TRANSCRIPT
Christians around the world are marking the Good Friday with prayer, theatre and reflection.
In the Christian tradition, Good Friday is when Jesus Christ was crucified, only to be resurrected two days later on Easter Sunday.
In the Biblical holy lands where Jesus lived and spread his teachings 2000 years ago, many pilgrims have made the journey in a gesture of their faith and spiritual devotion.
In Israel, Christians from around the world marked Good Friday by walking down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, retracing what tradition holds were Jesus' final steps, while reciting prayers at the Stations of the Cross.
Nathaniel Haregrave says he came to see the holy Biblical sites and to show solidarity with Palestinian Christians who have suffered amid Israel's war in Gaza.
“To be here in the Holy Land even while the war is on, it’s still an incredibly moving experience. My main reason for the pilgrimage is to see the holy sites. It was earlier this year that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem called for Christians to come show their solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land, and that’s why I’m here while there is a war going on.”
Israel’s ongoing offensive has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
For Christians living in the warzone in the Gaza Strip, this year's festivities come in the form of a sombre prayer for peace.
Congregants at the Greek Orthodox church wore black, bowing their heads as they recited traditional prayers and lit votive candles.
Ramez Al-Suri lost his three children when Israel bombed their church in October 2023.
He says the congregation is praying for an end to the eighteen month conflict.
ARABIC TRANSLATED TO ENG: “We are now trying to pray with all love and sincerity for the world, and for Gaza in particular, to end the war and end the tragedy that we are living. Unfortunately, Gaza is suffering and continues to suffer from killing, terrorism, death and destruction every hour and every minute.”
And in Europe, a Good Friday candlelight procession from the church of Saint Demetrios Loumpadiaris illuminated the Greek capital Athens ahead of the Easter weekend.
Hundreds followed the procession from the small, old church along a route with the ancient Acropolis as its backdrop.
GREEK TRANSLATED TO ENG: "Here Easter is quite important and we all gather as a family. We go to church, and on Sunday it is a beautiful holiday to be surrounded by family."
And in France, six years after the fire which ravaged the famous Notre-Dame cathedral, Easter festivities could once again be held inside the church.
The fire on April 15, 2019 destroyed the medieval cathedral's roof, toppled the spire and almost brought down the main bell towers and outer walls before firefighters brought it under control.
Four months after the reopening of the Paris landmark, worshippers like Brisbane resident Kate Naughton have made the trek to see the cathedral and mark Easter.
"I watched it burn and it broke my heart from my home in Brisbane, Australia, because I thought I still haven't been there. It was one of my life goals to be here at Notre Dame and to be here at Easter, a time where we celebrate new life. It couldn't be more meaningful for me and my husband because 24 years ago we made a big decision. It was either have a fourth baby or go to Paris. And I think what's so special about today for us - here we are and our 4th baby is 24 years old, holding the fort at home in Brisbane, Australia, so yeah, very, very special for us to be here, thank you."
And in a number of countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Czechia, and Lebanon there were live performances of the last hours of Jesus' life and crucifixion .
Several thousand people filled London’s Trafalgar Square to capacity to watch a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated on Good Friday.
One spectator says the show reminded him of the power of forgiveness.
“Forgiveness is the answer. It’s so hard to do. But ultimately it’s always the answer."
And in the Philippines, the crucifixion scenes were not a performance.
In a dramatic display of faith and fervour, Catholic devotees in the northern Philippine province of Pampanga were nailed to wooden crosses on Good Friday.
Participants had two-inch nails, sterilised in alcohol, hammered through their hands and feet.
Ropes and fabric were used to support their bodies as they were raised on wooden crosses during the ceremony.
The ceremony took place in Cutud, a village north of Manila, drawing hundreds of local and foreign spectators.
What began as a modest stage play in the 1960s has since evolved into one of the country’s most striking Holy Week rituals, bringing many tourists, like this man.
"It's becoming more of a fascination for foreigners here in the Philippines and it's such an important event here today. There's lots of Filipinos out here and they're interested in what they want to see as well. It just creates that curiosity, it's very moving, it's very dramatic and it's a beautiful yet sad thing to watch. It's worth travelling from as far as Europe and America to come here to the Philippines to watch it."
And in the United States, thousands of pilgrims have trekked through the New Mexico desert to an historic church for Good Friday as part of a Holy Week tradition spanning generations.
Juan Griego, a Santa Cruz, California resident, says this year his pilgrimage is deeply personal.
"I'm personally walking for myself this year. I've been diagnosed with prostate cancer so I'm going through that, but I also walk every year I lost my son and my daughter-in-law in an accident in 2021 and I lost a nephew the year after so it's been a rough couple years. My wife had heart surgery a couple years ago so a lot of different reasons. But it's a very spiritual walk and it's good to do some penance and give thanks for all the blessings that we do have in life and I'm doing it with my good friends Chris and Chris."
