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Good Friday 2005

Via Crucis at the Colosseum

This year's meditations were by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who less than a month later had become Pope Benedict XVI). They have been recorded as Totus2us podcasts in them in English, French, Portuguese & Spanish, & you can also read them in German & Italian.

Papa John Paul II's Message to the Participants of the Stations of the Cross on Palatine Hill
- in English, French, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish

"Dearest Brothers and Sisters,
 I am spiritually with you at the Colosseum, a place that evokes within me so many memories and emotions, in order to take part in the evocative rite of the Via Crucis, on this Good Friday evening.

I united myself to you in the invocation so rich in meaning: "Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi, quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum". Yes, we adore and bless the mystery of the Cross of the Son of God, because it was from his death that new hope for humanity was born.

The adoration of the Cross reminds us of a commitment that we cannot shirk: the mission that St Paul expressed with the words: "[I]n my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church" (Col 1: 24). I also offer my sufferings, so that God's design may be completed and his Word walk among the peoples. I in turn am close to all who, at this time, are tried by suffering. I pray for each one of them.

On this memorable day of Christ's crucifixion, I look at and adore with you the Cross, and I repeat the words of the liturgy: "O crux, ave spes unica!". Hail, O Cross, our only hope, give us patience and courage and obtain peace for the world!

With these sentiments, I bless you and all those who are taking part in this Way of the Cross via radio or television."

JPII - Message, Friday 25th March 2005 - © Copyright 2005 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana