Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross (or The Way of the Cross) is a prayerful devotion that recalls the series of events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. In the early centuries of the Christian faith, pilgrims to Jerusalem often visited the places connected to the final hours of Jesus’ earthly life. Over time, Christians unable to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem developed the practice of recalling those events using images and “stations” to imitate the Jerusalem pilgrimage and to meditate on the final hours and events of Jesus’ life. There are fourteen traditional stations. Eight stations correspond to events found in the Bible, and the remaining six stations are either based on inferences from the Bible or on pious tradition.

 

At St. Mark's, we are blessed with a beautiful set of images that provide powerful visual images to all who pray the Stations of the Cross.  You may pray the Stations of the Cross as an individual devotion, or you may pray it with others. If you pray it with others, typically one person leads by reading the portions in standard print, with others responding with the portions that are in bold italicized print.