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Pope Francis has written a meditation that will be read during the Station of the Cross, which will be celebrated at the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday, March 29, the Vatican Press Office announced on March 26, 2024. His 14 “stations” of Jesus’ journey to the cross are “praying with Jesus on the way to the cross.”
This is the first time that Francis himself has written a meditation for this traditional festival, which begins inside the Colosseum on Friday at 9:15 p.m.
The last pope to write his own meditations was John Paul II in 2003, two years before his death.
Since Francis’s pontificate, these reflections have mostly been written by people who have lived through painful experiences, especially troubled families, prisoners of war, immigrants, and victims of war.
The text centers on the sufferings of Jesus
The Holy See said the documents written by the pope this year were “very contemplative.”
Meditation is “very centered on how Jesus lived in the moment.” [of his Passion]. And from there, the world of suffering expands,” said a representative of the news agency.
The Pope’s decision to take a more personal role in the traditional Station of the Cross on Good Friday is in line with the year of prayer he has set for 2024 in preparation for next year’s 2025 Jubilee Year.
In recent weeks, the pope has often been unable to read his own speeches due to his health, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to attend the Stations of the Cross. His presence is expected for the time being.
But last year, he chose not to attend at the last minute, citing particularly cold and windy weather and weak health.
