Walking down Tremont Street in Tremonton, Utah, late Saturday afternoon, Karen Marroqui summed up her feelings in a single word.

“Tired.”

Marroqui and her husband, Cesar Orozco, pushing their three children Iscyli, Isaac and Ivan in a large stroller, had started walking at 7 a.m. in Brigham City, Utah, and were about a mile from their destination. They were among a group of about 30 members of the local Catholic Church that embarked on a 21-mile trek from Saint Henry’s Church in Brigham City to Santa Ana Mission in Tremonton.

“It’s a sacrifice that we have made for ourselves and for Christ, to have a feeling of what he went through,” Marroqui said. “Our children are still small. We want them to understand what sacrifice is, and how important it is for them to understand the sacrifices that people go through, and obviously our main one was Jesus Christ.”

The Easter “Walk With Christ” tradition began 33 years ago. Jose Martinez, one of the people who organized the first walk, said it came about as an expression of gratitude for the newly built Santa Ana Mission in the 1980s.

At the time, Catholics in Tremonton held Sunday mass in the basement of the Methodist Church building on Tremont Street, which now houses a day-care center. When their new home was built courtesy of numerous generous donations, they were looking for a way to express their thanks.

“We decided ‘how could we ever pay back the mission and the love people had, especially how could we ever pay back God through our savior Jesus Christ for having our mission here?’” Martinez said. “The only way we thought is that it would be nice to walk with Christ, and with other people also.”

He said the annual walk has drawn as many as 100 participants in past years, but never less than 20, and the weather hasn’t stopped it.

“We’ve been hit by snow and rain, but our faith keeps us walking,” Martinez said.

The only thing that has stopped it was COVID-19, which forced the cancellation of the walk from 2020 to 2022, said Rev. Francisco Pires, who is the priest for both Saint Henry’s and Santa Ana.

“I think when people are able to do something like this, to sacrifice and walk for nine or 10 hours, it will give them stronger meaning in areas of their lives, not just the spiritual life, but also physically and mentally,” Pires said.

He admires the determination of his congregation, and their commitment to their faith.

“This is not because as a priest I want to do it. They want to do it,” he said. “Even if I said ‘maybe this year we don’t do it,’ they’re gonna do it anyway.”

Martinez said people of all ages have joined in, and participants aren’t required to complete the entire 21 miles. People take turns carrying a large cross measuring about 10 feet long, as well as a smaller one with a model of Jesus affixed to it.

“We walk with each other and carry our cross they way he did in the crucifixion,” he said. “Every person has their own reason why they walk. They meditate, have suffering, or healing for more spiritual growth.”

Many do complete the entire trek and have done so many times, including Nicolas Rios.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve done it,” Rios said. “We’re walking for tradition, for Catolico, for Cristo.”

Some take it even further. Martinez recalls that on the very first walk, a man showed up in robes and long hair, looking similar to contemporary images of Jesus, and walked the entire route barefoot.

“We’ve never seen him again,” he said.

There are similar walks around the United States and other countries, the most famous being the pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayo, a National Historic Landmark in New Mexico that was built in 1816. However, Martinez said he and others who started the local walk weren’t aware of any other such events when they dreamed of it.

“This walk happened before we knew about that and others around the world,” he said. “We were happy to hear that others did this.”

He said many people and families help the group along the way. The Chavez family serves them lunch in Corinne, and others help at another stop in Bear River City. Still others follow along and offer water, rides, and whatever assistance is needed.

“A lot of people we can’t thank enough for being here.” He said.

While the day started in the rain, it finished in warm, partly sunny weather that was perfect for walking. The group finished the day at Santa Ana Mission, where they rested, ate, rejoiced and reflected on the experience.

“A lot of heartbreaking stories go on on this walk, but there’s also a lot of healing,” Martinez said. “It’s a heartfelt walk.”