Pope Leo XIV Carries Cross for Full Good Friday Procession
Pope Leo XIV Good Friday 2026 Via Crucis
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV marked a historic milestone during his first Holy Week as pontiff by personally carrying a large wooden cross through all 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on Friday evening. The 70-year-old American pope is the first leader of the Catholic Church to complete the full procession on foot in more than thirty years, a physically demanding feat that his immediate predecessors were unable to perform due to advanced age or declining health.
Under a moonlit sky and surrounded by thousands of pilgrims holding flickering candles, the pontiff moved somberly through the ancient amphitheater, signaling a new era of physical presence and traditional endurance for the papacy. According to reports from the Associated Press, the last pope to carry the cross for the entire duration of the Via Crucis was John Paul II during the early years of his reign before undergoing hip surgery in the mid-1990s.
The decision to undertake the full procession highlights the remarkable physical fitness of Pope Leo XIV, who succeeded the late Pope Francis following his passing last year. Known as an avid tennis player and swimmer before his elevation to the papacy, Leo XIV has used his stamina to project an image of a vigorous and active shepherd for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.
During the afternoon service in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope followed ancient tradition by lying prostrate in silent prayer on the stone floor, dressed in the red vestments of the Passion. As noted by the USCCB, the liturgy emphasized the need to break the cycle of global violence, with the papal preacher, Father Roberto Pasolini, urging world leaders to reject the “instinct to retaliate” and instead seek the “stubborn song of love” exemplified by the crucifixion.
The evening meditations at the Colosseum, written by Father Francesco Patton, focused heavily on the suffering caused by current international conflicts, including the devastating regional war in Iran and the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Each station featured prayers for “war orphans,” “deported children,” and “those who have died beneath the rubble” of modern warfare.
As reported by Reuters, the pope’s choice of themes reflects his growing role as a vocal diplomatic critic of the Iran conflict, having spent much of Good Friday engaging in high-level telephone calls with the presidents of Israel and Ukraine. In his closing remarks at the Palatine Hill, Leo XIV reminded the gathered crowds that power is a stewardship for which every leader must eventually answer to God, specifically mentioning the weight of decisions that “start or end a war.”
This Good Friday service serves as the emotional pinnacle of the Lenten season as the Church prepares for the celebration of Easter Sunday. The presence of a “relatively young” and physically capable pontiff at the helm has energized many in the Roman Curia and among the global faithful who see his actions as a symbolic renewal of the Church’s strength.
According to reporting from America Magazine, the Vatican is currently being positioned as a potential neutral venue for future peace negotiations, though such efforts remain complicated by the intensity of the ongoing military campaigns. As the procession concluded, the pope offered a final blessing to the city and the world, urging believers to maintain hope even in the “darkest hour of history” and to look forward to the promise of the resurrection.
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