HOLY WEEK AROUND THE WORLD: New York
NEW YORK: Christians carry a wooden cross across the Brooklyn Bridge during the Good Friday Way of the Cross procession on March 21, 2008 in New York City. The annual rite brings several hundred Christians out for a processional across the bridge and through lower Manhattan.
The Passion of Mary by Francis Thompson O LADY Mary, thy bright crown Is no mere crown of majesty; For with the reflex of His own Resplendent thorns Christ circled thee. The red rose of this Passion-tide Doth take a deeper hue from thee, In the five wounds of Jesus dyed, And in thy bleeding thoughts, Mary! The soldier struck a triple stroke, That smote thy Jesus on the tree: He broke the Heart of Hearts, and broke The Saint’s and Mother’s hearts in thee. Thy Son went up the angels’ ways, His passion ended; but, ah me! Thou found’st the road of further days A longer way of Calvary: On the hard cross of hope deferred Thou hung’st in loving agony, Until the mortal-dreaded word Which chills our mirth, spake mirth to thee. The angel Death from this cold tomb Of life did roll the stone away; And He thou barest in thy womb Caught thee at last into the day, Before the living throne of Whom The Lights of Heaven burning pray. L’ENVOY O thou who dwellest in the day! Behold, I pace amidst the gloom: Darkness is ever round my way With little space for sunbeam-room. Yet Christian sadness is divine Even as thy patient sadness was: The salt tears in our life’s dark wine Fell in it from the saving cross. Bitter the bread of our repast; Yet doth a sweet the bitter leaven: Our sorrow is the shadow cast Around it by the light of Heaven. O light in Light, shine down from Heaven!
Photo by Chris Hondros for Getty Images via AFP
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And today we celebrate...
