Pope Paul VI on Good Friday (20 April) commemorated the agony and death of Christ by carrying a 4 foot high (1.3 metres) wooden cross along the Capitoline Hil, overlooking the Roman Colosseum. Thousands of pilgrims attended the ceremony, the traditional Vie Crucis, or Way of the Cross.

In a brief speech afterwards, Pope Paul denounced abortion, organised crime, the arms race and unbridled sexual passion as forms of "modern barbarity". He told the huge crowd: "Enough of the outrages committed against the life and dignity of man. Enough of he impassive humentity with makes an attempt at the innocent and defenceless life developing in the mother's womb. Enough of rime and strategy based on the race for the deadly power of scientific weapons; and enough of he degrading licentiouense of corrupt pleasure, which has been made into the ideal of freedom and of blind catfish satisfaction."
The Pope completed only the last four of the 14 stations of the Cross - the cross was made of special light wood - to spare the 75-year-old pontiff from over exertion.

SYNOPSIS: In Roma, on the evening of Good Friday, Pope Paul commemorated the agony and death of Christ - by carrying a four-foot-high wooden cross along the Capitoline Hill, overlooking the Colosseum. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world attended the ceremony - the traditional Way of the Cross.

The 75-year-old Pope completed only the last four of the 14 stations of the cross. And the cross was made of a light wood - to spare him from over-exertion.

Each of the stations of the cross represents an episode in the passion of Christ. Earlier in the day, Pope Paul attended a Good Friday ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica.

After the ritual, Pope Paul spoke briefly. He denounced abortion, organised crime, the arms race and unbridled sexual passion as forms of modern barbarity.

Pope Paul said the world had enough of outrages committed against the life and dignity of man. Enough of attempts on the degencelese life developing in the mother's womb - and enough of crime and the degrading licentiousness of corrupt pleasure. Pope Paul also had a blessing for the thousands of pilgrims.