Station Two on the
Stations of the Cross 2016 trail is
Philip Jackson's statue of Mahatma Gandhi (2015) in
Parliament Square.
"Jackson took inspiration from a 1931 photograph of Gandhi standing outside Downing Street, where he had come to argue the case for Indian self-governance. Befitting Gandhi’s radically egalitarian vision, the sculpture stands on a modest plinth, humbly approachable by passerby. As Gandhi himself recognized, his dedication to non-violence and the pursuit of truth resonate powerfully with Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels. Jesus was, Gandhi wrote, ‘the highest example of One who wished to give everything, asking nothing in return, and not caring what creed might happen to be professed by the recipient…I believe that He belongs not solely to Christianity, but to the entire world; to all races and people.’ Much as Jesus stood before Pilate, Jackson’s Gandhi looks toward the Houses of Parliament with gentle but steadfast resolve. Both were imprisoned and killed for the principles they espoused. Are we willing to take up the cross for our beliefs?"
Today,
Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin,
Speaker's Chaplain, spoke and prayed at this Station as part of the
prayer walk organised by
Prayers On The Move. The prayer walk started at Westminster Abbey and ended at Trafalgar Square. Along the way, those walking stopped off at some major landmarks and discussed prayer and spirituality in the modern world. Most importantly, they joined together in some prayer! Speakers included the
Bishop of London and
Seth Pinnock. A free
#prayersonthemove Oyster Card Wallet was given to all participants and the walk involved multiple prayer exercises and discussions.
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