Hundreds of Christians participated in a Good Friday procession through Jerusalem’s Old City, with thinner crowds due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Most observers were Palestinian Christians, with few foreigners and tourists. The procession followed the Way of the Cross, passed 14 stations marking events from Jesus’ final journey, and ended at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The impact of the war was evident, with fewer crowds and restrictions on Palestinian worshippers from the West Bank.
The city’s streets were devoid of Palestinian Christians from the West Bank, who normally visit for Easter. Shopkeepers opened their doors for tourists, but few were present. Palestinian Christians in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza live in diaspora communities, with some also being citizens of Israel. Despite the ongoing war, a few tourists visited the city for religious tours, feeling safe amidst the situation in Jerusalem, away from the violence targeted at Christian people.
The Good Friday celebrations coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with worshippers gathering at the Al-Aqsa mosque under tight Israeli security. Sister Harriet Kabaije, a pilgrim from Uganda living in Jerusalem, expressed her prayers for the people of Gaza and the hope for peace in the region. The ongoing war in Gaza has led to thousands of Palestinian casualties, affecting the atmosphere of the traditional Good Friday festivities in Jerusalem.
The traditional Good Friday procession comprises hundreds of pilgrims and passes through the Via Dolorosa, believed to be the path taken by Jesus to his crucifixion. Israeli police set up barricades to reroute shoppers and make way for the pilgrims, led by a group of Palestinian Arab scouts. The final stations of the procession are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus was crucified and laid to rest, before his resurrection on Easter. This year’s procession had noticeably thinner crowds due to the ongoing war and restrictions on Palestinian worshippers.
The impact of the war in Gaza was felt at the Good Friday festivities in Jerusalem, with reduced crowds compared to previous years. Local Palestinian Christians participated in the procession, while foreign visitors were scarce. The atmosphere was subdued, with shopowners expressing concern for the situation in Gaza and the lack of joy during the festivities. Despite the challenges, some tourists braved the day to witness the traditional Good Friday celebrations in Jerusalem, feeling safe in the city away from the violence targeting Christian people.
Carmen Ros, a lawyer living in Jerusalem, managed to bring a group of pilgrims from Spain for a religious tour, assuring them of their safety in Jerusalem. The month of Ramadan passed peacefully at the Al-Aqsa mosque under tight security, despite fears of clashes due to the ongoing war. The prayers of Sister Harriet Kabaije and others in Jerusalem sought peace for the people of Gaza and the region, amidst the natural assumption of war in the area. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, the spirit of faith and hope for peace resonated among the participants in Jerusalem’s Good Friday celebrations.
