Street procession marks Good Friday for Lynners

LYNN – mAlthough only 200 participants were expected, nearly 500 turned out for a Good Friday religious procession that wended its way from the intersection of Boston and Washington streets to Central Square, ending at St. Joseph’s Parish for Mass.”We planned for 200. Nobody thought this many people would come,” said Frances Martinez, one of the organizers.The Catholic procession was led by a man carrying a cross to simulate the walk of Jesus toward his crucifixion. It included mostly Lynn residents of Hispanic descent, many of them in period costume, although the public was invited.”This is Via Crusis,” said Martinez, referring to the Stations of the Cross or what is also called the Way of Sorrows, an activity during Lent that focuses on the suffering of Jesus in his final hours.The Rev. James Gaudreau, Sister Lus Rodrigues and other members of the parish helped arrange the morning event.