Pope Leo XIV Walks Cross, Symbolizes Global Suffering

0:00It's April 3rd, from your city to your ears. This is Vancouver News today, powered by AI. Pope Leo the 14th is set to carry the wooden cross through all 14 stations of the way of the cross at the Colosseum, this good Friday, his, first as pontiff. It's the first time in decades a pope has done the whole procession himself, a powerful symbol of sharing Christ's suffering in today's world. He shared with reporters that this act lets him carry global pain in his prayers, echoing the voice people crave from a spiritual leader. Back in the day, John Paul II hauled it fully from 1979 until his hip surgery in 1995, while Benadicta, 16th only managed the first station, and France is skipped due to health issues. At 70 years old, Leo stands out as fit and active, an avid tennis player and swimmer who hit the gym hard before taking the throne, unlike his. Older, less robust predecessors, crowds will pack the Colosseum area for this ritual marking, Jesus' final hours from sentencing to burial.

1:03The meditations come from Father Francesco Patton, former custodian of Holy Landsites, stressing faith lived out in the real world, not just abstract, piety. Meanwhile, Leo leads the Easter vigil Saturday night in St. Peter's Square, then Sunday Mass, with his Urbiet Orby blessing to Rome and beyond. This move signals fresh energy from the Vatican, blending tradition with a leader ready to shoulder the load, keeping the faith's fire burning bright.