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Good Friday in Carinthia: Controversy over the holiday is heating up again!
The Carinthian Bishop Josef Marketz supports the lifting of the ban on Good Friday events and emphasizes its central importance for the churches.
Good Friday in Carinthia: Controversy over the holiday is heating up again!
In Carinthia, Good Friday is the focus of a heated debate. Diocesan Bishop Josef Marketz has welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Court (VfGH) to lift the existing ban on events on Good Fridays. “Good Friday is of central importance for both churches,” he emphasized on Saturday after the Supreme Court announced the lifting of the ban from 2026. Marketz expressed his disappointment at the verdict, which did not sufficiently honor the theological value of the day. “It is a day of mourning and reflection, of solidarity with those who suffer,” said the bishop, who also supports the Protestant Church in its efforts to establish the day as a public holiday. This view is taken by meinkreis.at shared and underlines the desire for a common holiday for everyone.
In direct relation to the Good Friday debate, Superintendent Manfred Sauer called for a stronger alliance between the Protestant and Catholic Churches. “It would be wonderful if we could forge a larger alliance with the Catholic Church here in Carinthia,” said Sauer. After Good Friday was abolished as a public holiday in 2019, both churches have already worked together to reintroduce it, which remains a wound. They not only commemorate the suffering of Jesus on Good Friday, but also celebrate the resurrected hope at Easter. Bishop Marketz and Superintendent Sauer invite you to an ecumenical service on April 7th, which will be broadcast live, emphasizing the importance of theological connection on this important day.
The reactions of Carinthia's state politicians are mixed. State Governor Peter Kaiser was disappointed and explained that in the proceedings they had argued for the ban to be retained. His deputy Martin Gruber described the Constitutional Court's decision as an "un-Christian gift", which illustrates the tensions between tradition and modern legal opinions. Bishop Marketz hopes for a positive development that will restore Good Friday as a common holiday for everyone and thus send an important sign of unity.