The Bishop of Exeter has declared the Christian message offers a "clenched fist" in the face of austerity – as the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ was re-enacted on the streets.
The Right Reverend Michael Langrish told hundreds of people at the Good Friday Walk of Witness in Exeter that his death and resurrection offers the "free gift of new life" to those who receive it.
Several hundred Christians worshipped together in Exeter Cathedral before the dramatised account of Jesus's life was played out to the crowds.
After the final scene, Bishop Michael led a reflection and prayer outside the cathedral.
He said: "Hanging there on the cross, Jesus captures the full intensity of the human situation.
"If you've ever known despair, his death offers hope.
"If you've ever suffered, it shows courage.
"And if you've ever grieved, it gives joy."
Members of around 30 churches in the city worked together to host the play, which is now in its sixth year.
Bishop Michael later told the Western Morning News: "The death and resurrection of Jesus is the triumph of love over the love of triumph. All the churches in Exeter are uniting around the core truth of Christianity and offering active service in the community."
