WITH Good Friday finally here, many have been left scratching their heads as they discover the real reason behind the tradition of eating fish on this day.
The holy day, which is observed today, April 18, sees many people around the world ditching their usual diets in favour of seafood.
If you’re curious about why, it turns out there's a pretty straightforward reason.
The debate recently made its way onto Reddit, stirring quite the conversation amongst social media users as they delved into the rationale behind the Easter ritual.
Posting on the thread, one Reddit user questioned: "Do practising Christians HAVE to eat fish on Good Friday?”
The anonymous user then shared: “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 mum would be salmon, but I live on my own.”
The user continued: "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?"
Reddit users eagerly flocked to the comments to share their two pence on the tradition.
One user wrote: "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."
A second expressed: "They could choose to 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."
Meanwhile, another joined the conversation and stated: "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."
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.
While fish on Good Friday is a common custom, it is by no means universal and to some Christians, it's more about symbolism than strict adherence.
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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 substitute and now, even many non-Christians have embraced the Good Friday fish meal as part of cultural tradition.
Now, fish and chips is a popular meal choice for lots of households in the UK, particularly on Good Friday, with many heading to their local chippie for a fish and chip takeaway.
Certain Christian denominations are fairly flexible about their dietary choices and for some, the act of abstaining from meat holds more significance than the actual meals consumed on the day.
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