The "Way of the Cross" ceremony at the Colosseum has begun as part of the Good Friday observance, featuring a special innovation this year. According to an official announcement, Pope Leo XIV carried the wooden cross throughout all fourteen stations of the ceremony—a practice that has not occurred in the last 61 years. In contrast, his predecessors, such as Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II, only lifted the cross at the first and final stations. Meanwhile, Pope Francis has followed the ceremony from the Vatican in recent years due to health issues. The meditations to be read during the "Way of the Cross," at the Pope’s own request, will focus particularly on the wounds of the Middle East and the Holy Land, as well as on the figure of St. Francis of Assisi, known as the saint of peace. A strong message regarding the responsibility of those in power was also conveyed from the Vatican. In the reflection for the first station, written by Catholic priest Francesco Patton, it is emphasized that every authority must account to God for how they exercise power, including decisions to start or end wars, as well as to promote peace or revenge. The ceremony is expected to gather thousands of faithful and convey powerful messages of reflection, faith, and peace during a time of global tension.