Liepāja's Ecumenical Way of the Cross: The Only March in the City That Doesn't End at Rose Square

On Good Friday in Liepāja, one of the rare marches took place that began at Trinity Cathedral and surprisingly didn't end at Rose Square with a fight over the last bench spot. The Ecumenical Way of the Cross brought together representatives of various denominations for a joint walk through the city, proving that Liepāja residents can walk in silence even without using their mobile phones.

The procession wound through the city center, stopping at 14 symbolic stations. Each time participants stopped for prayers, passersby wondered if these were some new public transport stops. As local resident Jānis admits: "At first I thought it was something with the tram again, but then I saw that people weren't carrying shovels."

Prayers and Bible readings alternated with moments of silence, which is rare in Liepāja, since usually everyone loudly discusses why gasoline is cheaper in Riga. This time, even the vendors at the Central Market were quiet, which testifies to the special significance of the event.

The march concluded at St. Joseph's Cathedral, where participants gathered for the closing prayer. As the organizers later admitted, this was one of the rare occasions when Liepāja residents went all the way to the end, instead of stopping at some café along the way. Perhaps because this time they didn't have to pay for a ticket.