During the most exhausting part of the journey, when the strength of Jesus fails completely, the figure of Simon of Cyrene appears. His intervention in the Second Fall of the Verges Procession is a pivotal moment that allows the drama to continue to its conclusion.
The Choosing of the “Volunteer”
The script for the performance makes the intention of The Jews clear. Seeing that Jesus can no longer bear the weight of the cross, one of them decides to find someone “sturdy and with more strength.”
This is not an act of compassion; it is a desperate measure because, as they say themselves, “he might die on us before his time.”
A Contrast of Feelings
While the captors are focused on ensuring the condemned man reaches the cross alive, the Cyrene’s reaction is entirely different. Upon accepting the burden, Simon of Cyrene expresses a purely Vergélitain sense of empathy: “It’s no matter, I will do it with joy, because I feel sorry for this man.”
This contrast between the harshness of those leading the procession and the humanity of the Cyrene gives the scene its unique depth. The physical effort of carrying the wooden cross becomes one of the most authentic moments on the town’s streets.
Symbolism and Presence
In Verges, the Cyrene represents an involuntary solidarity that ultimately becomes an act of faith. Without his presence, the path to Calvary would have been cut short.
For this reason, his journey alongside Jesus, helping to bear the weight of the sentence, is one of the most powerful images of Maundy Thursday.
