Annual Way of the Cross procession draws hundreds in Selkirk on Good Friday

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 18, 2025 12:38 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

Parishioners crowded into Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church successful Selkirk, Man., spilling into an overflow section, earlier starting a chilly Good Friday procession for the annual Public Way of the Cross.

The church's pastor estimated 1,000 people gathered Friday greeting earlier taking portion successful the two-kilometre locomotion to commemorate Jesus's carrying of the transverse earlier his crucifixion.

Most were dressed successful parkas connected an unseasonably acold time of –2 C, which felt much like –10 with the upwind chill.

"In bearing the cross, we besides admit the crosses that we transportation successful our ain lives and however important it is to subordinate this time successful thanksgiving for what Jesus has done for us," said Father Gerald Langevin, the pastor at Notre Dame.

The procession, which took astir 90 minutes, paused astatine each of the 14 stations of the cross — tiny icons oregon images that correspond cardinal moments from Christ's condemnation to his entombment — for readings and meditations.

"The words of scripture and the meditations volition lend themselves to a deeper acquisition successful their faith," Langevin said astir the parishioners taking portion successful the walk.

The event is hosted by a antithetic parish each twelvemonth successful the Catholic archdiocese of Winnipeg, which includes a wide swath of confederate Manitoba.

This twelvemonth marked the 36th locomotion and was the first for Archbishop Murray Chatlain, who was appointed to the presumption successful December.

It was besides just the second clip the lawsuit has been held extracurricular of Winnipeg, according to Langevin, who besides hosted the archetypal 1 successful 2019 successful Portage la Prairie.

"I really initiated it previously and wondered if it would beryllium imaginable to bash it. I cognize immoderate interest was expressed astatine the clip that the numbers would beryllium little [than if held successful the city]," helium said.

"As you tin spot astir you … Good Friday is profound for Christians crossed the world."

The lawsuit successful Selkirk was a co-operative effort betwixt respective parishes from the Interlake portion of the diocese.

"We person 10-plus parishes that person representers that volition some transportation the transverse arsenic good as share successful the scriptures and the meditations today," Langevin said anterior to the procession.

This year's taxable was from Matthew 16:24: "If immoderate privation to go my followers, fto them contradict themselves and instrumentality up their transverse and travel me."