As a cross-bearer in the Good Friday procession, Caroline Zinz was taken aback by the burden on her shoulder.
Symbolic of the final walk of Jesus Christ through the streets of Jerusalem before he was crucified, Zinz's participation in Friday's stations of the cross event was an honour that touched her Catholic faith deeply.
"I had never done that before and I kind of imagined it would be heavy, but I wasn't prepared for the weight of it and the weight of everyone behind me," said Zinz. "It made me think about what Jesus went through and it was more of an impact than just following in the crowd. I'm glad I was able to do it."
The observance of the stations of the cross is a Catholic tradition that began centuries ago and was brought to the downtown streets of Prince George as an interfaith event 13 years ago. Friday's hour-long walk drew about 200 people, a small crowd compared to the packed streets Peter Efekalam grew accustomed to on Good Friday in his hometown of Lagos, Nigeria, a city of 21 million.
"These streets would not be wide enough to hold all all the people," said Efekalam.
"This is the first time I've done this since I came to Canada [two years ago]. Jesus Christ came to die on the cross to give us salvation and for us Catholics it is so important because it is the whole essence of Christianity."
The Good Friday procession serves as a reminder to followers of what started the Christian religion and Barb Ellison said taking part in the walk keeps fresh in her mind the memory of Christ's final days and his wish to end all human suffering.
"I just think it's important to be part of a physical presence in Prince George of Christian faith, it just makes it really meaningful," said Ellison. "It's not just about going from Palm Sunday to the joy of Easter, you need to go through the dark times. You need the negative to enjoy the positive, so we need to go to the dark places. It reminds me of the entire story."
Because it brings together people of different religions, Chuck Robertson said the Good Friday event carries mass appeal across many cultures in our society and he makes sure never to miss it.
"This brings all the faiths together and we can take time to celebrate our similarities rather than our differences," said Robertson. "Life has to have some purpose and Jesus gives us that purpose, and this keeps the memory of what Christ did for us alive.
"I am a practicing Roman Catholic and have always done the stations of the cross and being outside in this area of town brings a special meaning to me. It reminds us of the suffering of Christ for us, and the fact that we must think of more than just ourselves."
