A damp Sunday afternoon and the narrow streets of Barga Vecchia were filled with the sound of the procession Via Crucis – Stations of the Cross as they slowly moved in the rain through the city up to the Duomo.
Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross; in Latin, Via Crucis; also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows, or simply, The Way) refers to the depiction of the final hours (or Passion) of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion.
The tradition as chapel devotion began with St. Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval period.
It is less often observed in the Anglican and Lutheran churches.
It may be done at any time, but is most commonly done during the Season of Lent, especially on Good Friday and on Friday evenings during Lent.
