Simon of Cyrene

Jesus can no longer carry His cross due to the blood loss and injuries He sustained from the flogging. The Roman soldiers pull Simon of Cyrene (North Africa) out of the crowd, forcing him to carry Jesus’ cross. Simon was with his two sons, Alexander and Rufus. They were in Jerusalem for the Passover, and accidentally were caught up in the tragic and violent circumstances of Jesus’ crucifixion. For Simon, as a father of 2 young sons, this was indeed a worse case scenario. No one would seek out interaction with the brutal Roman soldiers. Surely he had instructed his sons to avoid the Romans, and here they were, right in the middle of a horrific situation. Simon’s strength enables him to help Messiah Jesus, and his two beloved sons cling to each other and work hard to follow their father.