Stations of the Cross

The way of the cross, also known as the Stations of the Cross, are a way to pray and meditate on Christ's sacrifice for us. It is divided into fourteen stations from the time He was condemned to his burial. This devotion has been long encouraged by the church, and is especially useful during lent. (See Via Crucis, The Way of the Cross, quoting the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship, Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy.)

The way one usually would pray this devotion would be at church where 14 crosses or images would be displayed on the walls of the church. An individual would go from station to station, like someone would if they visited the actual sites in the Holy Land. If there was a group, the leader would go from station to station.

However, one can pray this devotion without going to a place where the stations are displayed, and you can do the same here.  The Stations here use photos of the plaques that hang in St. John the Baptist Church, and the devotions for each are from Cardinal Newman in his Meditations and Devotions, Longman's and Green (1893) pp. 155-68.

(For more see a short description of the stations or see Via Crucis, with its contemporary photos of the Holy Land route, but it's slow.) The US National Conference of Bishops has a version of the stations based on text from Pope John Paul II. To consider some ways to get more out of the Lenten season, see the links at Lent.

St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Parish

444 St. John Street ~ Plum Boro, PA 15239

email: stjohnthebaptistparish@comcast.net

phone: 412-793-4511

fax: 412-793-4311