‘I think it’s wonderful’: Community participates in Good Friday Stations of the Cross
Published 12:10 am Saturday, April 19, 2025
Eliza Breese carried the cross to the next station. She and the Rev. Dr. Robert Black, recrot of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church led the way. — Karen Kistler
Michelle Whitson held the cross at the Station as the group paarticiating in the reading. — Karen Kistler
After the prayer time, Jane Barbee, left, hands the cross to be carried to the next station. — Karen Kistler
Michelle Whitson carries the cross. She and Rev. Dr. Robert Black, rector at St. Luke’s Episcpal Church, lead the group to the next Station. — Karen Kistler
Bell Tower Green was one of the stops for the Stations of the Cross. — Karen Kistler
Rev. Dr. Robert Black, rector of St. Luke’s Episcpaal Church shared some opening remarks before the group began the walk of the Stations of the Cross. — Karen Kistler
The group gatherer at one of the Stations of the Cross to read and pray. Stephanie Potter, left, holds the cross at this Station. — Karen Kistler
Dan Swanson, left, hands the cross to Michelle Whitson for the next Staation of the Cross. — Karen Kistler
Karen Kistler
karen.kistler@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Approximately 25 people, including adults and children, gathered on the lawn of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on West Council Street at 8 a.m. on Good Friday, April 18, for the Stations of the Cross.
Prior to starting the procession around town to the different Stations, the Rev. Dr. Robert Black, rector at the church, shared some comments about the service. He said to those who had gathered to “remember we are doing Stations of the Cross with other Christians around the world.”
He told them that he got the idea to do this walk about 12 years ago when he was in Jerusalem. It was a Friday morning and they walked the Stations of the Cross, he said, and I thought, “that’s a lovely way to walk your city and pray for your city, but also be remembering these various stations.” Therefore, the event is modeled after that walk in Jerusalem, and added that “it’s the same Stations that Jesus would have gone through as well.”
Black pointed out how the readings would go, encouraging someone to take the role of reading at each of the stations with everyone else reading the responses. And from station to station, someone different carried the cross.
Following the opening devotions led by Black, the cross was picked up and the group made their way to the first station where there was the reading and prayer and then the cross was taken by someone else and they made their way to the next station.
Dan and Robin Swanson took part in the walk with Dan carrying the cross. When asked what it meant to them to be there during the morning, Robin said, “I remember Robert saying the more we walk this week, the more Easter is glorious. So we have to walk and do the hard stuff to really appreciate the gloriousness of Easter morning. And to know that this has historically been done all over the world makes me feel like I’m a part of a large community of Christ.”
Michelle Whitson, who took the cross from Swanson and carried it to the next station, said that she enjoyed the fact that “we break up the scripture as we move and we add the prayer in with it, and although I love some of our other services,” noting that the service that would be held the next night, “is my favorite service of the whole year, I like being out of the church building and feeling like we’re doing the movement like they did when they followed Jesus.”
Another attendee who carried the cross was Jane Barbee who said she had never done this before.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “I came just to see what it’s like, and I think it’s wonderful that it’s an interactive thing. Everybody gets to participate.”
The 14 stations on the walk included, first, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane; second, Jesus is betrayed and arrested; third, Jesus is brought before the Council; fourth, Jesus is denied by Peter; fifth, Jesus is judged by Pilate; sixth, Jesus is beaten, mocked and crowned; seventh, Jesus takes up his cross; eighth, the cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene; ninth, Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; 10th, Jesus is nailed to the cross; 11th, Jesus speaks to Mary his mother; 12th, Jesus on the cross; 13th, Jesus dies on the cross; and 14th, Jesus is laid in the tomb.
When the walk was completed and they had returned to the church, all were invited to join for a brief service in the chapel and the receiving of the communion.
