Actors portray the walk to Gethsemane where Jesus is nailed to the cross, along with two thieves in an annual passion play in Plano each Good Friday.
Submitted photo
The Good Friday Via Crusis/Living Stations of the Cross are a tradition at St. Mary Parish in Plano and feature a bi-lingual narration of the passion of Jesus Christ.
On the grounds of St. Mary Catholic School, the passion play started with Christ’s sorrowful visit to the Garden of Gethsemane, his arrest, interrogations, flogging, and accepting his cross. Jesus continued his journey to Calvary across the backdrop of the streets of Plano.
Approximately 250 individuals followed the cross Friday afternoon on Good Friday, April 19, with accidental onlookers coming out of their homes to see the play unfold in front of them. Soldiers with spears and swords, and on horseback, kept wailing disciples and onlookers away from Jesus and the two thieves who walked to the crucifixion.
The cast included 35 individuals, men, women, and children portraying the passion, narrated and with live dialogue.
“Being a part of it is a spiritual experience, even in the practices,” said John Lovetere, English narrator for the Via Crusis, “you get the feeling of praying the sorrowful mysteries as you see the other cast members in prayer. One of my most emotional moments it during the production and knowing the mothers of the men on the cross. Thinking about them and how their sons are out there. Those moments bring me back to the Virgin Mary and what she must have been feeling.”
The passion play culminates with the procession returning to the parish grounds for the crucifixion and then burial of Christ.
Afterwards, parishioners are invited inside the church to view the tomb, to pray, and to repent. Parish priests attend to offer reconciliation throughout the night.
This free live theatre event is produced to share the Good News in anticipation of Easter Sunday and as a reminder to believers of all denominations to return to church and recognize the resurrection.
— Barb Nadeau