Yes, That May Have Been Jesus Walking By

Yesterday was Good Friday, and Christians in the city remembered the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. One group, Communion and Liberation, carried a cross across the Brooklyn Bridge to St. Peter's Church on Barclay as part of the Way of the Cross reenactment. One of the Christian organization's members told NY1, "It always has a special significance that we commemorate that day also as part of Good Friday, because it's the idea of redemption, which is basically what we’re looking at here today."

And in the Bronx, St. Joseph's Church had an elaborate reenactment: Jesus Christ, played by Rafael N. Gonzalez, was led by Roman soldiers, dragged his cross through the streets, and was later put on the cross at the church.

Top photograph of the Way of the Cross procession by Bebeto Matthews/AP; lower photograph of Jesus Christ (played by Rafael N. Gonzalez) in the Bronx by Seth Wenig/AP

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By Jen Chung in News on April 7, 2007 1:15 PM

Comments [rss]

Tucker

creepy.

Ace

If you'd come today

You could have reached a whole nation

Isreal in 4 BC

Had no mass communication

Molls

Oh, also: the quotation in this article is completely incoherent. I'm guessing "that day" refers to Sept. 11 (the C&L procession stops at the WTC site)... but even so, it makes no sense. Is it a Gothamist transcription problem, or was that what the person actually said? And if it is, why quote it?

Molls

For what it's worth: Don't know anything about the reenactment in the Bronx, but the Communion and Liberation procession definitely had a permit (and waaaaay more than 50 people); it was all most official, and very dignified (i.e., no costumes). I definitely wouldn't call it a "parade," and I don't think there's anything insecure about an act of public witness and commemoration. Again, don't know about the event in the Bronx, but both the C&L procession in Brooklyn/downtown and the Pax Christi procession in Midtown were held in the morning, so participants could also attend traditional Good Friday liturgies in the afternoon.

Toby

I am so much more in favour of the good Anglican/Episcopal tradition of going to church for an hour and a half (or sometimes until 3 p.m.) at noon on Good Friday.

There is no need for public spectacle on a high holy day like Good Friday, unless you are so insecure with your faith you have to make a public spectical and create hardships for everyone else. It seems a bit crass to have a parade on a day that is for quiet reflection.