The man who helped Jesus carry the cross was Simon of Cyrene. According to the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—Roman soldiers compelled Simon, who was coming in from the countryside, to carry Jesus' cross as Jesus was led to his crucifixion
. Simon was from Cyrene, an ancient city in North Africa (modern-day Libya), which had a significant Jewish population. While some traditions depict him as African, the Bible does not specify his ethnicity
. Mark's Gospel also identifies Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus, suggesting his family was known to early Christian communities
. Simon’s role was involuntary at first—he was forced by the soldiers to carry the cross—but this act has been interpreted as symbolically significant, representing discipleship and sharing in Christ’s suffering
. In summary, Simon of Cyrene is the historically attested figure who carried Jesus' cross on the way to Golgotha, as recorded in the three Synoptic Gospels.
