Mission Mississippi officials have announced the local route for Friday’s visit by a lighted cross being hand-carried to each of the state’s 82 counties in honor of the organization’s 20th anniversary.

Carried by Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the glowing cross will leave Liberty in Amite County around 7 a.m. Friday. Traveling on foot, escorted by law enforcement and with a bus following them, the cross bearers will enter Lincoln County on Highway 569.

“They’ll have a bus following them with athletes, and one will be carrying the cross,” said Stan Foster of Brookhaven. Periodically, the athlete carrying the cross will be relieved by another from the bus. Law enforcement will provide an escort.

The cross’s journey is to honor the birthday of Mission Mississippi, a group founded in Jackson in August 1993 with the goal of transforming the state through its message of unity between the races.

From Highway 569, the cross will be carried to Highway 98 and from there to Jackson Liberty Drive. The group will turn onto Auburn Drive, which they will travel until reaching Highway 84.

From Highway 84, they will convey the cross to Highway 51, and from there to Brookway Boulevard.

The procession will turn from Brookway onto West Cherokee Street and then onto First Street, which will take them to the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Government Complex.

Mission Mississippi officials invite local residents to join in the trek and help escort the cross as it is conveyed through the city streets.

Foster said the group expects to arrive at the government complex around 6:30 p.m. A ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., and the public is invited to attend.

Foster said the program will include a welcome by Mayor Joe Cox, along with remarks by a representative of Mission Mississippi.

Also included will be the ceremonial passing of the cross to the FCA member who begin the trek with the cross to the next county.

Although the passing of the cross will take place Friday night, the group will actually begin the next leg of the journey Saturday morning.

The McComb ceremony is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Pavilion by the Depot.

The next stops on the journey will be:

• The Walthall County Courthouse in Tylertown at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18

• The Lawrence County Courthouse lawn in Monticello at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19

• The Jefferson Davis County Courthouse in Prentiss at noon Tuesday, Aug. 20

• The Marion County Courthouse at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20.

For more information about the local chapter of Mission Mississippi, call local representative, Phyllis Spearman, at (601) 833-5198.