Our Lady of the Valley Roman Catholic Church in Orange had a live Stations of the Cross on Good Friday outside the church. The Stations of the Cross, or Way of the Cross, is a Catholic devotion commemorating Jesus Christ’s actions from his condemnation to his burial.
The event began in front of the church on Nassau Street. An actor portraying Jesus was scourged, or whipped, in front of the church before being given the full-size wooden cross to carry. Surrounded by actors dressed as Roman soldiers with onlookers dressed in period costumes looking on, Jesus carried the cross down Valley Street before turning on Tremont and looping back to Church Street, where two crosses had already been set up for the two individuals to be crucified with Jesus.
During the lengthy walk to the church, Jesus fell several times and was beaten by the soldiers while the crowd of several hundred, who were following the procession, looked on. In the side yard of the church, Jesus and the two criminals crucified with him were placed on their crosses.
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