Tens of thousands of believers celebrate the Way of the Cross on the Colosseum!

Tens of thousands of believers celebrate the Way of the Cross on the Colosseum!

On April 18, 2025, tens of thousands of Catholic believers gathered at the Colosseum in Rome to take part in the traditional crossroads. This procession reminded of the suffering stations of Jesus and included wearing a symbolic cross over 14 stations. The event was broadcast live on television and led by Cardinal Baldo Reina, the Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome. Pope Francis was unable to attend personally for health reasons, but had written the meditations for the stations of the cross in order to offer the believers a spiritual interpretation of the suffering.

The Pope, which recovered from severe pneumonia, had returned to the Vatican on March 23 after a stay in the clinic lasting several weeks. Despite his battered health, he visited the Roman prison "Regina Coeli" on Maundy Thursday, where he met 70 prisoners and the head of the prison and received great applause.

Kreuzweg meditations

The meditations that Pope Francis wrote for the Way of the Cross are divided into 14 stations and address various central aspects of the suffering of Jesus. They invite the faithful to repentance and emphasize the need to change the direction in life. Among the first stations, the condemnation of Jesus by Pilate is mentioned, with the freedom of the individual and the associated responsibility being illuminated.

• i. Station: Jesus is sentenced to death.
• II. Station: Jesus takes the cross on his shoulders.
• III. Station: Jesus falls under the cross for the first time.
• IV. Station: Jesus meets his mother, Maria.
• v. Station: Simon von Kyrene helps Jesus to carry.
• VI. Station: Veronika is enough for Jesus.
• VII. Station: Jesus falls under the cross for the second time.
• VIII. Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
• iX. Station: Jesus falls for the third time.
• x. Station: Jesus is robbed of his clothes.
• XI. Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
• XII. Station: Jesus dies on the cross.
• XIII. Station: Jesus is removed from the cross.
• XIV. Station: Jesus is placed in the grave.

The meditations address points such as responsibility, compassion and human vulnerability and offer believers a deeper insight into the importance of the Way of the Cross.

On the same day, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti celebrated the fair in St. Peter's Basilica. Even if it is unclear whether Pope Francis will be released on St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday, Cardinal Angelo Comastri will celebrate the Easter mass in the representation of the Pope. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re led the liturgy on Holy Day in Petersdom.

The Way of the Cross and the associated meditations of Pope Francis are an important part of the Good Friday and not only offer the believers a look back at the suffering of Jesus, but also a way for inner stop and reflection on their own experiences in life.