VIDEO: Littlehampton rallies for Easter celebration

SHOPPERS in Littlehampton stood still to witness the final moments of Jesus Christ, played out in the town’s High Street on Friday (April 3).
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Apr 2015, 15:00 BST
Littlehampton walk of witness through the High Street on Good Friday, 2015. Pictured is Francis Bell, 25, as JesusLittlehampton walk of witness through the High Street on Good Friday, 2015. Pictured is Francis Bell, 25, as Jesus
Littlehampton walk of witness through the High Street on Good Friday, 2015. Pictured is Francis Bell, 25, as Jesus

Dozens of Christians from across the town’s various churches joined the annual walk of witness to mark Easter.

Staged by members from Littlehampton Churches Together, actors portrayed the final, harrowing moments of Jesus’s life before he was crucified on Calvary – which on this occasion was the clock tower outside Sainsbury’s.

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Francis Bell, who is part of the Arun Community Church, renewed his role as Jesus, having portrayed the holy figure in last year’s walk of witness.

Littlehampton walk of witness through the High Street on Good Friday, 2015. Pictured is Francis Bell, 25, as JesusLittlehampton walk of witness through the High Street on Good Friday, 2015. Pictured is Francis Bell, 25, as Jesus
Littlehampton walk of witness through the High Street on Good Friday, 2015. Pictured is Francis Bell, 25, as Jesus

This year, Francis said he wanted to try his best to portray the brutality of Jesus’s journey to crucifixion.

The 25-year-old, who was dressed all in white, said: “It was a really great thing to portray it. What we wanted to do this year was to get more about the essence of the pain he went through for us.

“So that’s why I wanted more people to jeer at me.

“I mean it’s just amazing to have that feeling to portray what he went through.”

Crowds brave the rain to watch the ceremonys climax in the High StreetCrowds brave the rain to watch the ceremonys climax in the High Street
Crowds brave the rain to watch the ceremonys climax in the High Street
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The walk began outside The Arcade where Jesus was captured.

The procession moved to the west, along the High Street, where key moments in the story were revealed.

These included the moment Jesus met the Jewish high priest and faced an audience with the Roman governor in Judea, Pontius Pilate.

Although Pilate found him innocent, he feared the crowds baying for Jesus’ blood, so he turned over Christ’s fate to them.

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The crowds of Littlehampton all called for Jesus to be crucified.

The heavens opened as the walk came to its conclusion, with rain pummelling onlookers to the ceremony.

Mike Webber, of Littlehampton Churches Together, said the turnout was slightly down compared to previous events.

However, overall he was pleased with how the day went.

He said: “A lot of towns do their own walk of witness, which is just a procession through the town centre behind the cross.

“However, ours is different. People were surprised that there was a passion play and that ours had drama in it.”

Mike praised all those who helped and joined the day.