Stations of the Cross

O Lord Jesus, you resigned yourself to death, and submitted to judgement and condemnation you did not deserve. Let your mercy be upon us who deserve such judgement, and take away our sins from us.

Station II Jesus carries his cross

A heavy cross is laid on the bruised shoulders of Jesus. He receives it with meekness, nay, with a secret joy, for it is the instrument with which he is to redeem the world.

Lord Jesus, you took upon you the burden of our sins, make us ever sorrowful for the wrongs we have done and committed.

Station IIIJesus falls for the first time

Bowed down under the weight of the Cross, Jesus slowly sets forth on the way to Calvary, amidst the mockeries and insults of the crowd. His agony in the garden has exhausted his body; he is sore with blows and wounds; his strength fails him; he falls to the ground under the Cross.

Lord Jesus, bowed down under the weight of our guilt, we thank you for your mercy towards us.

Station IV Jesus meets his most holy mother

Still burdened with his Cross, and wounded yet more by his fall, Jesus proceeds on his way. He is met by his Mother. What a meeting that must have been! What a sword of anguish must have pierced that Mother's heart! What must have been the compassion of that Son for his holy Mother!

Lord Jesus, it was to make us your brothers and sisters that you came and suffered and died. Bind us, through you, ever closer to one another and to all your saints.

Station VSimon helps Jesus to carry his cross

As the strength of Jesus fails, and he is unable to proceed, the executioners compel Simon of Cyrene to carry his Cross. The virtue of that Cross changed his heart, and from being a compulsory task, it became a privilege and a joy.

Lord Jesus, who needed help to carry your load, make us ever dutiful in service to others, bearing their burdens.

Station VIVeronica wipes the face of Jesus

As Jesus proceeds on his way, covered with the sweat of death, a woman, moved with compassion, makes her way through the crowd, and wipes his face with a veil. As a reward of her piety the impression of his sacred countenance is said to have been imprinted on the veil.

Lord Jesus, as the blood and sweat of your suffering were wiped away in your suffering, wipe away from us all our sins and transgressions by that same suffering.

Station VII Jesus falls for the second time

The pain of wounds and the loss of blood increasing at every step of his way, again his strength fails him, and Jesus falls to the ground a second time.

O Lord Jesus, loaded with all our burdens, have mercy upon us whose burdens are deadly when borne alone.

Station VIIJesus comforts the women of Jerusalem

At the sight of the sufferings of Jesus, some holy women in the crowd were so touched with sympathy that they openly bewailed and lamented him. Jesus, knowing the things that were to come to pass on Jerusalem because of its rejection of him, turned to them and said, “ Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children”.

Hear us O Lord, as we weep for the sins and wrongs that have brought you to the cross, and take them away from us.

Station IXJesus falls for the third time

Jesus has now almost arrived at the summit of Calvary; but before he reaches the spot where he is to be crucified, his strength again fails him, and he falls a third time, to be again dragged up and goaded onwards by the brutal soldiery.

Lord Jesus, carrying all our sin and shame, make us ever thankful that you have taken them from us.

Station XJesus is stripped of his garments

Arrived at last at the place of sacrifice, they prepare to crucify him. His garments are taken from his Body; and he, the Holiest of holies, stands exposed to the vulgar gaze of the rude and scoffing multitudes.

O Lord Jesus, you divested yourself of all you majesty and glory for our sake, by your power, and through your suffering, give us grace to clothe ourselves for the wedding feast of the kingdom of heaven.

Station XIJesus is nailed to the cross

The cross is laid upon the ground, and Jesus is stretched out upon his bed of death. At one and the same time he offers himself to his heavenly Father on behalf of sinful man, and to his fierce executioners, to be nailed to the tree of shame. The blows are struck; the blood gushes forth.

Lord Jesus, lifted up from the earth, draw all people to yourself, to come and worship you enthroned in your glory.

Station XII Jesus dies on the cross

For three hours has Jesus hung upon his pierced hands, his blood running in streams down his body, and bedewed the ground; and in the midst of the bitter sufferings he has pardoned his murderers, promised the bliss of paradise to the good thief, and committed his blessed Mother and beloved disciple to each other's care. All is finished, and meekly bowing his head, he gives up his spirit.

Lord Jesus, dying for us, that we may live, may we die with you to all that enslaves and imprisons us in this world and keeps apart from God.

Station XIIIJesus is taken down from the cross

The multitudes have left the heights Calvary, and none remain save but the beloved disciple and the holy women, who, at the foot of the Cross, share the grief of Christ’s afflicted Mother. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take down the body of her divine Son from the Cross and lay it into her arms.

Lord Jesus, wash us and cleanse us with your blood, that we may be ever clean and pure, and worthy to be presented in your holy temple.

Station XIVJesus is laid in the holy sepulchre

The body of her dearly departed son is taken from his Mother, and laid by the disciples in the tomb. The tomb is closed, and there the lifeless body remains until the hour of his glorious resurrection.

Lord Jesus, victorious over death, may we, who are to be laid in our graves, be brought with you into life everlasting.