday and the markets will not operate on that day. Supermarkets and restaurants, as well as government offices and the post office, usually remain open.
Although it is not a holiday in all states of the country, many observe the day by fasting and attending religious services and traditional church reenactments. Many commemoration events include processions where the Way of the Cross is reenacted.