Good Friday will feature a performance of the Passion of Christ and a procession in the Center | Rio de Janeiro

Rio – The Holy Week weekend, between Friday (29) and Easter Sunday (31), will feature various celebrations in the city of Rio. This Friday, the highlights of the program, organized by the Archdiocese, include the traditional Auto da Paixão de Cristo, in Arcos da Lapa, and the procession of the Dead Lord through the streets of the Center, starting at the Metropolitan Cathedral. The date recalls the day Jesus was crucified and killed.

The day is celebrated throughout Brazil and has a direct connection with Easter, which carries the resurrection of Christ as its meaning. Also called Good Friday, it remembers the trial, passion, crucifixion and death of Jesus.

In the Catholic Church, the celebration is part of the Easter Triduum, considered the most important period of the entire year.

In Rio, the special program begins with the liturgical action of the Passion and Death of the Lord, at 3pm, at the Metropolitan Cathedral, in the Center, presided over by Archbishop Dom Orani Tempesta. Then the procession will begin. The church is located at Avenida República do Chile, 245.

The procession leaves the Cathedral and will travel along the streets República do Paraguai, Senador Dantas, Evaristo da Veiga, Avenida Mem de Sá and Rua do Lavradio.

Soon after, the 44th edition of the traditional Auto da Paixão de Cristo takes place in Lapa, starting at 6:30 pm. This year, the show will feature the participation of 35 actors/singers.

The role of Jesus Christ will be played by Leonardo Iglesias, while actor Rogério Madruga will take on the character Herod. Actress Carla Rizzi plays the role of Maria, and Maria Madalena will be played by Tatty Caldeira. Furthermore, the play alternates religious songs and Broadway hits, such as “Godspell”.

The show is free and is organized by the Episcopal Vicariate for Culture, in partnership with the Cultural Association of the Archdiocese of Rio, the Cesgranrio Foundation and with the support of the city hall. According to the Archdiocese, the objective is to provide Cariocas with a moment of devotion and closer ties with the Christian faith.

“With this document, we invite the residents of Rio de Janeiro to ‘remember and experience the true meaning of the life of Christ'”, says an excerpt from the invitation.

Programming at Christ the Redeemer

Friday, a day of fasting and abstinence from meat for Christians, at the Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer will feature a liturgical event, presided over by Father Omar, at 3pm.

On Friday and Saturday, the Church remains at the tomb of Christ, meditating on the passion and death. Masses are not celebrated in churches on that date.

On Easter Sunday there will be masses at 11am and 2pm, presided, respectively, by Father Ramon Nascimento and Father Omar.

Also on Easter Sunday, the Sanctuary’s new sacred furniture will be presented, now sustainable, made exclusively from recycled materials.

The celebrations will be broadcast live on youtube.com/cristoredentoroficial.