The most important and most significant thing for Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem is to walk the route that Jesus took, carrying his cross, between the condemnation by Pontius Pilate and the place of his crucifixion. This road is known today as Via Dolorosa (Sorrowful Way). It begins near the Lions' Gate in the Muslim quarter, and ends at the place of the crucifixion, on Golgotha and at the tomb of Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter.
Along the path, there are 14 Stations of the Cross as usual. They are organized in a traditional numbered order along the entire length of the street in the Old City. When following the Jesus’ path, all we can see are narrow and crowded streets, vendors harassing passers-by or smells of passing places where food is sold. It is not easy to locate Stations of the Cross. Contrary to the expectations of many believers, it is difficult to find the holiness of this place here. There is no majesty nor importance of this street. Some Christians may feel disappointed by the lack of visible dignity. Is it right? Believers seem to forget that when Jesus walked on that day, most people in the streets did not even notice. Everyone in the city had his or hers own problems, their own life and he did not care about another man sentenced to death. The streets were crowded exactly as they are today, and merchants were selling goods the same way. When you start to see Via Dolorosa from this perspective, you may find it very authentic in the atmosphere. For Christians, a pilgrimage may result in deeper understanding of events from over two thousand years ago.
