Good Friday


Crucifixion on Victoria St, 2002

Most years I’ve photographed Good Friday events, but this year I find I had to stay at home waiting for some of my family to arrive. Until a few years ago I used to go regularly into central London to photograph the events there, in particular at Westminster, where the Catholic Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Methodist Central Hall, sometimes along with others carried out a march with open-air services, the Crucifixion on Victoria St.


Father Cormac Murphy O’Connor at Westminster Cathedral, 2005


On Victoria St, 2009

The last time I went up to Westminster for the event was in 2010, which was the first time that the Most Reverend Vincent Nicholls, Archbishop of Westminster took part.

By now the annual celebration had become something of a media scrum. I’d long been rather disturbed at the behaviour of some other photographers at these events, particularly in front of Westminster Cathedral, which seemed to me to be quite out of keeping with the religious nature ofthe event, and  the next year I was reluctant to take part in it, covering instead a local procession of witness. Which I also attended for the following few years until now.

The last couple of years it has been made a little more interesting with the attendance of Roman soldiers and other actors from the Staines Passion which has taken place on the following day.

Tomorrow sees the final free performances of the three-year run.


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My London Diary : Buildings of London : River Lea/Lee Valley : London’s Industrial Heritage

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