What are The Stations of the Cross?
- Logan Fude
- Mar 11, 2023
- 5 min read
Introduction
For many, Lent is full of once-a-year traditions such as making Fasting Bread, the Seder Meal, and attending Stations of the Cross. Stations of the Cross is something I often look forward to on Friday evenings, as well as the soup socials that follow. However, I was recently struck with the question: if someone outside the Catholic faith asked me to define or describe The Stations of the Cross and their significance, what would I say? If you are now pondering that question yourself, you have come to the right place! Or perhaps you have never been to Stations of the Cross and are curious about this for yourself. This post will cover what The Stations of the Cross are, why they are important, and where you can access free resources.
What are The Stations of the Cross?
The Stations of the Cross is a meditation on 14 points along Jesus’ journey from the Garden of Olives through his death and burial. Also called The Way of the Cross or Via Crucis [latin], this meditation usually consists of prayers and reflections in front of icons or images depicting each moment or “station” (USCCB, n.d.). These 14 stations are:
Jesus is Condemned to Death
Jesus Takes up His Cross
Jesus Falls for the First Time
Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother
Simon of Cyrene is Made to Help Jesus Bear the Cross
Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Jesus Falls for the Second Time
Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Jesus Falls for the Third Time
Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
Jesus is Crucified
Jesus Dies on the Cross
Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in the Arms of Mary
Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
(Taken from Word on Fire’s Reflections on Stations of the Cross)
Why are The Stations of the Cross Important?
The Stations of the Cross originated with the early Christians (literally) following the steps of Jesus from Pilates’ house to Golgotha. As the devotion grew, there was a desire to have replicas of the locations in home parishes for those who could not make the trip to the holy lands (especially when times of political unrest made walking the stations mortally dangerous).
Today, many families choose to go to their local church and pray The Stations there as a community with the entire parish body. My family has done it for years. Not going to lie, it can be a hassle to get out of the house on Friday evenings when everyone is tired after a day’s work or you would really just love to get in a little extra homework time so you don’t have to study through the weekend. If there is a social afterwards, you may also have to prepare and transport soup (hope your crockpot has a good seal!). Why invest all of this effort?
The short answer is that we are humans with bodies and souls. Our souls find it extremely helpful when we can participate physically in spiritual exercises. There is something about physically moving around the church to each station or rotating to visually follow the presider as they lead the stations. Taking in the images of the stations, genuflecting with the start of each station, and speaking responses as a community, and prayerfully singing with meditations on Mary (Stabat Mater) engages the senses and draws us closer to Jesus’ paschal mystery.
4 Tips to Get the Most Out of The Stations of the Cross
1. Stay present and really consider what is being said during the station.
I know, this feels pretty obvious, but it is really easy to mumble off the words and not really internalize the message. Regardless of what version of Stations of the Cross I have prayed over the years, there are always nuggets to take away if I spend the time to take the message in.
2. If possible, walk to each station around the church.
This isn’t always possible if you are doing stations with the entire congregation, but if you are doing stations privately in the church, with family, or as a small group, I encourage you to avail yourself of physically walking and staring up at the stations on the walls. Savor the experience of slowly plodding your way around the church and image yourself walking alongside our Lord.
3. Participate in the singing.
I know, I know…not everyone feels worthy to sing out loud, and many even feel like they are burdening the people around them. In my experience as a sacred music cantor, the more people who power through their insecurities about singing, the more you will lend courage to those around you. Not only will singing increase your participation, but you can also help minister to the individuals around you. (I am going to amend this suggestion with one note: if you are doing stations individually during a period of public adoration, consider singing them in your head so as not to disturb others who aren’t doing stations.)
4. Brace yourself for distractions (if you are doing them as a group).
Fact of the matter is that Stations of the Cross are a beautiful opportunity for Catholics to pray with other Catholics; however, it can be easier to participate if I forewarn you about a few things. Catholics love big families, but families mean children squirming, dropping books and toys on the pew, and taking a million trips to the restrooms. The first few stations may be hard to hear if the volunteers who are leading aren’t used to the microphone (or are a little shy). There may or may not be a cantor to lead the music, and the organist might try to play the Stabat Mater at double the normal tempo.
Why Logan, you just recommended that I go to Stations! Aren’t these reasons why I SHOULDN’T go? No, they aren’t. If you only pray stations of the cross once a week AND have to deal with these distractions, it can be challenging, so I recommend praying The Stations on your own beforehand, or on another day of the week. This will allow you to embrace the beauty of the prayers in the quiet of your home or during adoration, and to focus on the beauty of community during parish-wide stations.
Want to attend Stations of the Cross in Northern Idaho? Check out this church location map!
In Closing
Stations of the Cross are a beautiful Lenten tradition that I encourage you to take advantage of whether that be in the quiet of your home or in your church with the parish or privately. When we take the time to meditate on our Lord’s sacrifice, the beauty of Easter can really take hold and change us for the better.
Your Turn!
If you had to give one piece of advice on how to get more out of the Stations, what would it be? What is the best tip you have received? I would love to hear from you! Comment below, or email me at youngcatholicapostle@gmail.com.
Sources:
Barron, R. (2023). The Paschal Mystery. Word on Fire.
Word on Fire. (n.d.) Stations of the Cross. Word on Fire Ministries https://stations.wordonfire.org/stations-of-the-cross
USCCB. (n.d.) Stations of the Cross. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. https://www.usccb.org/prayer-worship/prayers-devotions/stations
*If you have an extra 4 ½ minutes, I highly recommend this video with another excellent explanation on why you should pray the Stations of the Cross. https://youtu.be/fXReLOmislE
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