Baltic churches embrace ‘extreme’ Way of the Cross

The event is especially popular among young people because it offers a chance to live a traditional devotion in a more modern form, Fr Ilmārs Tolstovs said.

For the third year running, the Night Way of Cross will take place in Latvia, bringing together people of different beliefs from all over the country.

“The idea comes from Poland, where such a Way of Cross has been taking place for several years. During the first time, we adapted this Way to Latvia’s needs, and involved both Lutheran and Baptist churches in the organisation of this event,” said Fr Ilmārs Tolstovs, the parish priest of the Church of the Our Lady Queen of the Rosary in Salaspils.

“Anyone can join this Way of Cross, regardless of their beliefs. Currently, the number of participants is constant, about 150-200 people. Both athletes with orienteering skills and people who walk only a part of the route participate,” he told The Tablet.

This year’s Way of Cross will start at 8 p.m. on 11 April at Fr Tolstovs’ church and runs through 14 checkpoints with tasks and spiritual reflections. The event will end at half-past-midnight. The church will be open throughout the night for those who complete the course earlier and might want a moment for quiet prayer.

According to Fr Tolstovs, the event is especially popular among young people because it offers a chance to live a traditional devotion in a more modern form. Teams of two to five people participate, combining orienteering by map, prayer and personal reflection. The organisers stipulate that each team must have at least one adult member, and participants should be physically fit and have the necessary first aid equipment and a plan for emergencies.

The event has run in Poland since 2009 under the name of Ekstremalna Droga Krzyżowa (Extreme Way of Cross). In was initiated by Fr Jacek Stryczek, who combined the physical dimension of the challenge with spiritual practice. The priest was concerned that many young people, especially men, were losing touch with the Church, so he sought to offer something that required heroism, determination, endurance and mental strength.

The Estonian Church will hold a Night Way of Cross on the same date, with 14 stations along a 43km stretch from Keila to Tallinn, according to a Vatican report. It said that during Lent 2024, more than 100,000 people in 12 countries took part in the initiative. This year’s theme is based on the words and example of Mother Teresa: “Nothing is impossible: love as an extreme challenge”.

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