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Sarasota’s Historical Good Friday Stations of the Cross Pilgrimage
Twenty-seven Ministers of fourteen Denominations will take part in the Good Friday, Stations of the Cross down the center of Main Street Sarasota. With six denominational Deans/Principals participating, over 100 congregations are represented. This Good Friday, March 29th, is the 23rd year Sarasota will observe the worldwide Stations of the Cross tradition. What began in mid-15th century Jerusalem is now observed in over 200 nations on Good Friday of Holy Week. The fourteen Biblically recorded events that happened to Jesus on his way to crucifixion are remembered, Station by Station. A service booklet sharing the acts of worship that represent the Stations in Jerusalem will be distributed to all pilgrims.
Everyone is invited to Walk Your Faith this Holy Week by experiencing “The Way” or “Stations of the Cross” on March 29. In past years, the pilgrimage was confined to the north sidewalk of Main Street. Since 2011, the Sarasota Police Department escort has facilitated the procession so that pilgrims can safely walk down the center of Main Street. In 2023, nearly 1,000 pilgrims participated in this three quarters of a mile journey. Twenty-two years ago, the Sarasota Ministerial Association began to co-host the observance with The Church of The Redeemer, whose Friday Men’s Breakfast Prayer Group founded Sarasota’s observance in 1996. Then, fewer than 15 souls participated, but their prayers now bear the fruit of hundreds experiencing what has become a Sarasota ‘Happening.’
The pilgrimage begins to gather at 7 a.m. and starts at 7:20 a.m. in front of the Regal Hollywood movie theater, 1993 Main Street just off of Washington Blvd., 301. City Commissioner Kyle Scott Battie and Sarasota County Commissioner Mark Smith preside over Station One, “Jesus Is Condemned To Death.” For those who would like to park at the final Station location,(Church of the Redeemer at 222 S. Palm Ave.), Siesta Trolley will transport you to Regal Hollywood from Redeemer starting at 6 a.m. The Stations of the Cross journey offers an opportunity to reflect on the different moments of Christ’s passion journey to his crucifixion in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. Pilgrims will reach the final Station, Church of the Redeemer, at about 8:30 a.m. At that time, all are invited to attend a brief Morning Prayer Service reflecting on Good Friday inside the church.
Come observe Christ’s passion on the day the world stops to celebrate it. For more information, contact Grier Ferguson, Church Of The Redeemer Episcopal Church, [email protected], 941-955-4263 or email the Sarasota Ministerial Association President, Rev. Dr. Tom Pfaff at [email protected].
Click here to watch a video of a previous pilgrimage by the Sarasota Observer: https://youtu.be/YW0JGFqUFpQ
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