Christians observe Good Friday today

New Delhi: Christians around the world are observing Good Friday today. The day marks the crucification of Jesus Christ at the end of the Lent period and devotees will spend the day fasting.

Good Friday is the culmination of the 40-day Lent period during which they abstained from meat, alcohol and sweets. Good Friday is observed during the Holy Week, which also includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday.

Christians in Kerala offered special prayers by trekking to the holy shrine of Saint Thomas.

Pope Benedict XVI held a televised question and answer session on Italy's public broadcaster to mark Good Friday, a media report said. The Pope responded to questions about tsunami in Japan, civil war in the Ivory Coast and whether a person in a vegetative state still has a soul, Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

The interview was recorded last week in a Vatican library and aired on Italy's public broadcaster, RAI to coincide with Good Friday and the moment of Christ's death at 3 pm, according to the newspaper.

Since being elected Pope in 2005, Benedict has pushed the use of mass communications and social media networks such as YouTube to convey the Church's message.

With Additional Inputs from Agencies