In the Catholic Church, Friday is traditionally observed as a day of penance in honor of the passion of Jesus, who was crucified on Good Friday.
One way Catholics may observe this day is by abstaining from meat on Fridays, especially during the season of Lent. This practice dates back to the early days of Christianity when Christians were sometimes persecuted for their faith and were not allowed to eat meat.
Abstaining from meat on Fridays is not a requirement for Catholics. Still, it is an act of self-denial and devotion that some Catholics choose to undertake to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and demonstrate their devotion to their faith. Some Catholics may choose to eat fish on Friday instead of meat as a way of observing this tradition.
Importantly, abstaining from meat on Friday is not the only way Catholics may observe this day of penance. Other ways of observing Friday as a day of penance might include prayer, fasting, almsgiving, or other acts of devotion.
