ST. GEORGE — People representing various Christian faiths are set to gather on Good Friday at Sandtown Park in St. George for the Ecumenical Way of the Cross.
Christians observe Good Friday as the day Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary over 2,000 years ago.
The Way of the Cross, also known as the Via Delorosa or the Stations of the Cross, is observed by Roman Catholics the world over and retraces the path taken by Christ through Jerusalem to his crucifixion, death and subsequent resurrection. In St. George, it has become an interfaith event shared among area Christians for the last 17 years.
Friday’s event will begin at the northwest corner Sandtown Park where participants are asked to arrive by 10:45 a.m. so the event can start at 11 a.m. From there, those gathered will head toward Diagonal Street and then west until they reach 200 West, at which point the procession will head south toward the St. George Catholic Church.
Along the way, volunteers will carry a cross as the group pauses at various points, or stations, to hear readings recounting moments in Christ’s journey to the cross. There are 15 stations in all, the majority of them featuring community faith leaders from different Christian churches.
“We call it the ecumenical Way of the Cross here in St. George because the readers at 15 stations — 11 of them — will come from the St. George Interfaith Council, and the other four will be from St. George Catholic Church,” Tim Martin, a member of the interfaith council representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told St. George News.
Holding the Stations of the Cross as an interfaith event is possibly unique in the country and beyond, Martin added.
“It’s a wonderful way to participate and to add to the spirit of Easter, because all these different churches or congregations are celebrating the Easter season and resurrection of the savior, Jesus Christ,” he said. “And it’s just a wonderful time for us to all get together and demonstrate at the same time this marvelous interface spirit that we enjoy here in St. George.”
Event details
- What: The Ecumenical Way of the Cross
- When: Friday, April 7, at 11 a.m. Attendees are asked to arrive by 10:45 a.m.
- Where: Begins at Sandtown Park, 600 N. Bluff St. in St. George.
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