Thousands of pilgrims joined the annual "Stations of the Cross" procession in the Old City of Jerusalem, where Christians from around the world celebrate Good Friday.

In the years leading up to the current war in Gaza, tens of thousands of people have participated in the pilgrimage procession that marks the moments from Jesus Christ's last day to his laying in the tomb.

The number of pilgrims from abroad has dramatically decreased since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Meanwhile, Israel has significantly restricted the passage of pilgrims from the occupied West Bank.

Attendance at this year's procession is larger than in 2024. More people have come from abroad, as well as many Arab Christians from Jerusalem, DPA reported.

Singing and praying, the pilgrims walked along the Via Dolorosa - Latin for "Way of Sorrows". Some carried wooden crosses as a reminder that Christ was forced to carry the cross, on which he was later nailed, along this route.

The path, which includes 14 stops in total, leads from the church of the Flagel to the church of the Holy Sepulchre, where, according to Christian belief, Christ is buried.

This year, Israel has allowed only 6,000 Christians from the occupied West Bank to enter the country to attend the Easter holidays. About 180,000 people in the Jewish state of 10 million are Christians.

About 50,000 Christians live in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and about 1,000 are believed to live in the blockaded Gaza Strip. | BGNES