Students, Nuns, Priests Carry Cross Through Poland's Streets

The Academic Way of the Cross is an annual tradition in Wrocław. This year, a large wooden cross was carried by students from all academic chaplaincies.

Wrocław citizens, seminarians, priests, nuns, friars, and all the bishops of Wrocław led by Archbishop Józef Kupny walked and prayed together.

Participants of the Academic Way of the Cross set out from the University Church, marched through the market square, and arrived at St. Elizabeth's Basilica - Garrison Basilica, where Bishop Jacek Kiciński presided over the Eucharist. Along the way they stopped, contemplating the Passion of Jesus Christ.

A retinue with torches was formed by students of The General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces (Akademia Wojsk Lądowych imienia generała Tadeusza Kościuszki) from the "Immortals" academic chaplaincy.

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“I'm happy that we can pray together on the streets, ones we pass through every day tired, and in a hurry, and where we sometimes go for a walk. We enter the world of normal, everyday, ordinary life with our prayers. We don't want to manifest anything, but humbly pray for our city, for our academic community, for those among whom we live and reside," Fr. Mirosław Maliński, academic chaplain of CODA "Maciejówka" said.

The crowd of praying young people attracted the attention of people passing by. Some stopped and knelt at the sight of the cross. Others took photos or videos with their smartphones.

“The Way of the Cross leads to the Resurrection, and our little daily Stations of the Cross lead to meeting Christ. In the final period of our preparations for Easter, I encourage you to participate in the liturgy of the Easter Vigil. Let’s carry on today's experience, which has found its way into our hearts through wonderful meditations," Archbishop Józef Kupny said at the end of the Academic Way of the Cross.

He thanked everyone for their presence and prayed together with him, stressing how happy he was about every single participant. He also blessed all those gathered outside the Garrison Basilica.

In Wrocław, more than 110,000 college students are studying at various universities and other higher education institutions, both public and private.

The most numerous are the University of Wrocław (around 22,000 students) and Wrocław University of Science and Technology (around 21,500 students).

In the Archdiocese of Wrocław, there are 13 academic chaplaincies and a youth chaplaincy for high school students (Diecezjalne Duszpasterstwo Młodzieży). Many parishes and charismatic communities also run groups for young people.