During Lent, many parishes offer a popular devotion called The Stations of the Cross. Also called the Way of the Cross or the Via Crucis, this devotion grew from the practice of pilgrims to the Holy Land who literally followed the last steps of Jesus on his journey to the cross. To this day, the faithful use these Stations to reflect on the Passion of Christ and to increase their resolve to take up their cross and follow him.
The traditional stations are:
1. Jesus Is Condemned to Death
2. Jesus Takes Up His Cross
3. Jesus Falls the First Time
4. Jesus Meets His Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus
6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
7. Jesus Falls a Second Time
8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus Falls the Third Time
10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Clothes
11. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
12. Jesus Dies on the Cross
13. Jesus Is Removed from the Cross
14. Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb
Pictures or sculptures of the Stations are usually found on the walls of parish churches. In a typical service, the leader moves from Station to Station, with prayers and songs at each Station. The Stations may also be prayed by individuals.
Communal celebrations of the Stations are most common during Lent, but may be held at any time of the year, especially Fridays.