POINT PLEASANT BEACH — The Christian community of Point Pleasant Beach participated last week in a borough-wide Good Friday Walk with the Cross to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
Parishioners from churches across Point Pleasant Beach came together on the evening of Good Friday, April 18, for the event, which started at St. Peter Church and proceeded through the borough, stopping at St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church and the Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church.
Throughout the walk, different volunteer groups, including firefighters, first responders, teachers, medical professionals and more, took turns carrying the cross, emulating the path of Jesus on the day of his crucifixion.
“For a long, long time, Christians have tried, wherever they are, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ; especially on Good Friday,” said the Rev. Robert Schlageter of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church. He explained the prayer involved in the Stations of the Cross, a story of the path Jesus took to his crucifixion, which is remembered on the holy day of Good Friday. “Over centuries, they would have processions through towns, marking the spaces where Jesus stopped. There’s 14 stations, and we stop, pray at each one of them and then proceed to the next one.”
The Rev. Schlageter said that the Walk with the Cross in Point Beach, which had its second such event this year, is special for its path which included stops at churches of several denominations.
“This is particularly beautiful for us in Point Pleasant Beach, because it’s the one time in the year where we’re all together,” he said. “Our people love visiting the other Christian churches. We start here (at St. Peter), we walk down to St. Mary’s, then to Point Pleasant Presbyterian, then we walk back down here — along the way, we’ll lead the people in prayer.”
Rocco Sherman, deacon of St. Mary’s by-the-Sea, said, “The night before Jesus died, before he was arrested, he prayed to the Father and he prayed for his disciples that they all may be one. So, in coming together from different denominations, we’re fulfilling that prayer of Christ, in a way.”
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