Jerusalem - Thousands of Christian pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem Friday for the traditional procession retracing Jesus Christ's last steps to his crucifixion along the route known as the Via Dolorosa, in Jerusalem's Old City. Even before the official procession got underway, several groups walked the route in the early morning, some walking barefoot, others carrying wooden crosses or singing hymns or crying, mingling with Palestinian traders and Jews on their way to the Western Wall.

The Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow) runs from the Old City's Lions' Gate (formerly St Stephen's Gate) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christ is believed to have been crucified and buried.

The route has 14 stations, the final five of which are in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which mark events which befell Jesus as he walked to his death.

Although the pilgrims noted each station, they stopped to pray at the 3rd station, which marks where Jesus fell for the first time.