religion
Pope Leo XIV will carry the cross through all 14 stations at the Colosseum
On his first Good Friday as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV will personally bear the wooden cross for all 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome, marking the first full papal carrying of the cross in decades.
Apr 3rd 2026 · Vatican City
Insights
- On his first Good Friday as pope, Leo XIV will personally carry the wooden cross through every station of the Way of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum.
- This is the first time in decades a pope has carried the cross for the entire procession; John Paul II did so from 1979 until 1995.
- The meditations for the stations were composed by Rev. Francesco Patton, former custodian of the Holy Land.
- Crowds are expected at the Colosseum and the procession concludes atop the Palatine Hill.
- Leo is 70 and described as physically fit; he will also preside over the Easter vigil and celebrate Mass and the Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday.
Sources
- León XIV porta la Cruz en su primer Vía Crucis en el Coliseo de Roma para "hacer suyo el modo de proceder de Jesús" www.cope.es
- León XIV reza tumbado en San Pedro para recordar la Pasión de Jesús www.abc.es
- Pope Leo XIV to carry cross for entire procession, the first pontiff to do so in decades www.independent.co.uk
- Vía Crucis desde el Coliseo de Roma, en directo www.libertaddigital.com