AMAZING, PASSIONATE, EMOTIONAL: The unabashed Gospel of Jesus Christ: What is the Via Dolorosa?

ABOVE: Passionate, Ethiopian Christian pilgrims carry a cross along the emotion-inspiring Via Dolorosa, during Easter 2024 in Jerusalem, Israel.

The Via Dolorosa is Jesus's bloody trail that He walked to the cross of crucifixion as soldiers of the Roman Empire forced Him to carry the wooden cross.

The trail is now an elaborate and wildly popular and tourist and Christian pilgrim attraction situated in the eastern part in the city of Old Jerusalem, Israel.

ABOVE: Photos of the Via Dolorosa

While Catholic Franciscan monks usually lead and participate in the weekly Friday procession along the Via Dolorosa commemorating the death of Christ, Christian pilgrims have been known to participate during Easter and other special occasions.

Acted re-enactments also regularly take place on the route, ranging from amateur productions with, for example, Roman Empire soldiers wearing plastic helmets and bright red polyester wraps, to more professional drama with historically accurate Roman and Jewish people's clothing and props.

Catholics are often criticized by Protestants for focusing more on the death of Jesus Christ than on the resurrection.

While His death is of critical sacrificial importance, His resurrection is equally of everlasting life importance, Protestants argue.

While death is negative, life is positive. The shedding of blood is for the remission of sins but the gift of God is eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is no suffering.

Via Dolorosa is Latin for "The way of suffering."

Jesus suffered like no other man has ever suffered.

Himself being Almighty God incarnated, He was slapped, beaten, scourged to a bloody pulp, spat upon, mocked and ultimately killed at the behest of the people who should have recognized Him as their Messiah.

He had already been dripping with blood before he was forced to carry his own cross to the hill outside of Jerusalem where He would have nails driven through his hands and feet.

The Via Dolorosa is an unforgettable reminder that Jesus Christ was actually born, grew, ministered and resurrected from the dead in Jerusalem.

This is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Long live the Gospel!