-
Jesus stands before the high priest
in Jerusalem, is questioned and
then condemned to death.
“At that the high priest tore his garments
and said ‘What further need have we of
witnesses? You have heard the
blasphemy. What do you think?’
They all condemned him to die.”
(Mk 14: 61-64)
Station 1
Jesus is condemned to die
-
Jesus is handed the heavy wooden
cross and begins his walk.
“Then he (Pilate) handed him over to
them to be crucified. So they took
Jesus, and carrying the cross himself
he went out to what is called the
Place of the Skull, in Hebrew,
Golgotha.”
(Jn 19: 16-17)
Station 2
Jesus carries His cross
-
Jesus is shown falling for the first
time under the heavy weight of the
wooden cross. He is made to get up
and continue on the way.
“He was so weakened that he could
scarcely walk, and yet He had to carry
this great load upon his shoulders.”
Station 3
Jesus falls the first time
-
As Jesus walks he meets Mary,
who is in deep grief and anguish
at seeing her son and his suffering.
“Jesus and Mary looked at each
other, and their looks became as so
many arrows to wound those hearts
which loved each other so tenderly.”
Station 4
Jesus meets His mother
-
Simon of Cyrene is selected from
the crowd to help the suffering
Jesus bear the heavy cross.
“They pressed into service a
passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who
was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.”
(Mk 15:21)
Station 5
Simon helps Jesus carry His cross
-
Veronica steps forth from the crowd
and wipes Jesus’ face. Tradition
states that His image (The Holy
Face) was left behind.
“The holy woman named Veronica,
seeing Jesus so afflicted, and His
face bathed in sweat and blood,
presented Him with a towel with
which he wiped his face.”
Station 6
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
-
The weight of the cross forces
Jesus to fall yet again, and guards
force him to move on again.
“Consider the second fall ... a fall
which renews the pain of all the
wounds of ... our afflicted Lord ...
Jesus, by the merits of this new
fall, give me the necessary help to
persevere in Thy grace until death.”
Station 7
Jesus falls the second time
-
Jesus encounters women in the
crowd who are in sorrow over
what is happening to him.
“Jesus turned to them and said,
'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not
weep for me; weep instead for
yourselves and for your children.'”
(Lk 23:27-28)
Station 8
Jesus meets the women
of Jerusalem
-
The burden of the cross forces
the suffering Jesus to fall yet again.
“His weakness was extreme, and
the cruelty of His executioners
excessive, who tried to hasten His
steps when He had scarcely
strength to move.”
Station 9
Jesus falls a third time
-
When he has reached the place
where he will be crucified, the
guards strip Jesus of his garments.
“They gave Jesus wine to drink
mixed with gall. But when he had
tasted it, he refused to drink. After
they had crucified him, they divided
his garments by casting lots.”
(Mt 27:34-35)
Station 10
Jesus is stripped
-
Jesus’ hands and feet are nailed to
the cross after he reaches Golgotha.
“When they came to the place
called The Skull, they crucified him
and the criminals there, one on his
right, the other on his left. Then
Jesus said, 'Father forgive them,
they know not what they do.'”
(Lk 23: 33-34)
Station 11
Jesus is nailed to the cross
-
Jesus is shown in death on the cross,
with Mary and others mourning
below him.
“Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
'Father, into your hands I commend
my spirit'; and when he said this
he breathed his last.”
(Lk 23:46)
Station 12
Jesus dies on the cross
-
Two of Christ’s disciples help him
down from the cross and he is placed
in the arms of Mary.
“Two of his disciples, Joseph and
Nicodemus ... placed Him in the arms
of his afflicted mother, who received
Him with unutterable tenderness.”
Station 13
Jesus is taken down from the cross
-
Jesus is placed in the tomb, depicted
with Joseph, his disciples and his
mother attending.
“Taking the body, Joseph (of
Arimithea) 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.”
Station 14
Jesus is laid in the tomb
