Leo carried a wooden cross for all of the 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum, marking the first time in decades a pope carried the cross to every station. “Every person in authority will have to answer to God for the way they exercise their power,” ⁠said the first meditation. The spiritual texts, ​written by an Italian priest chosen for the task by the pope, did not name any specific world leaders. They also recognised children who were imprisoned during protests or “deported by policies devoid of compassion”, ‌without referencing specific countries. Pope Leo carried a wooden cross for all of the 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on his first Good Friday as pontiff, marking the first time in decades that a pope carried the cross to every station.

Source: The Irish Times April 03, 2026 21:51 UTC