Simon the Cyrenian forced to take up His cross

Saint Mark - Chapter 15

Simon the Cyrenian forced to take up His cross. J-J Tissot

[21] Et angariaverunt praetereuntem quempiam, Simonem Cyrenaeum venientem de villa, patrem Alexandri et Rufi, ut tolleret crucem ejus.
And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross.

From The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by J-J Tissot (1897)

Went Jesus fell the second time, his enemies began to be uneasy.  He would never, they feared, get up the ascent to Golgotha without help.  They therefore resolved to let Him have a little assistance, and a man named Simon happening to be at hand, they compelled him to carry the cross.  This Simon came from Cyrene, a province situated on the northern coast of Africa, where there was then a very numerous colony of Jews.  It would appear that he was domiciled at Jerusalem, for the Gospel narrative says he was passing by "coming out of the country".  

He was, adds Saint Mark, the father of Alexander and Rufus, which proves that all three were known to the Evangelists at the time of the compilation of the sacred text.  It is, in fact, supposed that these sons of Simon, Alexander and Rufus, were converted to Christianity later and became deacons of the early Church. In the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans occur the words: "Salute Rufus chosen in the lord", and the Roman martyrology includes Simon of Cyrene amongst the Saints.  Some even say that he became Bishop of Bostra in the Syrian Desert, and that he was burnt to death by the heathen authorities.

Critics and commentators eagerly discuss the question of whether he was or was not a Jew.  Certain indications sanction the belief that he owned a small farm near Jerusalem, and there also seems reason to suppose that he was identical with Simon the tanner mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, who certainly was a Jew.  On the other hand, it seems the most extraordinary thing for a Jew to be compelled to bear the burden of any kind at the time of the great festival.  The question must, therefore, remain undecided for the present, but the assertion that Simon was of Cyrene does not really affect the matter at issue, for, as already mentioned above, there were many Jews in the province.  

Via Dolorosa. J-J Tissot

Another point in dispute is whether the Cyrenian carried the Cross the rest of the way alone or whether he merely shed the burden with the Master.  The Gospel narrative would appear to favour the former interpretation of the incident, but it might also be taken to mean the latter which was the most prevalent belief amongst the early Christians, and as a result was generally adopted by painters.  We think, therefore, that we are fairly justified in assuming that Jesus bore the upper part of the cross with the transverse beam and that Simon merely upheld the long heavy central beam, the dragging weight of which added so greatly to the burden of the Victim.  Another very natural suggestion has been made and that is that we owe to Simon and his two sons the account of all that past until the arrival of the Master at Calvary.  As a matter of fact, they were of course able to see and hear everything; they were indeed the only witnesses who could do so, for none of the Apostles were near; Saint John, the Blessed Virgin, and the other Holy Women were unable to follow Jesus except afar off, on account of the crowds and the narrowness of the streets.  They did not all meet again until they got to Calvary itself.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam