Lead Editor - Newsgathering
ryan.bachoo@cnc3.co.tt
Roman Catholic Archbishop Jason Gordon yesterday called on citizens to do some introspection, as he joined the faithful for the Good Friday procession at Mount St Benedict, St Augustine.
The light of candles illuminated the darkness around 4 am, as Christians gathered early on to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The role of Christ was re-enacted by Anthony Samaroo, who led the procession through the 14 Stations of the Cross.
From being condemned by Pontius Pilate to being placed in the tomb, the re-enactment was completed before sunrise.
Speaking to the faithful outside the church, Archbishop Gordon called on the nation “to reflect on how we continue to crucify Jesus Christ”.
He said, “As we reflect on this through the meditations of the stations, through our own humanity, let us reflect on the way that we gossip, the way that we cut others off and the way that we don’t help beyond what is convenient.”
Archbishop Gordon went further in challenging those present to remember the procession which they had just completed.
He added, “Take this in your heart and ponder on it today. With your children, speak about it and help them to understand what it is we have done, why was Jesus crucified, and how we continue the crucifixion with our actions every single day?”
Among the crowd climbing Mount St Benedict, which signifies Jesus’ ascent on Calvary Hill with the cross, were children, teenagers, adults and the elderly.
The procession meant something different to everyone. At the 10th station, one man told Guardian Media he lost both his parents two years ago and the Way of the Cross helps him with closure while also getting closer to Christ.
As the procession climbed towards the 12th station, one woman said the re-enactment gives her a sense of closeness to the Lord and to his suffering. She went further in lamenting the state of the country when it comes to crime, saying, “Prayer is maybe the only thing that can help us, whether it is prayer from Christians, Catholics, Hindus or Muslims, we all need to reunite and pray.”
The re-enactment followed a similar script to years gone by. Samaroo has been playing the role of Christ for the last 15 years but he admitted “it feels a bit different every time you do this walk”.
He said this year, it required him to shake off the rust of the COVID-19 pandemic and adjust to the state of affairs both domestically and around the world.
He added, “When you are preparing for this, you have to prepare mentally. It requires fasting, relaxing, praying and talking with God. I came up on the Mount and I was by myself, gathering my thoughts to see if I would be blessed once again for this re-enactment.”
When asked about the challenges of re-enacting such a monumental figure and moment in history, Samaroo explained, “It is challenging when it comes to preparation. It is a mindset. Three times you have to fall. It is real and it is painful. For me, this is about loving God and changing people’s lives around the world.”
He called on citizens to stay closer to God and stay close to the church.
“We need more proper parenting and teaching. We need children to be more respectful and loving,” he said.
Good Friday is the day on which Christians annually observe the commemoration of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.