Orthodox Christians mark Good Friday with Via Dolorosa procession in Jerusalem

Sophie Thompson
Updated ·1 min read

Orthodox Christians are taking to the streets of Jerusalem to mark Good Friday with the iconic Via Dolorosa procession.

The procession departs from the Church of the Flagellation, before passing each of the 14 Stations of the Cross before culminating at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Participants often carry a large wooden cross to further mimic the walk of Jesus of Nazareth to his crucifixion, and it’s one of the most important days in the religious calendar.

Orthodox Easter is celebrated a week after its Catholic and Protestant counterparts, with the official day landing on Sunday 16 April.

This is because they typically follow the Julian calendar, implemented by Julius Caesar in 46BC, giving the year 366 days instead of 365.

Back in 2017, the three denominations ended up celebrating Easter on the same day, because of the way the dates fell.

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