Echoes of Calvary in a Rome Garden - A Lenten Pilgrimage of Prayer and Presence.

By Christine Masivo CPS 

On a quiet and still Lenten Friday afternoon, beneath the soft whispers of trees and the sacred murmur of prayer, over a hundred faithful members of various congregations, lay communities, and seminarians gathered in the Comboni Missionaries’ at San Lorenzo in Rome for a solemn and deeply moving Way of the Cross. Each person came with a desire to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ in His Passion and to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery.

Walking the Way of the Cross in the Garden of Creation

Walking the Way of the Cross in the Garden of Creation This prayer session was a jointly organized by UISG (International Union Superiors General) and USG JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation). It was a solemn gathering that was appreciated by all who attended. Some came with youthful energy, others with seasoned steps, to walk with Christ, once again on His path of love and suffering. The choice of location made this spiritual journey even more reflective. 

The Comboni gardens, known not only for their quiet beauty but also for their dedication to ecological preservation, offered a sacred space where creation itself seemed to participate in prayer. The Way of the Cross unfolded under the open sky. The calm quietness of the surroundings, the soft rustle of leaves, and the melodious bird-songs harmonized with the prayers of the faithful, creating an ambiance that lifted hearts and deepened contemplation. The setting made every moment more profound. 

The serenity, the gentle wind, the birdsong that danced around each station, felt like creation joined in the lament and hope of Calvary. It was a Way of the Cross not only of devotion, but of mission and solidarity. Each station invited reflection not only on Christ’s suffering but also on the suffering of our world today. We saw the wounds of injustice, conflict, war, migration, and a sick earth due to environmental destruction. 

Jesus also walks with us in our life

After the last station, one of the priests a member of the UISG, addressed the gathering. His words were a sincere and heartfelt invitation: “Let this Way of the Cross in this lent season, move us to extend hands of love and hope to those most in need. The Cross calls us not to stand still in sorrow, but to rise in compassionate action, to one another and respond to the cry of those in need, spiritually, emotionally and even psychologically.” 

 Among the participants were the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, for whom living the Paschal Mystery is not just a Lenten devotion but a way of life, and a mandate. To walk this path of suffering and glory is to echo the deepest call of our vocation, to be one with Christ’s offering, and with the brokenness of the world He came to save. The prayer ended, but the spirit remained carried in the hearts of those who walked, those who wept, those who believed. From a garden in Rome, echoes of Calvary rose into the heavens, wrapped in birdsong and silent faith, reminding all present that the Cross is not the end but the beginning of new life.