Pope Leo Completes Full Good Friday Cross Procession at Colosseum, Breaking Recent Tradition

Pope Leo participated in the entire Good Friday Way of the Cross procession at Rome's Colosseum, carrying a wooden cross throughout all fourteen stations. This marked the first instance in many years that a pontiff has undertaken the complete ritual. The event occurred during his initial Good Friday as pope. Before commencing, Leo expressed that he holds global suffering in his prayers. He was accompanied by two youth bearing torches and followed by clergy members. A meditation prepared for the occasion, authored by Reverend Francesco Patton, former custodian of the Holy Land from 2016 to 2025, reflected on the accountability of those in power before God. The text addressed themes of judgment, conflict, violence, peace, and reconciliation. Leo described the act as a significant symbol of Christ's ongoing suffering in the contemporary world. The procession was part of broader Holy Week observances, which also included a Celebration of the Passion of the Lord at St. Peter's Basilica where the pope lay prostrate.