"Following the Cross" on Holy Thursday:
A procession of followers led by a cross-bearing leader makes its way around five parishes on the Croatian island of Hvar every Holy Thursday. This pre-Easter tradition has been upheld for centuries and is a point of pride for participants. In Croatian, this procession is known as "Za Krizem."
When Does the Cross Procession Start?:
The cross procession starts the night of Maundy, or Holy, Thursday at 11pm. It lasts for 8 hours.
Each procession begins in one of six parishes (Jelsa, Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirèe, Vrbanj, and Vrboska) and makes its way in a clockwise circle to the other parishes until it comes back to its place of origin.
What Happens During the Cross Procession?:
Each cross bearer leads the procession with attendants. Observers and those who join the procession carry candles and sing hymns. Visitors to the island can participate in the procession or watch it as it passes. The processions will stop for prayers and hymns at churches along the way. The cross processions cover more than 20 kilometers during their walk.
The Cross-Bearer of Za Krizem:
The cross is covered with a black veil and is carried at the head of the procession. When the cross-bearer takes up the cross during the procession, he walks shoeless from village to village. He and his attendants dress in white robes. The cross-bearer's name will be recorded in a church book, and applicants must apply years in advance if they ever hope to lead the procession on Holy Thursday.
