And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him."

(Matthew 27:27)

The last journey of Jesus Christ to Golgotha, replete with pain and suffering, was enacted this afternoon poignantly by Jency George at Bolghatty island, in the tradition set by Edward D'Silva, who had been donning the role for the last 23 years in the `Way of the Cross' at nearby Mulavukadu. Edward went to the US after carrying the cross on Good Friday last year.

Jency, 23, a prize-winning theatre artiste in his college days, who beganthe enactment last year in connection with the `Way of the Cross' in St Sebastian's Church, Bolghatty, began this year's journey carrying a 75-kg wooden cross on his shoulder and a crown of thorns on his head from the surroundings of the Bolghatty Palace. A parallel college teacher and computer student, Jency had religiously observed Lent during the course of his meticulous preparation for the offering.A group of artistes, dressed up as the cruel Roman soldiers and leaders, walked along with `Jesus' lashing and roughing him up occasionally.

Even though they were careful not to hurt Jency, at times he had to endure severe pain from lashing. Jency was literally struggling throughout the two-km route while dragging the heavy cross. Hundreds of people, irrespective of cast and creed, lined on the roads to witness the drama.

Some women could be seen wiping tears from their eyes, moved by the remarkable portrayal of Christ's sufferings by Jency. The journey came to an end at the St Sebastian's Church premisesafter about two hours.A visibly exhausted Jency said that he did not feel any pain as he was in a prayerful trance. ``This is nothing compared with the suffering Christ experienced,'' he quipped. Jency wishes to repeat the performance every Good Friday.