Hundreds of people watched a traditional Good Friday procession organised by the Italian community of Bensheim south of Frankfurt on Friday (April 3), depicting Jesus’ last walk.

The tradition was started in Bensheim in 1983 by Italian immigrants and is now known for its elaborate props and costumes. It is performed every year on Good Friday - the day Christians believe Jesus was crucified.

As the procession slowly passed through town, a crowd of spectators moved with it to the market square, spot for the final scene, Jesus’ crucifixion.

“It was lovely and I think it’s also very, very important to keep reminding people of this, even for young children who often have nothing to do with religion at all anymore,” said one onlooker, Carmen Elbracht-Zehe.

Carolin Fesenberg, who brought her young son along, said he was an avid reader of the bible and now old enough to understand the story “visually.”

According to Christian faith, Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, symbolising death is not the end but rather a new beginning.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. YOUNG BOY IN GOOD FRIDAY PROCESSION CARRYING BANNER READING “ROMA,” FOLLOWED BY AMATEUR ACTOR MARVIN JARQUIN CALDERON DEPICTING JESUS CHRIST WALKING WITH ROMAN SOLDIERS PLAYED BY AMATEUR ACTORS

2. CALDERON DEPICTING JESUS BEING PRESENTED TO HIGH PRIEST PLAYED BY AMATEUR ACTOR ASKING JESUS IF HE WAS THE SON OF GOD / JESUS CONFIRMING QUESTION

3. ONLOOKERS

4. AMATEUR ACTOR HANGING FROM GALLOWS

5. JESUS PAYING RESPECT TO HANGING MAN

6. TOP VIEW OF CROWD

7. VARIOUS OF JESUS IN FRONT OF TRIBUNAL OF ROMAN GOVERNOR PONTIUS PILATE

8. ONLOOKERS

9. VARIOUS OF JESUS CARRYING CROSS

10. CROWD GATHERED BELOW CHURCH

11. JESUS ON CROSS LYING ON GROUND

12. AMATEUR ACTORS LOOKING ON

13. VARIOUS OF THE TWO OTHERS BEING CRUCIFIED BEING LIFTED UP ON THEIR CROSSES

14. ACTORS PLAYING MOURNERS LOOKING ON

15. VARIOUS OF JESUS GOING UP ON CROSS

16. (SOUNDBITE) (German) JESUS, PLAYED BY MARVIN JARQUIN CALDERON, SAYING:

“Lord, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

17. ONLOOKERS / JESUS AND TWO OTHER MEN ON CROSSES

18. VARIOUS OF JESUS ON CROSS

19. (SOUNDBITE) (German) ONLOOKER, CARMEN ELBRACHT-ZEHE, SAYING:

“It was lovely and I think it’s also very, very important to keep reminding people of this, even for young children who often have nothing to do with religion at all anymore.”

20. (SOUNDBITE) (German) ONLOOKER, PETER JAEGER, SAYING:

"It was very well done, the actors did a great job and what we know from the descriptions of the time was, in my view, portrayed very faithfully.”

21. (SOUNDBITE) (German) ONLOOKER, CAROLIN FESENBERG, SAYING:

"I really enjoyed it. My son is a huge fan of reading the bible and we read the Easter story very often. It was important to me that I could show this to my son, in real life. It wasn’t my first time here but now he’s at an age where he can actually understand it visually.”

22. VARIOUS OF JESUS BEING REMOVED FROM CROSS AND MOURNED AS ONLOOKERS WATCH