What are The Stations Of The Cross?
The Stations Of The Cross are a popular Catholic devotion which commemorates
the Passion and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What do the fourteen stations mean?
Each of the fourteen stations stands for an event which
occurred during Jesus' Passion and death at Cavalry on Good Friday. A person
making the Stations Of The Cross is to meditate about each event depicted at
each station, and pray.
Where does one
make the Stations Of The Cross?
At many Catholic Churches and Chapels,
mounted along the sides of the interior walls are fourteen plaques
which depicts each Station Of The Cross. A person making the
Stations will go to each station and pray and meditate about that
particular event which Jesus went through in His Passion and death.
Sadly, many Churches today have removed their Stations Of The Cross,
for reasons which are unknown to me.
Can The Stations Be Done Anywhere?
Are special prayers to be recited?
Yes, the Stations Of The Cross can be done
anywhere, with a group of people, alone, and mentally. There are no
specific prayers that are to be said. There are many different
prayers written by various people throughout the centuries which are
beautiful and profound. You can make your own personal prayer which
you recite when you meditate about each station.
When did the devotion to the
Stations Of The Cross begin?
The Stations were originally performed
many centuries ago by Christian pilgrims who actually visited the
Holy Land, and went to the sites of Jesus' Passion. There are
records of similar forms of this devotion which date back to the
400s.
Who were the great promoters of this
devotion?
Promotion of the devotion to the Stations
began in earnest with the Franciscans, who were given custody of the
Holy Places in the Holy Land in the 1300s. Many great Saints,
numerous Popes, and countless Catholics, have all enriched their
spiritual lives with this powerful devotion.
Did you know that the Pope once made
a special Stations?
Pope John Paul II, once during a Good
Friday, slightly altered the usual fourteen stations in this manner:
(1) Jesus' agony in the garden (2) Jesus is betrayed by Judas and is
arrested (3) Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin (4) Jesus is denied
by Peter (5) Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate (6) Jesus is
scourged and crowned with thorns (7) Jesus is made to carry the
cross (8) Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus with His cross (9) Jesus meets
with the women of Jerusalem (10) Jesus is crucified (11) Jesus
promises paradise to the repentant thief (12) Jesus speaks to John
and Mary on the cross (13) Jesus dies on the cross (14) Jesus is
buried in the tomb.
|
