Worshippers gather for Pope Leo XIV's first Way of the Cross at Colosseum

On April 3, Pope Leo XIV led the traditional Good Friday “Way of the Cross” ceremony in Rome. It was the first Good Friday of his pontificate, and the event drew thousands of worshippers and pilgrims who gathered to pray and commemorate the suffering of Jesus Christ.

The pope personally carried a wooden cross through all 14 Stations of the Cross, retracing the symbolic path of Jesus to crucifixion. This marked the first time in decades that a pope carried the cross for the entire procession. The ceremony began inside the Colosseum and continued through the surrounding area, ending with a blessing from Palatine Hill.