Vatican City, Mar 24, 2008 / 08:21 am
The situation of China’s Roman Catholics was at the heart of the celebrations for the Holy Triduum at the Vatican, with a group of Chinese people being present and decorations appearing at different moments during the Church’s three holiest days.
On Good Friday, the first of the three days, the meditations for the Way of the Cross at the Roman Coliseum were given by Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun of Hong Kong.
A brochure published by the Vatican to accompany the event was illustrated with Chinese artworks representing each of the 14 Stations of the Cross.
Also, a Chinese man and woman were scheduled to pass the Cross to the Pope at the 12th station. The Pontiff would carry it for the final three stations. Nevertheless, because of the heavy rain, the Cross was carried during the final leg by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's Vicar for the City of Rome.
The meditations for the Via Crucis written by Cardinal Zen evoked the suffering and sacrifice of modern day martyrs who are persecuted for the faith.