St. Augustine's Church

Limerick, Co. Limerick

Limerick Leader: Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Invite to Share in the Passion Walk

by Mairéad Ní Chaoimh

This Good Friday a colourful procession of Roman soldiers and weeping women in full costume will walk through the streets of Limerick.

The Passion Walk, which is part of the city's Holy Week celebrations, will stop outside eight different "places of pain" in the city.

"We are taking the gospel out into the marketplace. It will be a dramatic re-enactment," said Fr. Liam Ryan, rector of the Augustinian Church.

He is inviting the people of Limerick to join the procession which starts at the Augustinian Church at 1:30 pm on Friday.

The first port of call is Limerick Prison, where the procession will pause for reflection.

It will then proceed to the next "place of pain," Brother Russell Home and continue on to St. Joseph's Hospital, Griffin's Undertakers, St. John's Hospital, Bridgeland House, Limerick Youth Service, and the Samaritans.

"We want to remind people of the core event of Easter. Sometimes it gets sidelined by holidays and shopping," said Fr. Ryan, who will be dressing up as a high priest.

The Passion Group consists of 10 Roman soldiers, weeping women, Jesus carrying the cross, Mary Magdalene and high priests.

The places of pain are seen as the modern-day Stations of the Cross, and the Passion Walk as an outdoor pilgrimage.

Pilgrims are due to arrive back at the church at 4:00 pm where the dramatic moment of crucifixion will be re-enacted.

Throughout Lent the church each week focused on a different place of pain, with a speaker from each location addressing the congregation at mass.

A virtual prison cell was built in the church to allow church goers to experience what it feels like to be behind bars. People were encouraged to sit in the cell adn imagine they were actually in Limerick Prison.

A hospital bed was also placed in the church complete with drip, and bedside table with holy water.

The Easter weekend culminates in the celebration of Easter hope with the lighting of the Paschal fire and candle at Poorman's Kilkee on Saturday evening.