Interparish Stations of the Cross draws faithful from across Bridgeport Deanery and beyond

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — On a chilly morning with an overcast sky, hundreds and hundreds of faithful Catholics — and perhaps many more — filled the streets of downtown Bridgeport on Good Friday morning, April 3, 2026 for the annual Inter-Parish Stations of the Cross Procession, a moving public witness of prayer, solidarity, and faith that has become one of the most anticipated events of the Holy Week calendar in Fairfield County.

The Stations of the Cross commemorate the last steps Jesus took on his way to be crucified. Each station captures the suffering and the different interactions Jesus experienced on his way to the cross. Some onlookers wept as they watched people in realistic costumes on one of two flatbed trucks (leading the procession) re-enact each station, which tradition has passed down since the early Christian Church.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, who led the procession, spoke to the spirit of the event in remarks made at a later, separate Good Friday service. In that homily, Bishop Caggiano reflected on the meaning at the heart of the day’s observance: that suffering, when embraced in love, is never without purpose.

“Christ freely chose to suffer in love, so that His suffering would become a sacrifice for our good,” the bishop said. Whatever suffering you and I face, “when we live those moments with love — imitating the Shepherd of love — then that suffering is not meaningless. That suffering is not lost. That suffering does not have anything other than a beautiful purpose.”

The procession began at 10:00 a.m. from Saint Mary’s Church on Sherman Street, winding approximately two miles through the city before concluding at Our Lady of Fatima Parish on Huntington Road. Before commencing the procession, Fr. RolandoTorres, pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish, addressed the large gathering from one of two flatbed trucks that served as the logistical backbone of the event, providing final instructions and setting the tone of reverence for the journey ahead.

Those two flatbed trucks played a distinct role throughout the procession. One carried the participants who performed dramatic re-enactments at each of the fourteen Stations of the Cross, bringing the Passion narrative to life along the city’s sidewalks and streets. The other served as a rolling stage for singers and musicians who rotated throughout the route, offering beautiful, inspiring sacred music in multiple languages between each station and lifting the spirits of all who marched.

Organized by the parishes of the Bridgeport Deanery, the procession reflected the rich cultural diversity of the local Church. Prayers were offered in Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, and English, representing communities from Saint Mary, Saint Peter, Blessed Sacrament, Saint Michael, Our Lady of Fatima, the Cathedral Parish, Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint George, Saint Margaret Shrine, and members of Koinonia John the Baptist at Our Lady of Good Counsel, and beyond.

The event drew not only devoted parishioners but also civic leaders. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Gannon joined the throngs of faithful who walked the route, a visible sign of the procession’s deep roots in the broader life of the community. Local media took note as well: reporters and cameras from the Connecticut Post and News 12 were on hand to document the occasion, and shopkeepers (e.g. from local barber, pizza and liquor shops)  and residents along Main Street stepped outside to watch the procession pass — a spontaneous audience drawn in by the moving sight and sound of so many walking, singing and praying together in faith.

For many participants, the procession is a cherished annual tradition. “I have come to this procession for many years,” said Pedro Velazquez, a regular attendee. “It just gets bigger and bigger each year. It is always inspiring and moving.”

Those words seemed to resonate with the spirit of all who walked the streets of Bridgeport that morning. The procession, which has grown year over year, stands as a testament to what Bishop Caggiano described as “a visible sign of our unity in Christ.” In praying the Stations together through the heart of the city, Catholics of every language and background paused the ordinary rhythms of a Friday morning to meditate on the Passion of the Lord — and to offer that witness to everyone they passed.

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