Stations of the Cross
The stations of the cross is a meditation on the suffering or 'Passion' of Christ during his trial and crucifixion. The meditation, also known by its Latin title of Via Crucis has its origins in Jerusalem, where pilgrims retraced the route of Christ as he carried his cross to the site of his crucifixion (known as the via dolorosa or 'Way of Sorrows').
Click each image for an enlarged version which opens in a new window, or alternatively view the images as a slideshow.
Opening Prayer
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell. But most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and all deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy Grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
Amen.
Station 1 - Jesus is condemned
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. John 19:14-16 "It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And he said to the Jews, 'Behold, your king!' They cried out, 'Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!' Pilate said to them, 'Shall I crucify your king?' The chief priests answered, 'We have no king but Caesar.' Then he handed him over to them to be crucified." |
|
Station 2 - Jesus carries his cross
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. John 19:17 "...and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha." |
Station 3 - Jesus falls for the first time
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. |
|
Station 4 - Jesus meets his mother
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. John 19:25-27 "Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." |
Station 5 - Simon helps Jesus with the cross
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Luke 23:26 "As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus." |
|
Station 6 - Veronica wipes Jesus' face
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. |
Station 7 - Jesus falls a second time
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. |
|
Station 8 - Jesus meets the women
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Luke 23:27-31 "A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' At that time people will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?" |
Station 9 - Jesus falls a third time
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. |
|
Station 10 - Jesus is stripped of his garments
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Mark 15:20 "And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him." |
Station 11 - Jesus is nailed to the cross
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. John 19:18 "There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle." |
|
Station 12 - Jesus dies on the cross
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. John 19:32-33 "So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs." |
Station 13 - Jesus is taken down from the cross
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Matthew 27:57-58 "When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over." |
|
Station 14 - Jesus is buried
|
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Matthew 27:59-60 "Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed." |
Prayer after completing the stations
Jesus, you became an example of humility, obedience and patience, and preceded me on the way of life bearing your cross. Grant that, inflamed with your love, I might cheerfully take upon myself the sweet yoke of your gospel together with the mortification of the cross and follow you as a true disciple so that I might be united with you in heaven.
Amen.
