Darien's Faithful Usher In Good Friday By Carrying Cross

DARIEN, Conn. -- A number of churches in town banded together to commemorate Good Friday by walking 2 miles through the streets of Darien with a giant cross while stopping for prayers along the way.

The walkers pause with the cross as the march through Darien to commemorate Good Friday.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Walkers carry the cross from the First Congregational Church to St. Luke Episcopal on Good Friday.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

The Rev. Dale Rosenberger leads off the Cross Walk in Darien on Good Friday.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Alex Armstrong (L), 12, and Owen Sheed, 13, of Darien, take a turn carrying the heavy cross.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Walkers stop along the route for several moments of prayer.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Phoebe Bryan (L), 8, and cousin Katherine Drugge, 7, of Darien, watch walkers carry cross, as Heather Drugge looks on.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

A little rain falls on the participants.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

The cross rests on a sidewalk as the group stopped for prayer.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Some of the younger children snack along the route.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Some walkers are accompanied by their canine friends.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Sarah Papsun, of Greenwich, in the white hat, reads a closing prayer at the end of the walk.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Skip Pearlman

04/03/2015 10:00 p.m.

"Having walked these 2 miles, from First Congregational to St Luke Episcopal, there's a kind of a glow of solidarity among people of faith," said the Rev. Dale Rosenberger, of First Congregational, an organizer of the walk.

The tradition is meant to evoke Jesus's carrying of the cross before his crucifixion on Good Friday. Christians celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

"There's nothing that unites people like adversity, hardship and suffering, and the weight of the cross makes us mindful of Jesus. Of course, his cross was much bigger and much heavier -- and his pain was infinitely greater. But that small taste gets us ready for what follows.

"And these three hours of worship gets us ready for this weekend, and especially what happens Sunday morning. When you walk the walk of Good Friday, then you can talk the talk of Easter."

Rosenberger said people have different reactions to the walk. "People have shared with me their losses over the past year, some of their struggles," he said. "For a number of the children and young people, there's novelty, curiosity...

"It makes us, as pastors, lock arms together and realize that it's all about cooperating. We're all on the same team here. So there's a sense of unity, a sense of purpose. ... It ushers us into the experience of Good Friday."

Believers of all ages joined in the walk, and many took a turn carrying the heavy cross, including Owen Sheed, 13, and Alec Armstrong, 12, both of Darien.

"I like to contribute to the community and worship God," said Sheed. "It kind of makes you feel like how hard it was to carry to cross... and He (Jesus) was beaten."

Armstrong agreed. "It shows you how hard it was that He had to do it by himself. It gives you a better appreciation, it makes people understand how hard it was."

Click here to follow Daily Voice Darien and receive free news updates.