The Extreme Way of the Cross
The Extreme Way of the Cross was started in Poland in 2009 by a young priest called Fr Jacek Stryczek. Today the initiative has been taken up by many tens of thousands of people in 20 countries across the world.
The Way is partly a pilgrimage, but there is a strong emphasis on the physical, spiritual and personal challenges. The aim is to enable participants to break out of their comfort zones and so foster a deeper connection with the passion of Jesus Christ. The Way involves walking a route of 40 kilometres (25 miles) or more at night during Lent, accompanied only by prayer and meditations. The Way usually starts with evening Mass, then pilgrims walk in silence, either alone or in small groups, sometimes across challenging terrain, to a shrine or other religious destination. Pilgrims carry only the essentials for the journey, but many will also carry a wooden cross. The stops are planned around the Stations of the Cross, with readings from scripture as well as contemporary prayers and reflections.
The initiative has proved hugely successful in Poland, where many young people view it as an expression of resistance to the prevailing consumerist culture. The Polish website offers over 600 routes to choose from, some of them clocking up over 130 kilometres (83 miles). You can view a video about the Way here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KmB8jI0fww
In the UK the initiative was taken up in 2019 at the Catholic Church of St John, Perth, Scotland. In England & Wales several Polish chaplaincies have taken up the challenge. For example, the Polish Catholic Community in Nottingham is leading an Extreme Way of the Cross on Friday 13th March from 8.00pm, until about 6.00am the next morning. The route takes in 41 kilometres across the city centre and fields around. Those wishing to participate will gather at the Polish Church of Our Lady of Częstochowa, Nottingham NG7 6JN, by 8.00pm. Mass in Polish will be celebrated at 7.00pm. More information about this and other sites in the UK can be found at: https://extremewayofthecross.org/
