Youth host dramatic Good Friday passion play in Victorville
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After playing the role of Jesus, Jacob Patiño shared how the Good Friday passion play for him was exhausting —mentally, physically, and spiritually.
“Carrying that heavy cross was one thing, but then I started thinking about what the real Jesus did for us,” said Patiño, a 14-year-old student at University Preparatory School in Victorville. “It was tough.”
Hundreds of worshipers on Good Friday braved the cold and wind as they gathered outside St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Victorville to observe the Stations of the Cross.
With Patiño as Jesus, members of his church youth group played the role of Roman soldiers, a pair of angels, and Christ’s followers as they walked to each of the 14 stations posted along C Street and throughout a parking lot across from the church.
Nearly 300 people, carrying smaller crosses, flowers and rosaries, followed the actors to each station, while a guitar player led the congregants in song.
“Keep walking,” shouted one spear-holding soldier as he pushed the bloody Jesus, who fell to the ground. “Get up! Keep moving!”
At each station, the group prayed and recited a reading as many genuflected or knelt before the cross.
Several in attendance said they “felt chills” as Patiño, with head bowed, would occasionally look up, his gaze seeming to pierce through the hearts of those around him.
Stations of the Cross
Each station represented one of the final events of Jesus’s last days before being crucified.
The first station represented Pontius Pilate, the governor of the Roman province of Judaea, condemning Jesus to die.
The 12th station commemorated Jesus dying on the cross, and the 14th station, positioned in front of the church, represented Jesus being placed into a sepulcher, a tomb cut into a rock or built of stone.
Uniting as family
This year, three crosses stood in front of the church, with the center cross for Jesus and the others for actors who portrayed thieves, as the Bible described.
“Nobody wanted to play Jesus and neither did I at first, but after praying and thinking about it I knew I had to do it,” Patiño said. “It was a blessing to be here.”
Kimberly Patiño told the Daily Press that she was proud of her son, Jacob, and the youth ministry for blessing those who attended.
“This entire production started off with prayer and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us through this whole process and uniting us as a family with all our church ministries,” Kimberly said. “We’re very grateful that they all came together to make this possible.”
Young Adult Coordinator Victoria Soto said the youth cast for the passion play included Abigail Soto, Isabel Soto, Victoria Soto, Mireya Torres, Bryan Maradiosa, Genesis Cabral, Robert Araujo, Johnathon Monroy, Salvador Torres, Yamilex Aguilera, Alexis Arriaga Josefin Aguilera, Mary J. Aguilera, and Jacob Patiño.
Additionally, Kevin Varo-Martínez, Paola Heredia,Allison Godínez, Evelyn Godínez , Johnathan Godínez, Adhira Mercado , Gabriella Patiño, Natalia Patiño, Grace Araujo, Dayami Hernández, Anthony Hernández, Samantha Jiménez Rodríguez, Alicia Barajas, Elvia Olvera, Christopher Zacatzontetl, Daniel Lopez Huerta, Jacob González, Stephanie Leal, Javier Cordova, Angel Martinez and Ethan Ruvalcaba.
Faith and history
Historically, the Roman Empire used crucifixion as a means of torture and ultimately death for religious and political agitators, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
The Book of Matthew stated that while the Romans carried out the crucifixion, the Jewish religious leaders were responsible for Jesus’s death, claiming that Christ had “spoken blasphemy.”
From a Christian perspective, Jesus willingly died on the cross for the sins of humanity. Three days later, according to Christian belief, He rose from the dead — a celebratory moment celebrated on Easter.
View the Good Friday passion play photo gallery at vvdailypress.com.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Youth host dramatic Good Friday passion play in Victorville
