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Cardinal Dolan, Catholics Celebrate Good Friday With 'Way Of The Cross' Procession

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Christians around the world and here at home marked Good Friday, the day of Jesus Christ's crucifixion.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan and fellow New Yorkers celebrated the holiest of days with the annual Way Of the Cross procession.

Marchers carried the cross from the United Nations to the Port Authority Bus Terminal to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ. Others came from Brooklyn across the bridge.

Sister Margaret Murphy was one of roughly 400 Catholics who remembered the last hours of Christ's life.

"We like to go from station to station, remembering his last day on Earth," Murphy told WCBS 880's Monica Miller.

Catholics Celebrate Good Friday

Dolan, whose life in recent weeks has been hectic and historic, took a moment to reflect on the holiday and the procession.

"You know this is an ancient Catholic tradition we like to walk to remind ourselves that life is a journey life's a pilgrimage we come from God and go back to God," Dolan told CBS 2's Steve Langford.

Dolan said Jerusalem was also a bustling place that first Good Friday.

"Jesus was in the midst of things, all the messiness of the world," Cardinal Dolan said.

Dolan also said personally, he's remembering how many poor and sick people there are in the community.

"One of the greatest journeys we can make is carrying our cross for Jesus. He told us as long as you do it to the least of these you do it to me," he said.

Catholics from all over the world also gathered at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown to see the fortress of American Catholicism and to reflect on the most solemn day on the Christian calendar. The cathedral draw congregants and the curious.

"We're staying in New York for the week and thought it being Good Friday we'd come and take a look at the church of St. Patrick's," said Australian tourist Tony Kassi.

"It's very close to where we're staying, but also it's very beautiful so we wanted to come and visit," added Dominican tourist Christian Molina.

Inside the historic cathedral, the crowds came to listen and reflect on the deep meaning and the grim reality of the death of Christ some 2,000 years ago.

"Cicero referred to crucifixion as the most cruel and disgusting penalty,"  said Monsignor  Peter Vaccari of St. Joseph's Seminary

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