Saturday, April 19, 2025

Good Friday at St. Mary's

 


Good Friday at St. Mary's culminated in a live Via Crucis through the local streets where many of the parishioners live.  This was the first time I have done anything like this and it was a profound experience.  First, seeing ushers transformed into centurions and a fellow parishioner assuming the burden of Christ.

The procession began after the service of the Lord's Passion, which was an event in itself.  The Spanish choir in their red shirts were back in force and sang with feeling.  Their hymns were long, plaintive and hypnotic. Kevin sang and played familiar hymns from the loft as the numerous faithful came forward, first, to venerate the cross and then to receive Communion.

The Stations of the Cross traversed a route down Broadway, up Park Hill, down New Main to Main, down Main to Riverdale Avenue and back up Prospect to the church.  The end point was the small lawn in front of the school which had been set up for the crucifixion.

Each of the 14 stations was enacted along the route.  I lived in Yonkers from age 12 to 25, so for me the procession was taking place in 3 times: the present, the time of Christ and my youth in downtown Yonkers.   By the time Jesus was scourged in front of Sneaker King I was tired, mesmerized and well ensconced in the surreal.

When we reached Golgotha in front of the school I felt sleepy, my lower back ached and my knee hurt.  I wonder how the man portraying Jesus felt.  The day had turned cloudy and a wind blew up, so I wondered if he was cold and if he ached from the vigor of the choreography and the weight of the cross.  The cross he was carrying appeared to be made of wood.  Ultimately he was hung on it, so it must have been quite heavy.  Whatever he felt was a fraction of the suffering of Jesus.  By the time he said "It is finished" and Mary held his inert body I had to hold back tears.  We all left a little bit transformed and one step closer to God.

Video of the entire procession can be viewed HERE.

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