In a significant return to historic papal practice, Pope Leo XIV will personally carry the wooden cross through all fourteen stations of the Way of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum this Good Friday. This marks his first Good Friday as pontiff and represents the first instance in decades that a pope has undertaken the full cross-carrying procession.
A Symbolic Gesture of Spiritual Leadership
Speaking to reporters this week outside the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo emphasized the profound symbolism of his actions. "I think it will be an important sign because of what the pope represents, a spiritual leader in the world today, and for this voice, that everyone wants to hear, that says Christ still suffers," he stated. "I carry all of this suffering in my prayer."
Historical Context of Papal Participation
The tradition of papal cross-carrying during the Way of the Cross has varied significantly across recent pontificates. Pope John Paul II carried the cross for the entire procession from his first Good Friday as pontiff in 1979 until hip surgery in 1995 limited his participation. According to contemporary AP reports, he continued to carry it partially thereafter.
His successor, Benedict XVI, carried the cross only for the first station inside the Colosseum during the initial two years of his papacy, then followed other bearers in the procession that concludes on the Palatine Hill platform. Pope Francis, who passed away after a long illness on Easter Monday last year, never carried the cross but participated in the procession until his health deteriorated.
Physical Fitness Enables Traditional Observance
The resumption of this demanding physical tradition coincides with Pope Leo's relative youth and fitness compared to his immediate predecessors. At seventy years old, Pope Leo maintains an active lifestyle as an avid tennis player and regular swimmer. Before his election, he followed a rigorous gym regimen near the Vatican that his former trainer described as appropriate for a man in his early fifties.
This contrasts with previous pontiffs: John Paul II was fifty-eight when elected and known for hiking, while both Benedict XVI and Francis were in their late seventies upon assuming the papacy. Francis additionally contended with health challenges including missing part of a lung from a pulmonary infection in his youth.
Anticipated Crowds and Commemorative Significance
Large crowds are expected to gather outside the Colosseum for the Way of the Cross, which solemnly commemorates the final hours of Jesus Christ's life from his sentencing to crucifixion, death, and burial. The procession traditionally concludes outside the Colosseum atop the historic Palatine Hill.
The meditations read aloud at each station were composed by Reverend Francesco Patton, who served as Custos of the Holy Land from 2016 to 2025 with responsibility for sacred sites. In his introduction, Patton wrote: "The Way of the Cross is not intended for those who lead a pristinely pious or abstractly recollected life. Instead, it is the exercise of one who knows that faith, hope and charity must be incarnated in the real world."
Easter Weekend Liturgical Schedule
Following Good Friday observances, Pope Leo will preside over Easter vigil rites at St. Peter's Square on Holy Saturday, leading Roman Catholics into Christianity's most joyous celebration marking Christ's resurrection. On Easter Sunday, the pontiff will celebrate an open-air Mass in St. Peter's Square before delivering his Easter message and offering the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to Rome and the world.
This comprehensive liturgical participation underscores Pope Leo's commitment to visible, traditional leadership during Christianity's most sacred season, with the cross-carrying tradition serving as its most physically demonstrative element.
