David Hockney Word Search
June 12, 2026
This Good Friday word search invites you to explore one of the most sacred and solemn days in the Christian calendar. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, observed every year on the Friday before Easter Sunday. It falls between late March and late April, following the lunar calendar.
Good Friday takes place at the heart of Holy Week, the final week of Lent. It centres on the events that unfolded in Jerusalem over two thousand years ago, where Jesus was arrested, tried before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, and crucified on a hill known as both Calvary and Golgotha. His disciples, the people who followed and loved him, witnessed a day of profound grief, darkness, and sacrifice. Christians believe his death was an act of atonement, offered freely out of mercy and love for all of humanity.
In Canada, Good Friday is a federal statutory holiday observed in every province and territory. Many Canadians mark the day through prayer, fasting, church services, and quiet reflection. Did you know that hot cross buns, traditionally baked and eaten on Good Friday, have been linked to this holy day since medieval England?
This Good Friday word search printable goes beyond the puzzle itself. It includes definitions for all 24 carefully chosen keywords, a FAQ section covering the most common questions about the day, and a Did You Know? section filled with surprising facts.
Whether used in a classroom, at home, or as part of a faith community, this word search printable is designed to make learning about Good Friday both engaging and meaningful for all ages.
ATONEMENT, BETRAYAL, CALVARY, CENTURION, CROSS, CROWN, CRUCIFIED, DARKNESS, DISCIPLES, FASTING, FORGIVEN, GOLGOTHA, GOOD DEEDS, GRIEF, HOLY WEEK, JERUSALEM, JUDAS, MERCY, PILATE, PRAYER, SACRIFICE, SAVIOUR, SORROW, SUFFERING
ATONEMENT – The act of making amends for sin through sacrifice. On Good Friday, Christians believe Jesus atoned for all of humanity’s sins by giving his life on the cross.
BETRAYAL – The act of being disloyal to someone who trusted you. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver, leading directly to his arrest.
CALVARY – The hill outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. Also known as Golgotha, Calvary is the sacred site central to the entire Good Friday story of sacrifice.
CENTURION – A Roman military officer commanding about a hundred soldiers. At the crucifixion, a centurion witnessed Jesus die and declared him to be the Son of God.
CROSS – The wooden structure on which Jesus was crucified. The cross is the most recognized symbol of Christianity, representing both suffering and the ultimate hope of salvation.
CROWN – Roman soldiers twisted thorns into a crown and pressed it onto Jesus’s head to mock his title as King of the Jews, causing him pain and humiliation before his crucifixion.
CRUCIFIED – Put to death by being nailed or bound to a cross. Jesus was crucified between two criminals on Good Friday, fulfilling the prophecies written about him in scripture.
DARKNESS – According to the Gospels, darkness covered the land for three hours while Jesus hung on the cross, a powerful sign of mourning and the weight of the moment.
DISCIPLES – The twelve followers chosen by Jesus to learn his teachings and spread his message. On Good Friday, most fled in fear, though some stayed close to witness the crucifixion.
FASTING – Voluntarily going without food or certain meals as an act of prayer and reflection. Many Christians fast on Good Friday as a way to honour Jesus’s suffering and sacrifice.
FORGIVEN – Released from guilt or blame for wrongdoing. One of Jesus’s last acts on the cross was to ask God to forgive those who crucified him, showing boundless mercy and love.
GOLGOTHA – An Aramaic word meaning “place of the skull,” referring to the hill where Jesus was crucified. It is the same location as Calvary and holds deep significance in Christian faith.
GOOD DEEDS – Acts of kindness and charity done for others. On Good Friday, many Canadians perform good deeds in memory of Jesus’s selfless love and as a way to live out his teachings.
GRIEF – Deep sorrow felt after a great loss. Good Friday is a day of grief for Christians worldwide, mourning the suffering and death of Jesus before the joy of Easter Sunday arrives.
HOLY WEEK – The final week of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and includes Good Friday, making it the most sacred period in the Christian calendar.
JERUSALEM – The ancient city where Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified. Jerusalem remains one of the holiest cities in the world and the historical setting of the entire Good Friday story.
JUDAS – One of the twelve disciples who betrayed Jesus to the authorities for thirty pieces of silver. His name has since become a symbol of treachery and disloyalty throughout history.
MERCY – Compassion shown toward someone in one’s power. Good Friday reflects God’s mercy toward humanity, offering forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus rather than punishment for sin.
PILATE – Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor who sentenced Jesus to death. Despite finding no guilt in him, Pilate yielded to the demands of the crowd and ordered the crucifixion.
PRAYER – A personal or communal conversation with God. Prayer is central to Good Friday observances, with Christians attending services and spending time in quiet reflection and solemn worship.
SACRIFICE – The giving up of something precious for a greater purpose. Jesus’s death on the cross is seen as the ultimate sacrifice, offered freely out of love to bring salvation to all people.
SAVIOUR – One who rescues others from harm or sin. Christians refer to Jesus as the Saviour because his death and resurrection are believed to have saved humanity from sin and eternal separation from God.
SORROW – A feeling of deep sadness and regret. Good Friday is marked by sorrow as believers reflect on the pain and suffering Jesus endured, and on the weight of human sin he carried.
SUFFERING – The experience of pain, hardship, and anguish. Jesus endured tremendous physical and spiritual suffering during his arrest, trial, and crucifixion, which forms the heart of the Good Friday observance.
ATONEMENT, BETRAYAL, CALVARY, CENTURION, CROSS, CROWN, CRUCIFIED, DARKNESS, DISCIPLES, FASTING, FORGIVEN, GOLGOTHA, GOOD DEEDS, GRIEF, HOLY WEEK, JERUSALEM, JUDAS, MERCY, PILATE, PRAYER, SACRIFICE, SAVIOUR, SORROW, SUFFERING
Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It falls on the Friday before Easter Sunday and is one of the most solemn days in the Christian calendar.
Despite marking a day of suffering and death, it is called “Good” because Christians believe Jesus’s sacrifice brought salvation and hope to all humanity, making it ultimately a blessed day.
In Canada, Good Friday is a federal statutory holiday. Many Canadians attend church services, fast, reflect quietly, and abstain from certain activities as a mark of respect and mourning.
Services typically include readings of the Passion narrative, prayers, hymns, and a period of silent reflection. Many churches hold a three-hour service marking the time Jesus hung on the cross.
No, Good Friday changes each year because it depends on Easter, which follows the lunar calendar. It falls between late March and late April, always on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
Unlike some holidays that vary by region, Good Friday is universally recognized across Canada, giving workers and students a day off to observe or reflect.
Churches worldwide drape altars in black or deep purple on Good Friday, symbolizing mourning, penance, and the solemnity of Jesus’s suffering and death on the cross.
These spiced buns marked with a cross on top were traditionally baked and eaten on Good Friday, symbolizing the crucifixion and carrying deep spiritual meaning for centuries.
Dramatic outdoor processions reenacting Jesus’s walk to Calvary, known as the Via Crucis, have been held in Catholic communities around the world for more than five centuries.
The Toronto Stock Exchange closes on Good Friday, making it one of the rare statutory holidays when both financial markets and most government offices shut down completely across Canada.
