Despite the heavy rain, thousands of people were in Humberstone Gate in Leicester city centre today to celebrate Good Friday and watch the Leicester @ the Cross event.
The Leicester @ the cross event tells the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and is told through a mix of music, classic hymns and contemporary songs, drama, Gospel Choir, and prayers. New artistic performers this year included the creation of a piece of live art and a deaf choir.
The Venerable Dr Tim Stratford, Archdeacon of Leicester who organises the event said, “The churches of Leicester have come together to speak about what’s at the heart of this time of the year, of Easter time and particularity what Good Friday is about, Jesus’s death on the cross”
The Bishop of Leicester, Tim Stevens addressed the crowd and spoke of the significance of the cross at Easter.
He also spoke about the different faiths that live side by side in the city, “I think in a city of many faiths, its important that Christians witness to their faith publicly just as Muslims and Hindus do here, we respect each other’s faith, but we believe in different things and this event is essential to Christian beliefs on this special day.”
It will be the last time that the Bishop addresses the crowd as he will be retiring in July, he said “I have been Bishop of Leicester for 16 years now, so this is the 16th city centre Good Friday and each of them in their own way have been very special occasions”.
