The Way of the Cross

The purpose of this devotion is to focus on the Passion of Jesus Christ. Here is the long version of “Stations of the Cross” or “Way of the Cross”.
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The Way of the Cross , as we understand the term today, dates to the late Middle Ages. To a spirit of compassionate devotion for the mystery of the Passion we must add the enthusiasm aroused by the Crusades launched to regain possession of the Holy Sepulchre, a new flourishing of pilgrimages from the twelfth century onwards, and, from , the stable presence of the Franciscan Friars minor in the Holy Places. Herod's Palace, the Lithostratos, where Jesus was condemned to death, the place where Jesus met the women of Jerusalem, the place where Simon of Cyrene shouldered the Lord's cross, and so forth.

Against the a background of devotion to the Passion of Christ, and recalling the path Jesus walked on his ascent to Mount Calvary, The Stations of the Cross as a pious practice was born directly from a sort of fusion of three devotions which spread mainly in Germany and in the Netherlands from the fifteenth century onwards:.

Jn 18, 13 , from the latter to the house of Caiaphas cf. Jn 18, 24; Mt 26, 56 , then on to the Praetorium of Pilate cf. Jn 18, 28; Mt 27, 2 , to the palace of King Herod cf. In the long formation process of The Way of the Cross two elements should be noted: The subject of the stations also varied.

In the fifteenth century great diversity in the choice, number and order of stations still prevailed. Some schemas of Way of the Cross include stations such as the capture of Jesus, Peter's denial, the scourging at the pillar, the defamatory accusations at the house of Caiaphas, the mockery of the white robe at Herod's palace, none of which are found in what was to become the textus receptus of the pious practice.

The Way of the Cross or Via Crucis , in its present form, with the same fourteen stations placed in the same order, is recorded in Spain in the first half of the seventeenth century especially in Franciscan communities. From the Iberian peninsula it spread first to Sardinia, at that time under the dominion of the Spanish crown and then to Italy. Every year on the evening of Good Friday, the Holy Father goes to the Colosseum for the pious practice of the Way of the Cross, joined by thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.

In the light of history, these variants, rather than new, are - if anything - simply rediscovered. Clearly these episodes are of great salvific import and theological significance for the drama of Christ's passion: The proposal is not entirely new. Pilgrims arriving in Rome for the Jubilee of received a small handbook, Libro del pellegrino, prepared by the Central Committee for the Holy Year, which included an alternative version of the Stations of the Cross, with which in part, the biblical Via Crucis takes up. Likewise, the Congregation for Divine Worship on various occasions in recent years authorised the use of formulas alternative to the traditional text of the Way of the Cross.

And indeed this only emphasises the extraordinary richness of the Way of the Cross which no schema can ever fully express. The biblical Way of the Cross sheds light on the tragic role of the various characters involved, and the struggle between light and darkness, between truth and falsehood, which they embody. Making the Way of the Cross , we, the followers of Jesus, must declare once more our discipleship: A way traced by the Spirit The life of Jesus is a journey traced by the Spirit: A Way loved by the Church The Church has always kept alive the memory of the words and the events of the last days of her Spouse and Lord, a loving although painful memory of the path Jesus walked from the Mount of Olives to the Mount of Calvary.

A medieval devotion The Way of the Cross , as we understand the term today, dates to the late Middle Ages. Against the a background of devotion to the Passion of Christ, and recalling the path Jesus walked on his ascent to Mount Calvary, The Stations of the Cross as a pious practice was born directly from a sort of fusion of three devotions which spread mainly in Germany and in the Netherlands from the fifteenth century onwards: We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.

Because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world. Leaving the house of Caiaphas, where he had been blasphemed, and the house of Herod, where he had been been mocked, Jesus is dragged before Pilate, his back torn with scourges, his head crowned with thorns; and he, who on the last day will judge the living and the dead, is himself condemned to a disgraceful death.

Stations of the Cross - Prayers - Catholic Online

It was for us that You did suffer, O Blessed Jesus. It was for our sins that You were condemned to die. Oh, grant that we may detest our sins from the bottom of our hearts, and obtain your mercy and pardon by repentance. Station 2 — Jesus is laden with the Cross. A heavy cross is laid upon the bruised shoulders of Jesus. He receives it with meekness and with a sense of commitment, for it is the instrument with which he is to redeem the world and to accomplish the mission for which his heavenly Father has sent him.

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O Jesus, grant us, by virtue of your cross, to embrace with meekness and cheerful submission the difficulties of our life, and to be ever ready to take up our cross and follow You. Station 3 — Jesus falls for the first time. Bowed down under the weight of the cross, Jesus slowly sets forth on the way to Calvary, amidst the mockeries and insults of the crowd. His agony in the garden has exhausted his body.

He is lacerated with blows and wounds; his strength fails Him. O Jesus, who for our sins did bear the heavy burden of the cross and did fall under its weight, may the thoughts of your suffering make us watchful over ourselves and save us from any grievous fall into sin. Station 4 — Jesus meets his Blessed Mother. Still burdened with his cross, and wounded yet more by his fall, Jesus proceeds on His way. He is met by his loving mother.

What a meeting must have that been! What must have been the compassion of that Son for his holy mother! O Jesus, by the compassion which You did feel for You Mother, have compassion on us, and give us a share in her intercession. O Mary, most afflicted mother, intercede for us that, through the sufferings of your Son, we may be delivered from eternal death. Station 5 — Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross. As the strength of Jesus fails, and he is unable to proceed, the executioners seize and compel Simon of Cyrene to carry His cross.

O Lord Jesus, may it be our privilege to bear our cross. May we glory in nothing else; by the cross, may the world be crucified unto us, and we unto the world. Station 6 — Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. As Jesus proceeds along the way covered with the sweat of blood, a woman, moved with compassion, makes her way through the crowd, and wipes his face with a handkerchief.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS - Saint Faustina's Way of The Cross

As a reward for her piety, the impression of His sacred countenance is miraculously imprinted upon the handkerchief. O Jesus, may the contemplation of your sufferings move us with deep compassion. Make us hate our sins and kindle in our hearts, more fervent love for You. May your image be graven on our minds until we are transformed into Your likeness. Station 7 — Jesus falls beneath His cross, the second time. The pain of his wounds; and the loss of blood increasing at every step of his way, weakens him; and Jesus falls to the ground for the second time.

O Jesus, who did fall a second time beneath the load of our sins and of your suffering for our sins, how often have we grieved you by our repeated falls into sin! Oh, may we rather die than ever offend You! Station 8 — Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem.


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O Jesus, we mourn and will always mourn for you and for ourselves, for your sufferings and for our sins which caused them. Oh, teach us to mourn, so that we may repent and be saved from the dreadful end to those who reject or neglect you, their God and their all. Station 9 — Jesus falls beneath His cross the third time. Jesus has almost arrived at the summit of Calvary, but before he reaches the spot where he is to be crucified, his strength again fails Him, and he falls the third time.

O Jesus, we entreat you by the merit of this your third and most painful fall, to pardon our frequent relapses and our long continuance in sin.

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May the thought of Your sufferings make us hate our sins more and more. Station 10 — Jesus is stripped of His garments. Jesus at last arrives at Golgotha and they prepare to crucify Him. They strip Him of His garments and mock Him. O Jesus, strip us of all false esteem, conceit and pride and make us humble like you in this life, so that we share your glory with you in the life to come. Station 11 — Jesus is nailed to the cross.

The cross is laid upon the ground and Jesus is stretched upon His bed of death.

The Way of the Cross (The Stations of the Cross)

With divine dignity and forgiveness, he lets himself be nailed to the cross. The blows are struck! The blood gushes forth! O Jesus, nailed to the cross, fasten our hearts to the cross, so that we may be united with you until we yield up our souls to you. Station 12 — Jesus dies on the cross.


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    • For three hours, Jesus has hung upon His pierced hands. His blood has run in streams down his body, and onto the ground. His mission of love has been accomplished. He bows his head and gives up his Spirit to God. O Jesus, we devoutly embrace your saving cross, on which you died so that we may have eternal life. We hail your cross, and lovingly accept our own. Station 13 — Jesus is taken down from the cross.

    The multitudes have left the hill of Calvary. There is no one except the beloved disciple of Jesus and the holy women with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take down the body of Jesus from the cross and place him in the arms of his afflicted mother.