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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 Calvary 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 depict 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.
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.
The Way of the Cross by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787),
with Scriptural references and the stanzas of the Stabat Mater added:
SIGN OF THE CROSS AND FORMATION OF INTENTIONS
(Make the Sign of the Cross and say:)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
(Now one forms the intention of gaining indulgences, either for one's self or for others)
ACT OF CONTRITION
(Read together aloud)
My Lord Jesus Christ, You have made this journey to die for me with love unutterable,
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You; but now I love You with my whole heart,
and because I love You I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me; I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of You.
My Jesus, I will live and die always united to You.
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. At the cross her station keeping
Stood the mournful Mother weeping
Close to Jesus to the last
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
FIRST STATION
Jesus is Condemned to Death
(John 3:16, Isaiah 53:7, John 18:33-John 19:1-16)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider, that Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross. My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate, no, it was my sins, that condemned You to die. I ask You, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul in its journey toward eternity.
R. I love You, my beloved Jesus; I love You more than myself; I repent with my whole heart of having offended You. Never permit me to separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing
All His bitter anguish bearing
Now at length the sword had passed
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
SECOND STATION
Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross
(Isaiah 53:4-6, Matthew 27:31, Luke 9:23)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider, that Jesus, in making this journey with the cross on His shoulders, thought of us, and offered for us, to His Father, the death that He was about to undergo.
R. My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations that You have destined for me until death. I ask you, by the merits of the pain You did suffer in carrying Your cross, to give me the necessary help to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation. I love You, Jesus, my love, I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always, and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing
All His bitter anguish bearing
Now at length the sword had passed
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
THIRD STATION
Jesus Falls for the First Time
(Isaiah 53:6)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider, this first fall of Jesus under His cross. His flesh was torn by the scourges, His head crowned with thorns, and He had lost a great quantity of blood. He was so weakened that He could scarcely walk, and yet He had to carry this great load upon His shoulders. The soldiers struck Him rudely, and thus He fell several times in His journey.
R. My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross, but of my sins, which has made You suffer so much pain. Ah, by the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin. I love You, O my Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole-begotten One!
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
FOURTH STATION
Jesus Meets His Mother
(John 19:25-27, John 16:22)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider, the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey. 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.
R. My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow You experienced in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Your most holy Mother. And you, my Queen, who was overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by your intercession a continual and tender remembrance of the Passion of your Son. I love You, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always, and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Christ above in torment hangs
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
FIFTH STATION
Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
(Matthew 27:30-32, Matthew 25:40, Galatians 6:2)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider that the Jews seeing that at each step Jesus, from weakness, was on the point of expiring, and fearing that He would die on the way when they wished Him to die the ignominious death of the cross, constrained Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross behind Our Lord.
R. My most sweet Jesus, I will not refuse the cross as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it. I accept in particular the death that You have destined for me with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Your death, I offer it to You. You have died for love of me, I will die for love of You, and to please You. Help me by Your grace. I love You, Jesus, my love; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always, and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Is there one who would not weep
Whelmed in miseries so deep
Christ's dear Mother to behold?
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
SIXTH STATION
Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
(Isaiah 52:14, John 14:9)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider that 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 adorable face, leaving on it the impression of His holy countenance.
R. My most beloved Jesus, Your face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Alas! my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Your grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins. You alone, my Redeemer, can restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Your Passion, O Jesus. I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always, and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain
In that Mother's pain untold?
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
SEVENTH STATION
Jesus Falls a Second Time
(Hebrews 4:15)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider the second fall of Jesus under the cross—a fall which renews the pain of all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.
R. My most gentle Jesus, how many times You have pardoned me, and how many times have I fallen again, and begun again to offend You! Oh, by the merits of this new fall, give me the necessary helps to persevere in Your grace until death. Grant that in all temptations which assail me I may always commend myself to You. I love You, Jesus, my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what you will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled
She beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
EIGHTH STATION
Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
(Luke 23:27-31, John 15:6)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider that those women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus in so pitiable a state, streaming with blood, as He walked along. But Jesus said to them, "Weep not for Me but for your children."
R. My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the offenses that I have committed against You, because of the pains which they have deserved, and still more because of the displeasure which they have caused You, Who has loved me so much. It is Your love, more than the fear of hell, which causes me to weep for my sins. My Jesus, I love You more than myself; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. For the sins of His own nation
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
NINTH STATION
Jesus Falls the Third Time
(Philippians 2:5-7, Luke 14:11)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider the third fall of Jesus Christ. His weakness was extreme, and the cruelty of His executioners excessive, who tried to hasten His steps when He had scarcely strength to move.
R. Ah, my outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness You suffered in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Your friendship. I love You, Jesus, my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Your. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Ah Mother, fountain of love
make me feel the force of the sorrow
so that I may mourn with you
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
TENTH STATION
Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
(John 19:23-25, Luke 14:33)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Turn compassionately to your Saviour thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:
R. My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torment which You have felt, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in You Who are so worthy of my love. I love You, O Jesus, with my whole heart: I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Make me feel as thou hast felt
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, my Lord
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
ELEVENTH STATION
Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
(Psalm 22:17-18, Zechariah 12:10, Luke 23:33)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider that Jesus, after being thrown on the cross, extended His hands, and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. These barbarians fastened Him with nails; and then, raising the cross, left Him to die with anguish on this infamous gibbet.
R. My Jesus, loaded with contempt, nail my heart to Your feet, that it may ever remain there to love You, and never quit You again. I love You more than myself; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
TWELFTH STATION
Jesus Dies on the Cross
(Luke 23:46, John 19:30, Philippians 2:8-9)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider how Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head, and dies.
R. O my dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the cross on which You died for love of me. I have merited by my sins to die a miserable death, but Your death is my hope. Ah, by the merits of Your death, give me grace to die, embracing Your feet and burning with love of You. I commit my soul into Your hands. I love You with my whole heart; I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Let me share with thee His pain
Who for all our sins was slain
Who for me in torments died
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
THIRTEENTH STATION
Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
(Luke 23:50-53, John 19:31-37, Luke 24:26)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider that, our Lord having expired, two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took Him down from the cross, and placed Him in the arms of His afflicted Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness, and pressed Him to her bosom.
R. O Mother of Sorrow, for the love of this Son, accept me for your servant and pray to Him for me. And You, my Redeemer, since You have died for me, permit me to love You; for I wish nothing but You, my Jesus, and I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. Let me mingle tears with thee
Mourning Him Who mourned for me
All the days that I may live
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
FOURTEENTH STATION
Jesus is Laid in His Tomb
(Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42, John 12:24-25, Romans 6:10-11, 1st Corinthians 15:3-4)
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
V. Consider that the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulchre with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all withdrew.
R. Oh, my buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses You. But You did rise again the third day. I ask You, by Your resurrection, make me rise glorious with You at the last day, to be always united with You in heaven, to praise You and love You forever. I love You, and I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You; and then do with me what You will.
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
Stabat Mater Stanza:
V. By the cross with thee to stay
There with thee to weep and pray
Is all I ask of thee to give
R. Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified
PRAYERS IN HONOR OF THE PASSION
O my Lord Jesus, in honor of Your Passion and death, I offer the following prayers:
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
PRAYERS FOR THE INTENTIONS OF THE HOLY FATHER
O, my lord Jesus, I offer the following prayers as my petition for this month's intentions of our holy father, the Pope:
All Pray: Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be
CLOSING PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED
Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself on my knees in Your sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul,
I pray and beg You to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity,
with true repentance for my sins, and a firm desire of amendment,
while with deep affection and grief of soul I contemplate Your five most precious Wounds,
having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy:
"They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."
God has loved us from all eternity.
So He says: "Remember I first loved you. You had not come to be, nor did the world yet exist,
but I loved you already. From all eternity I have loved you."
Amen.
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