Walking the Way of the Cross


Two members of the Russian speaking community of Haifa share their experience of walking the Way of the Cross (the Via Dolorosa) in Jerusalem during Lent.

lent pilgrimage haifa

Catholics of the Holy Land have a blessed annual opportunity to walk the Way of the Cross not in church, but on the Via Dolorosa. Even living in Haifa or Tiberias is not a problem to come to Jerusalem. On Saturday, March 12, 2016 our pilgrimage group of 22 members went from Haifa to Jerusalem.

All the way to the Holy City, we prayed the Rosary, dedicating it and our pilgrimage in this Year of Mercy to unity and blessing for our families, asking for the conversion of heart of all Russian speaking people in the Holy Land.

Our group started the pilgrimage from the birthplace of John the Baptist, the one who is called in the time of Jesus Christ and calls now for repentance and conversion to God. “ In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judaea; saying:”Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2),

In Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist and the place of the Visitation, we raised our voices in prayer to the Lord, praising Him and giving thanks. Together we read the Benedictus and the Magnificat.

We had to walk up the many stairs and our elderly ladies showed that they could do it much better than the younger ones in the group. This fact became the subject of discussion, and the heroines of the day explained: "God helps us". “Apparently, they have less sins and so get more help” - decided the younger participants in the pilgrimage.

Near Lions Gate, we ate our sandwiches and then taking the cross, entered into the long walk. We carried the Cross in rotation. Though it was not as big or as heavy as that of the Savior, we were still able to understand how He felt at that moment. The streets were narrow and crowds of tourists surrounded us. It seemed that all these shops were present here even two thousand years ago, only they did not sell Chinese jeans back then.

Oh, for Christ, this was a completely different feeling as when He carried a heavy wooden cross along narrow streets, stumbling over the stones and bleeding... so many people around watched Him. Some of them were perplexed, some of them looked on with indifference, others were full of hate and contempt.

Finally our group arrived at Golgotha, where we stopped to pray and meditate on the sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus, on the sacrifice of the Son of God for our sins and the sins of the whole humanity.

But our pilgrimage was not over yet. We went also to Even Sapir, where John the Baptist prayed in the cave. What a beautiful view, green hills, spring flowers, red and gold fishes in a small pool of the Franciscan monastery! Finally we celebrated the Holy Mass and went back to the North.

Despite the fatigue, all of us were sorry that the day was so short. We look forward for the next time...

Olga

Our pilgrimage to Jerusalem

It was a great day spent with a loving, wise and caring Father. The memory of such days warms our hearts all the days of our life. It happened this way: you are waiting, worried about nonsense, and then He comes and all problems are solved. And to your endless silly questions you receive quick and clear answers. You get everything that you need on your way. In such moments one feels strong love. I worried a lot about the Rosary prayer, trying to learn in from the internet, but I only understood that it is not simple. I am so grateful to Father Sergey, for the material that he printed out for us and for Olga, who all the way to Jerusalem taught us the Rosary prayer. With her help, the full Rosary together with views of the Holy Land rushing past became the first deep experience during this pilgrimage. I was struck by what I have learnt about this great prayer.

Then, I did not want to miss even a moment of this wonderful contact: my mobile phone fell into the water, but in an ice cream booth there was a packet of rice to dry it; we were hungry – our Father Sergey gave us big and tasty sandwiches; in the Holy Sepulcher we wanted to buy candles – immediately some unknown man took us to the tomb of Joseph. He anointed me with oil and put a candle in my hand. Later, at home I read about Joseph of Arimathea and understood why it was oil. I would not have found his tomb alone. I felt keenly, how He led us for 40 years in the desert, and I knew what manna is.

The second experience was the religious procession on the Via Dolorosa. This was the first time for me - I was scared of this wooden cross… because if I took it I would have felt as criminals do, as those crucified with Christ, who walked on the same path, only despair, anguish and terror. And sinless God walked this terrible part of the way of most desperate sinners, in order that we might feel His love and not fear, hope and not despair. I walked from station to station thinking of Him and praying in my heart. I thought about absolute love, about Saint Veronica who did what others may have only wanted to do but were full of fear.

Near the cave where John the Baptist had prayed, for the first time I felt that the Divine in me is united with the Divine within of each one.

I left there, in the cave, notes from my children to God, and this week my daughter was laughing with eyes full of tears and ran to pray and thank Him for the answer she had received. What a clear and good response!

I no longer fear Him. I love Him with infinitely grateful love.

Thank you to all. Rita

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