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Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross are a series of pictures or images that represent certain scenes in the Passion of Christ. The Stations are usually made of stone, wood, or metal, sculptured or carved, or they may be merely paintings or engravings. They are usually arranged in numerical order around the walls of a church, though sometimes they can be found outdoors at a shrine. The erection and use of the Stations did not become at all general before the end of the seventeenth century, but they are now to be found in almost every church or chapel. The number of stations has varied throughout their history but fourteen are now the norm.

The Stations are meant to help people to make in spirit, as it were, a pilgrimage to the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death, and this has become one of the most popular of Catholic devotions in the season of Lent. It is carried out by passing from Station to Station, with certain prayers at each and a meditation on Jesus’ deep love for humanity.

The origin of the devotion may be traced to the Holy Land where Jesus experienced His passion, death and resurrection. In Jerusalem these important sites were reverently marked out from the earliest times and became an important destination for pilgrims ever since the days of Constantine. A desire to reproduce the holy places in other lands, for those who were unable to make the actual pilgrimage, seems to have manifested itself at quite an early date.

In conclusion it may be safely said that the Stations of the Cross is one of the richest devotions which enables us to more literally obey Christ's command to take up our cross and follow Him.

Stations of the Cross

• The First Station - Jesus is Condemned to Die.
• The Second Station - Jesus Carries His Cross.
• The Third Station - Jesus Falls the First Time.
• The Fourth Station - Jesus Meets His Mother.
• The Fifth Station - Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross.
• The Sixth Station - Veronica Wipes Jesus' Face.
• The Seventh Station - Jesus Falls the Second Time.
• The Eighth Station - Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem.
• The Ninth Station - Jesus Falls the Third Time.
• The Tenth Station - Jesus is Stripped.
• The Eleventh Station - Jesus is Nailed to the Cross.
• The Twelfth Station - Jesus Dies on the Cross.
• The Thirteenth Station - Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross.
• The Fourteenth Station - Jesus is Laid in the Tomb.

Resources for Parents and Catechists

• The Passionist Fathers site offers a downloadable version for children with very simple, beautiful "heart prayers" for children. A parent and/or catechist could use these with the children. The site is www.cptryon.org/prayer/child/stations
• Twenty-third Publications offers four books:
  
  "Praying the Stations with Children" by Gwen Costello
  "Praying the Stations with Teenagers" by Gwen Costello
  "Praying the Stations with Mary, the Mother of Jesus" by Richard Furey.
  "Praying the Stations with Pope John Paul II"
  
  The site is www.pastoralplanning.com.
• Paulist Press offers "Child's Guide to the Stations of the Cross" by Sue Stanton for ages 5-9. The site is www.paulistpress.com