Catholics have a devotion to the stations of the cross to remember the Passion of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a series of prayers that walk along with Jesus as he is condemned to death all the way to his burial in the tomb and on through to his glorious Resurrection. By praying this devotion, Catholics more deeply tie themselves to Christ's sufferings, his death, and his promise of life after death. To do so devoutly on a Friday in Lent grants one a Plenary Indulgence.
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Catholic AnswerThe Stations of the Cross is a method of prayer involving meditations on the various events in the last several hours of Our Blessed Lord's life on earth.from
Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980
A devotion performed by meditating on the Passion of Christ, successively before fourteen stations of the Cross, normally wooden crosses, attached to the interior walls of a church, although they may be erected anywhere, and may have pictures of representations depicted various scenes from Christ's Via Crucis as aids to devotion on the traditional stations:
1. Jesus Is Condemned to Death
2. Jesus Bears His Cross
3. Jesus Falls the First Time
4. Jesus Meets His Mother
5. Jesus is Helped by Simon
6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
7. Jesus Falls a Second Time
8. Jesus Consoles the Women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus Falls a Third Time
10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
11. Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
12. Jesus Dies on the Cross
13. Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
14. Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb.
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross are actually a private devotion, although sometimes done together in a group in the Church. As a private devotion there is no set ritual to them.
The Stations of the Cross is a 14 step devotion which involves meditations on different events of the end of Our Blessed Lord's Life: Stations of the Cross.
The stations of the cross
Yes, the Stations of the Cross are sacramentals. As Wikipedia says:"Sacramentals are material objects, things or actions (sacramentalia) set apart or blessed by the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Churches, and Old Catholic Churches to manifest the respect due to the Sacraments, and so to excite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through these movements of the heart to remit venial sin, according to the Council of Trent."
Usually they are along the side walls.
The Stations of The Cross are archetypal. At any given moment, each of us is a character in the Stations. The Victim; The Soldiers; The Lawyers (rabbis); the Victim's Mother; Random Helpers; and Many Onlookers. If possible, "making the stations" could be done every day. In fact,The Holy Rosary includes primary stations Catholic Laity usually make the stations during Lent. But the Stations are absolutely relevant to everyday life.
No, the Stations of the Cross were popularized in the 16th century by the Franciscans but were not initiated by Saint Francis himself. The practice evolved from pilgrimages to Jerusalem, where Christians would retrace Jesus's steps on the Via Dolorosa.
14 stations of the cross (in the Roman Catholic faith there were 14 places where Jesus' cross stopped on the way to his execution at Calvary)
it is called that cause it is where a person stands of falls like Jesus stood somewhere and he also fell for us
The Stations of the Cross are a wonderful form of meditation (beginning prayer) on Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ's passion and death. No Christian can be saved unless they pray, and this is one of the best forms of prayer.
It is used to carry out church business such as mass, stations of the cross and all other services normally associated with and carried out in a church, however a church is normally called chapel.