April 18 (UPI) — Thousands of people recited prayers while carrying large wooden crosses and walking through the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem acknowledging Good Friday.
People marking the Christian holy day follow the Way of the Cross or Via Dolorosa route through the streets of Old Jerusalem along the path Jesus is believed to have taken prior to his crucifixion and includes the 14 Stations of the Cross.
The procession has taken place each Good Friday for 2-thousand years, drawing thousands of people.
The Way of the Cross is one of several rituals that take place in the days surrounding Easter.
Palestinian Christinans on Friday faced restrictions accessing holy sites in Jerusalem while making their way from the West Bank territory.
An estimated 50,000 Christians live in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. This year, Israeli officials limited the number allowed to leave the Palestinian enclave and enter Jerusalem to about 6,000.
Israel has around 180,000 Christians among its population of approximately 9.7 million people.
As part of global Easter remembrance, Pope Francis on Thursday visited a prison in Rome where he offered words of encouragement to prisoners. The Pope also marked the Way of the Cross at the Vatican on Friday, ahead of Easter Sunday.
