Pope Leo XIV Carries the Cross for All 14 Stations at the Colosseum | DISCUSS

On Good Friday, April 3, 2026, Pope Leo XIV led a historic and physically demanding Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) at Rome’s Colosseum, personally carrying the wooden cross through all 14 stations.

The 70-year-old Pontiff, celebrating the first Good Friday of his papacy since his inauguration in 2025, revived a tradition not seen in full for over three decades.

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A Historic Return to Tradition

The Pope’s decision to carry the cross for the entire hour-long procession marked a significant departure from the practices of his immediate predecessors:

Breaking the Gap: While St. John Paul II carried the cross for the full route early in his papacy, he ceased doing so after his 1994 hip surgery. Pope Benedict XVI typically carried it for only the first and last stations, and Pope Francis—due to declining health—presided from a distance or was absent in his final years.

Symbolic Gesture: Pope Leo described the act as an "important sign" of his role as a spiritual leader, telling reporters, “Christ still suffers... I carry all of this suffering in my prayer”.

Physical Feat: Flanked by two torchbearers, the Pope carried the cross from the interior of the Colosseum, through a crowd of 30,000 faithful, and up the steep stairs to the Palatine Hill.

2026 Meditations: A Call for Peace

This year’s reflections were written by Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, who served as the Custos (Guardian) of the Holy Land from 2016 to 2025:

Accountability of Power: The meditation for the first station ("Jesus is condemned to death") issued a stern warning: “Every person in authority will have to answer to God for the way they exercise their power”.

Global Conflicts: The prayers touched on the "dark hour of history," specifically referencing the suffering caused by modern wars, including conflicts involving Ukraine, Israel, and Iran.

Human Dignity: The reflections implored world leaders to avoid the "fog of indifference" and to protect the most vulnerable in society.

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Holy Week Snapshot: Pope Leo XIV’s First Easter Triduum

Event	Action	Significance
Holy Thursday	Mass at St. John Lateran.	Returned the foot-washing rite to the Cathedral of Rome.
Good Friday	Via Crucis at the Colosseum.	First Pope to carry the cross for all 14 stations since 1994.
Holy Saturday	Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s.	Leading the Church into its most joyous celebration.
Easter Sunday	Urbi et Orbi Blessing.	Delivering his first major Easter message to the world.

"Give us tears once more, Lord, lest our conscience fade into the fog of indifference and we cease to be fully human." — Pope Leo XIV (Good Friday Meditation).