Jesus Falls Under the Cross With Roman Soldiers

A bearded man with a crown of thorns and a halo has fallen forward onto his hands and knees on a rocky path, with a large wooden cross lying across his back. A Roman soldier in a helmet, shoulder armor, a pleated skirt and sandals stands over him with one hand gripping the cross and the other raising a tall spear. Behind them, another man in a head wrap bends under the cross beam, and a bearded man in a head covering stands close by. More soldiers with helmets and spears stand in the background, one holding a banner on a pole. Rocks fill the lower left and wavy clouds fill the sky. This page works well for Good Friday lessons. Try coloring the armor in metallic grays and the tunics in earthy browns, then talk about the Stations of the Cross with older kids.