Bringing the Cross to the World

Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene is performed as part of Stations of the Cross at Darling Harbour during World Youth Day Sydney 2008 on July 18, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by World Youth Day)

SYDNEY — In what could be the most spiritual event yet at World Youth Day, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, joined an estimated 270,000 people around Sydney for the Stations of the Cross. The thirteen stations, based on a contemporary Scripture-based meditation, were located at all the major WYD events, including the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbor, and the Barangaroo area.

The stations were acted out by group of professional thespians, who walked with the WYD Cross and Icon throughout the stations stops. This cross had previously traveled around the World to every continent as part of a pre-WYD pilgrimage of faith.

The stations were quite moving, especially at the final three, which were located directly in front of the Madison pilgrims at the Barangaroo shore. The stripping of Jesus’ clothes, his death, and taking down from the cross were accompanied by Scripture readings, prayers, and song.

These events set the stage for tomorrow night’s pilgrim’s walk across, a 5.5 mile journey across the Sydney Harbor Bridge to the Randwick Racecourse, where the Pope will join the 250,000 pilgrims in a prayer vigil that then continues throughout the night. He then will celebrate the closing Mass of WYD Sunday morning. In addition, the seminarians for the diocese will join with religious and young people in priestly formation throughout the world with the Holy Father at a Dedication of Altar and Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral early on Saturday.