March 24, 2016 4.54 pm This story is over 96 months old

‘Christ’ to lead Good Friday procession through Lincoln centre

Shoppers and onlookers in Lincoln city centre will be able to join a procession which will symbolise the suffering of Christ on Good Friday. Actors preparing for this summer’s return of the historic Lincoln Mystery Plays series will step out in a moving procession up the cobbles of Steep Hill. Carrying a cross up the…

Shoppers and onlookers in Lincoln city centre will be able to join a procession which will symbolise the suffering of Christ on Good Friday.

Actors preparing for this summer’s return of the historic Lincoln Mystery Plays series will step out in a moving procession up the cobbles of Steep Hill.

Carrying a cross up the incline, actor Charlie Seeley will lead cast members from St Benedict’s Church close to the High Street War Memorial up to the cathedral.

The hour long procession will form a remembrance of Christ’s suffering and a visual prelude to the plays which will be performed at the cathedral from August 3 to 13.

People will be welcomed to join the cortège as it moves through the city centre from 2pm to around 3pm on Friday, March 25.

Cathedral

Charlie will be playing the part of Christ in the Mystery Plays, which are modern performances of a Medieval form of theatre telling the story of mankind from creation through to damnation or salvation.

The scripts used in Lincoln are distinct to the city, with their origins around the time of Magna Carta 800 years ago.

Brought to life only every four years, this August’s nine performances offer an opportunity within the cathedral cloisters.

Acting student Charlie, 18, said: “It’s such a thrill as an actor to be continuing a theatrical tradition as ancient as the Mystery Plays, and to be entrusted with a role as critical as Christ which needs to touch deep into the heart of everyone watching, whether as an expression of Jesus’ spirituality or an embodiment of the frailties of man.

“I want to show the extent to which I feel Jesus would have been tested by his experiences; to show what we would relate to as normal emotions of fear, trepidation and angst in those final moments and wavering over the temptations.

“Jesus went through all of this whilst still a relatively young man and I’m just 18, 19 when the show goes on.”

Find out more about the plays online here.