By PAMELA A. ZINKOSKY
Special to The Oakland Press

Twenty-foot wooden crosses and black linens set the stage. Somber music fills the air as a bloodied man hangs on a cross, calling out to God and asking forgiveness for those crucified with him.

It's a biblical scene all Christians are familiar with. Catholics hear the story, known as Christ's passion, at Mass the week before Easter, and many hear it weekly during Lent. Yet The Living Stations of the Cross, in its ninth annual performance at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Farmington, tells the story so poignantly that the audience is often moved to tears.

Some 140 parishioners, including actors, singers and behind-the-scenes crew, participate in The Living Stations, a one-hour scripture-based theatrical performance that incorporates live music and images projected on a 12-by-15-foot screen. At least 1,500 people attend each performance.

The Living Stations is the vision incarnate of parishioner Kelly Nieto, who 10 years ago joined the Catholic faith after being raised with no religion at all. Nieto said she had the vision during her first Good Friday mass at Our Lady of Sorrows.
She described her vision to her husband, who had also recently become Catholic. "I said, 'I see The Living Stations on the altar. He said, 'Are you kidding? You're going to ask our friends to get in a loin cloth on the altar?' "