Stations of the Cross devotion brings together parishioners throughout Lisbon

In 1220 at the age of 38, St. Francis of Assisi returned to Italy from the Holy Land on fire with the Holy Spirit. While he had spent the last two years there on business and visiting the holy sites, he was especially inspired by the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem. These were 14 spots following the events of Jesus’ passion walking from the Praetorium in the city to his tomb outside the walls. Fourteen spots where Christians have been venerating events such since the beginning of Christendom. Upon returning home he wanted to share the same experience with his community in Italy, so he asked that his church install those same 14 stations of the cross along the walls, a tradition that carries on inside Catholic churches to this day. This way those who visited can walk the way of the cross with Our Lord without needing to leave their hometown.  

This is all to say that since the beginning of the devotion in the 13th century, the Way of the Cross has always been intentionally unitive. This is a devotion, especially appropriate during Lent, is one in which Christians from all denominations around the world can feel comfortable participating. It is good for all Christians to walk with Jesus during his Way of the Cross, or at least that was what I was told about a year ago by our young and excited Lutheran pastors in Lisbon. 

Early in Lent, ELCA Pastor Ella Moehlman and I met to make a plan. Why not have a devotional event during Holy Week in which our two churches work together to invite the whole community? And what better event that an ancient Lenten devotion meant to bring Christians together in prayer? 

And so we did it. The plan was to walk from Trinity Lutheran in Lisbon, downhill about a quarter of a mile to St. Aloysius. We chose 14 stops along the way—usually various churches or small landmarks—and prayed through one of the events of the passion. Each church was responsible for finding seven people from the community willing to read a scripture passage, and between each station we would sing Holy Week songs as we prepared to stop again. 

On the day of the event, over 160 people of all ages and denominations showed up to pray and walk with our Lord. Both myself and Pastor Ella were edified to not only see such fantastic attendance from a small town, but the prayerful and contemplative nature in which the faithful from both churches approached such an event. The procession was led by alb-clad Catholic altar servers swinging a thurible, while students carried a large pine cross made by a Lutheran parishioner. 

The cross is a symbol of unity. I’m sure watching this event from heaven made St. Francis proud. I know I was.