Good Friday
Egeria’s account of her pilgrim visit to Jerusalem in the late fourth century attests a significant set of liturgical events associated with the Friday before the celebration of Easter. In this we can see Good Friday developing its distinctive character. The day was marked by a series of prayers, psalms and readings that followed the course of events in the basilicas erected by Constantine at the places associated with Christ’s trial, death and resurrection. The account of the trial of Jesus was read, and the people venerated a relic of the cross. The passion story was then read in full, with psalms and other appropriate readings, and the liturgical events concluded with the recital of the death and burial of Jesus. 
The pattern was soon adopted by other churches around the Roman Empire, but with liturgical representations of the places on the way of the cross. Although it was customary for there to be no celebration of the eucharist on Good Friday from early in the church’s history, in some places there was a communion of the people from bread and wine kept from a celebration of the eucharist on Maundy Thursday. From the thirteenth century until the revisions of the 1950s it became the practice in the Roman tradition for the priest alone to receive.
The Three Hours’ Devotions, taking the form of addresses (often on the seven last words from the cross) and prayers and hymns, has echoes of the liturgical events described by Egeria, but actually originated in Peru in the late seventeenth century. The devotional addresses mark it off from the tradition of readings, psalms and prayers described by Egeria. It became a popular form of devotion in Roman Catholic and Anglican circles.
For Liturgical Use
Good Friday is the most solemn day in the church’s calendar. In the fourth century, Christian pilgrims marked the day by visiting the places where Jesus went on his last journey, and there watched and prayed as part of their celebration of what God had done in Christ. Let us in heart and mind walk with all those who have faithfully followed Jesus in the way of the cross.
Sentence, Prayers and Readings as in A New Zealand Prayer Book - He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa, page 587-589.