A parishioner at St. Anthony Church in Kalihi holds a crucifix during the Stations of the Cross, March 6. (HCH photo | Darlene Dela Cruz)
“Every new suffering of Jesus is a seed of future joy for humanity, every jeer, a premise of glory. Along that way of suffering Jesus’ every meeting — with friends, with enemies, with the indifferent — is a chance for one final lesson, one last look, one supreme offer of reconciliation and peace.”
Archbishop Piero Marini, who served at the Vatican for two decades as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, wrote during his tenure a powerful document explaining the Catholic tradition of the Stations of the Cross.
A popular Lenten custom around the world, the Stations of the Cross is a solemn pilgrimage of prayer through 14 events in Jesus’ passion. Catholics gather on Fridays at parishes during the liturgical season of penance to meditate on Christ’s sacrifice.
The practice, also called “The Way of the Cross,” “Via Crucis” or “Via Dolorosa” is not a Catholic obligation. It has a storied history, however, and continues to gain new followers with each generation of faithful.
Stations history
According to Archbishop Marini, a tradition of retracing Christ’s passion goes as far back as the second century. Written accounts have been found of early pilgrimages to the holy sites in Jerusalem where Jesus walked with his cross, was crucified and buried.
In the middle ages, pilgrims returning from Jerusalem often created reproductions of the sites of the passion for veneration in their hometowns. At that time, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio helped foster contemplative devotion of Jesus’ sorrowful path.
The Franciscan Friars Minor established a solid presence in the Holy Land in the 1200s. Notes from the end of that century mention an actual path there marked with “stations” guiding the way in which Christ walked up to Calvary.
Today’s Stations of the Cross meditations and prayers, Archbishop Marini explained, has its roots in three devotions that spread in Germany and the Netherlands in the 15th century.
Catholics in those countries held processions and reflections to commemorate “Christ’s falls” beneath his cross and “Christ’s way of sorrow” from Gethsemane to the palace of King Herod and so on. Their devotion to “The Stations of Christ” marked moments when Jesus paused on his journey from fatigue or to talk to his followers.
The 14 “stations” in the Way of the Cross today are:
- Jesus is condemned to death
- Jesus carries his cross
- Jesus falls the first time
- Jesus meets his mother
- Simon the Cyrenian helps Jesus carry his cross
- Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
- The second fall of Jesus
- Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem
- The third fall of Jesus
- Jesus is stripped of his garments
- Jesus is nailed to the cross
- Jesus dies on the cross
- Jesus is taken down from the cross
- Jesus is laid in the tomb
These stations were recorded in 17th century Spain. The devotion afterward gained popularity in Europe, aided in part by St. Leonard of Port Maurice. The Franciscan friar erected more than 570 sets of the stations in Italy.
At the request of Pope Benedict XIV in 1750, St. Leonard set up the Way of the Cross inside Rome’s Colosseum. It has since become a tradition for popes to lead Stations of the Cross services there on Good Friday.
St. John Paul II in 1991 celebrated an alternate Way of the Cross. He omitted some of the traditional stations which have no solid scriptural references, such as Jesus’ three falls and his encounters with his mother and Veronica.
The late pontiff instead created the following “biblical” stations:
- Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
- Jesus, betrayed by Judas, is arrested
- Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin
- Jesus is denied by Peter
- Jesus is judged by Pilate
- Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns
- Jesus bears the cross
- Jesus is helped by Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross
- Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
- Jesus is crucified
- Jesus promises his kingdom to the good thief
- Jesus speaks to his mother and the disciple
- Jesus dies on the cross
- Jesus is placed in the tomb
Whether one contemplates the biblical or traditional stations, Archbishop Marini said the purpose of the practice is the same: to “declare once more our discipleship … receiving the Word which redeems, the Blood which purifies, the Spirit which gives life.”
Communal and personal
Attending a Stations of the Cross service can be a profound reminder of the penitential premise of Lent. Pondering Christ’s perseverance and his sacrifice of humility puts in perspective our own reliance on God to carry out his will of love.
Each Island parish chooses its own meditations for the Stations of the Cross. The local congregations that gather for the solemn services differ in ages and backgrounds as well. But powerful reflection time is a universal draw for this tradition.
Stations of the Cross at St. Anthony Church in Kalihi regularly has more than 50 attendees on Friday evenings of Lent. Members of its youth ministry joined longtime parishioners to lead the service March 6.
To begin, one parishioner carried a crucifix, flanked by two others holding candles. The trio processed to each of the 14 Stations of the Cross paintings lining the church walls. Congregants in the pews followed their progress with a ritual of kneeling and standing for each station’s spoken meditation.
Between stations, parishioners sang verses of the hymn, “Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord).”
Although recited as a community, the meditations chosen by St. Anthony Church are personal and practical.
A prayer for the second station, for instance, reads, “My Jesus, Lord, I take my daily cross. I welcome the monotony that often marks my day … disappointments, tensions, setbacks, cares. Remind me often that in carrying my cross, I carry yours with you.”
Contemplation of the 14 stations takes less than an hour. The service at St. Anthony ends with singing of the hymn, “I Am the Resurrection,” reminding congregants of the forthcoming Easter promise.
Its closing prayer is a fitting prompt of our Lenten mission as Catholics.
“Go now! Take up your cross and with your life complete your way.”