Mumbai: Christians observed Good Friday with prayers and processions reenacting the 'Way of the Cross' or the 'Stations of the Cross', the last hours of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.
Members of Thane's St John the Baptist Church joined a procession that walked around the Talao Pali Lake on Friday morning. They marked the 14 Stations of the Cross, the story of Christ's last moment from his condemnation, his journey carrying the cross, his crucifixion, and the laying of his body in the tomb.
Infant Jesus Church, Jogeshwari, reenacted Christ's last journey on Friday morning. Father Daniel Fernandes, assistant parish priest at the church, said, "As we depict the passion and suffering of Jesus before his gruesome death... We want to impress upon the general audience that God's suffering and pain is a sign of his undying love for humankind that he's willing to go to any depth for his people and his mercy is available to all irrespective of caste, creed, sect or sex."
On Good Friday, Christians in Mumbai reenact Christ’s last journey through prayers and processions | Photo Credits: Infant Jesus Church, Jogeshwari
Mumbai's native Christian community, the East Indians, call the ritual 'Cursacha Vaat'. The Cursacha Vaat is conducted at the church or in the Gaothans or villages. According to Alphi D'Souza, head of the community group Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, groups called Irmous (Portuguese for Brothers and Sisters of Christ) and Konfrat (Portuguese for Confraternity) or Sodality make preparations for Good Friday service and veneration. They will sing the Krist Puran - an epic-like rendition of the Bible in Marathi. The book documents the Passion of Christ, says Reetiñ Reevaj - the East Indian Culture Guide by MGP.
On Holy Saturday, the United Christians of Mumbai will organise an Easter Eve procession at 4.00 pm from St Andrew's Marathi Church near Jhula Maidan, Agripada, said Cyril Dara, secretary of the United Christians of Mumbai. Participants in the procession will wear black and white clothing.
