The Way of the Cross is again crossing the alleys of the old city of Jerusalem, first among the houses and stores of the Muslim quarter, then among those of the Christian quarter. We are on the Via Dolorosa. It is Good Friday for the Catholic community. The Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land have been carrying on this tradition since the 13th century, ascending from the place where tradition places Pilate's Praetorium, to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. The 14 stations give rhythm to the journey, which, as in life, is made up of encounters, falls, fatigue, and gestures - sometimes hidden - of charity. Meditations and prayer mark the steps of the small crowd that still follows Jesus. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Holy Land Custos "For a Christian, the Way of the Cross is - I dare say - the metaphor of life, because the life of a Christian, St. Peter says, is to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ. And following in the footsteps means following Him all the way to Calvary, but it also means following Him to the empty tomb, that is, sharing in the resurrection." This year, the Stations of the Cross takes place in the middle of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, and just hours before the start of the Jewish celebration of Pesach. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Holy Land Custos "When there are feasts - today as in Jesus' time - there are also moments of sedition and nervousness. Let's not forget that Barabbas was imprisoned for sedition and was imprisoned because sedition broke out on the occasion of Easter. This is the drama of history, which Jesus Christ redeemed with his alternative way of living. The Way of the Cross closed with the blessing of Brother Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, and the singing of the Regina Coeli, a prelude to Easter.