MIAMI (Miami Herald) — About a hundred Miami Catholics walked the streets of Little River Friday afternoon for a longstanding Good Friday ritual: The procession of the cross to honor the biblical story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.
Bishops, deacons, priests and parishioners from St. Mary’s Cathedral marched down Northwest Second Avenue stopping every so often to pray — “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” — and sing in English, Creole and Spanish to accommodate the multi-lingual crowd.
As volunteers held statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, Miami residents looked on from their porches and Little River homes to mouth the words and record videos of the crowd singing, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”
Father Steven O’Hala, center, prays during a Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Florida. (Miami Herald photo by: Matias J. Ocner)
A Christian ritual dating back to the fourth century, the “Veneration of the Cross” happens late afternoon on Good Friday and allows the faithful to take time after service to honor the cross. Each of the 14 stations of the cross represents a different moment in the story of Jesus’ death, and it’s customary to pray and meditate at each milestone.
St. Mary rector Father Steven O’Hala said carrying the cross is not just about remembering the scenes of the Bible, but a way for the faithful to “relate those stations as scenes along the way from scripture or from tradition to our contemporary spirituality.”
Rose Anderson, a Miami native and St. Mary’s parishioner for 10 years, said she attends the Holy Week services every year.
Andy Cadet, 21, left, and Kevin Perez, 29, carry a statue of Virgin Mary during a Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Florida. Miami Herald photo by: Matias J. Ocner)
“I love being with all of these people, from all over the world, worshiping the same God,” she said. Anderson, who wore a shirt quoting the Bible verse “I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” noted that the congregation at St. Mary’s is made up of a diverse crowd.
“It’s different cultures. We receive the mass in English, Spanish and in Creole,” said another nearby St. Mary’s parishioner named Manuel, 29, who is originally from Ecuador and preferred not to give his last name. “It’s really vibrant, the church.”
As parishioners moved slowly down the streets of Little River, children from of the Boy Scouts of America offered cold water to the thirsty. The crowd included clergy from nearby Miami churches, including Haitian Bishop Pierre-André Dumas who relocated to Miami after he suffered burns and trauma from an explosion in Port-au-Prince last year.
“Being part of this, not having our own parish, made us feel kind of connected and welcomed into Miami,” John Vargas said. Daisy Vargas, who was born on Holy Thursday, said the tradition is important to her family and her own Catholic faith. “I was born when he died, and that’s special in my faith,” she said.
Parishioners carry a statue of Jesus during the Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Florida. (Miami Herald photo by: Matias J. Ocner)
John and Daisy Vargas, two parishioners from Our Lady of Lebanon, drove form Coral Gables with their two children to take part in the procession. The Puerto Rican couple, who recently moved to Miami from Manhattan, said they have been taking part in the Good Friday ritual since before they found their home church.
Daisy Vargas, who was born on Holy Thursday, said the tradition is important to her family and her own Catholic faith.
“I was born when he died, and that’s special in my faith,” she said.
David Perez, a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization founded in 1882, said the Veneration of the Cross is a “powerful” ritual for Catholics to bring their own sacrifices to Jesus.
“At the end and lowest point you find out who is really there for you … to take your beaten body and care for you in your time of need,” said Perez.
By LAUREN COSTANTINO/Miami Herald
Lauren Costantino is a religion reporter for the Miami Herald funded with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald retains editorial control of all work. Since joining the Herald in 2021, Lauren has worked as an audience engagement producer, reaching new audiences through social media, podcasts and community-focused projects. She lives in Miami Beach with her cocker spaniel, Oliver.