Pope Leo carries cross for full Good Friday procession, first to do so in decades

In his first Good Friday as pontiff, Pope Leo carried a wooden cross at the Colosseum during the traditional Way of the Cross procession, a practice not seen by a pope in decades. The procession, which traces the final hours of Jesus Christ, included meditations at each of the 14 stations. The meditation at the first station, marking Jesus' condemnation, focused on the responsibility of those in power. Pope Leo expressed that he carries the suffering of the world in his prayers. The event took place at the Colosseum in Rome, a significant historical and religious site.

On Good Friday, April 3, 2026, Pope Leo XIV carried a 1.5-meter wooden cross for the entirety of the Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome. This Via Crucis symbolically retraced Jesus Christ’s steps to his crucifixion. The event marked Pope Leo XIV's first Good Friday as pontiff. It was also the first time in decades that a pope has carried the cross for all 14 stations. The torchlit procession was attended by the faithful.