Soup and Stations Deep Dive
What are the Stations of the Cross?
The Stations of the Cross began with pilgrims to Jerusalem who would retrace the steps of Jesus the day before His death. As they followed this path there were many places where it was customary to stop in order to reflect and pray about a particular moment in Jesus’ final hours. These stops became known as Stations. In the 15 century, Franciscan friars, who had been granted guardianship of the Holy Land, began working on ways that those who unable to travel to the Holy Land could observe this devotion more locally. These began as a series outdoor shrines of an indeterminate number but by the 19th century had evolved to the 14 icons found in most Catholic churches today. While the Stations can be prayed through at any time, communal observance of the practice is common during Lent, particularly on Fridays.
How are the Stations of the Cross Prayed?
There are many different options for praying the Stations of the Cross but all involve moving from depiction to deception, stopping at each to pray and reflect on that moment in Christ’s Passion.
The traditional Stations of the Cross are as follows:
In 2007, Pope Benedict also approved at Scriptural Way of the Cross:
Why Should we Participate in the Stations of the Cross?
Praying the Stations of the Cross is a powerful way to remember just how great a gift Jesus has given us. By reflecting on key moments of suffering from Christ’s Passion we are better able to appreciate just how much He loves us and what He was willing to undergo for our sakes. Taking time to recount Jesus’ sacrifice by praying the Stations of the Cross is both a way of showing our gratitude to God for that sacrifice and a way of opening ourselves up to how He may be calling us to respond to that sacrifice.