SASKATOON – More than 100 people came together in a prayer walk to mark Good Friday in Saskatoon and to recognize the social inequality around the world.
“These days mean to me more than my birthday. Jesus sacrificed so much for us,” said Joseph Markos, a member of the Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic Church.
Before the group began the two-hour walk from the Vimy Memorial Bandshell through the streets of Saskatoon, many took part in a smudging ceremony believed to eliminate negative energy.
Mary Anne Morrison, a member of the Murdered and Missing Women Education Group, says Good Friday is about acknowledging the importance of the day and remembering the suffering of Jesus.
“We have to be aware of the injustices in the world and we have to be willing to stand up and speak out against injustice,” she added.
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Many of the groups attending discussed the Syrian refugee crisis, missing and murdered women and promoting peace around the world.
“It reminds us that we must be generous too. We must walk like Christ in the world,” said Morrison.
For others, Easter Sunday will be a chance to look ahead. When asked what Easter means to him, Wyndham Thiessen, Director of L’Arche Saskatoon said, “New life, hope, resurrection and the possibility that things can change.”