Pilgrims flock to Jerusalem

Agence France-Presse

Thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world poured into the Holy City of Jerusalem under sunny skies on Friday to pray along the traditional route Jesus took to his crucifixion.

As part of the Good Friday ceremonies, the Christian faithful descend onto the twisted cobblestoned streets of Jerusalem's Old City to walk along the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Suffering.

Christians believe it is along this route that Jesus bore the cross on which he was later crucified by the Romans and many of the pilgrims carried crosses of varying sizes as they retraced the revered route."We're blessed to be in Jerusalem during the holy week," said Kathy, a 65-year-old visitor from the US state of Ohio. "This moment is changing my life. I feel like I am becoming another person."

The Good Friday procession begins at the Monastery of Flagellation, where Jesus was beaten, mocked and crowned with thorns.

It follows the narrow often climbing street and the stations of the cross along its way, where Jesus met his mother, fell several times, was helped with carrying the cross, and met the holy women of Jerusalem, among others.

The procession ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the sites where Christians believe Christ was crucified and buried.

The din of Christians praying in French, Spanish and Italian mixed with the muezzin calling the Muslim faithful for mid-day prayers at the Old City mosques.

Meanwhile Jews clad in black suits and hats hurried toward the Wailing Wall to hold prayers for the Passover holiday that began earlier in the week.

"I feel very well, but also sad and feeling the agony of Jesus Christ crucified," said Paulo Antonio, a 68-year-old pilgrim from Spain.

Each year, thousands of Christians flock to tread the route that is based on a devotional walk first laid out by the Roman Catholic Church's Franciscan order in the 14th century.

The Christian Gospels teach that on the third day after he was crucified, Jesus rose from the dead. That event is commemorated by Easter, the most important day of the church year to most Christians.

Catholics and other Christians in the west celebrate Easter on a different date each year than do Orthodox Christians. Latin Christians will celebrate Easter this Sunday, April 12, with the Orthodox Easter coming a week later.

As the faithful arrive at the Holy Sepulchre church, representatives from the two Muslim families that have kept keys to it since the 13th century open its doors to them.

Israeli police deployed reinforcements to prevent any incidents in the Old City, which Israel annexed along with the rest of Arab east Jerusalem after capturing it in the 1967 Six Day War. "I am happy because I am going to the church, but I also feel sad because I entered my own country with a permit," said Nizam, a 60-year-old Christian from Ramallah, referring to the permits that Palestinians must get from Israeli authorities in order to leave the occupied territory.

"This is my country, my land. I can't move freely in my own country," he said. "We can't go to our churches."