Faith and solidarity at the Migrant Ministry of ARCORES Argentina held an emotional Stations of the Cross reenactment last Sunday, April 13, at Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Buenos Aires. The event, which took place after Palm Sunday Mass, brought together members of the local and migrant communities in an experience of deep spiritual reflection.
This representation was not just a traditional religious act, but a powerful metaphor that connected Christ’s suffering with the difficulties migrants face on their journey. Each station of the Way of the Cross reflected the trials, falls, and hopes of those who have left their countries in search of a better life. “It is a way to witness the passion of Christ, and undoubtedly, a very emotional event,” noted ARCORES Argentina, an organization that assists more than 30 migrant families.
The Migrant Way of the Cross is part of the accompaniment and integration initiatives that ARCORES develops in Buenos Aires, where the majority of beneficiaries are Venezuelans who have come to the country seeking new opportunities. This activity not only strengthens the faith of the community but also brings visibility to the migration reality and fosters solidarity among all participants, reminding us that, as in the way of the cross, accompaniment and mutual aid are fundamental to overcoming difficulties.
Like Jesus carrying his cross to Calvary, migrants undertake a painful exodus carrying the weight of their losses, facing falls in the form of hostile borders and rejection, being stripped of their goods and dignity. In their faces we see Christ; in their calloused hands, the hands nailed to the wood; in their backs bent by the weight of uncertainty, the scourged back of the Nazarene.
However, as in the gospel story, we also find Veronicas who clean their faces with gestures of humanity, Simons of Cyrene who share their burden through solidarity, and the unbreakable hope of a “resurrection” in the form of a new life. The Migrant Way of the Cross is not just a representation: it is the living actualization of the paschal mystery in the peripheries of our world.
