Want to draw closer to Jesus?

You’ve probably heard of the Stations of the Cross; many parishes practice this devotion during Lenten Fridays. But this beautiful devotion isn’t just for Lent! With the Stations of the Cross, you can walk in the footsteps of our Lord during the key events of his suffering and death, growing deeper in your understanding of his sacrificial love for you.

Where did the Stations of the Cross come from?

Ancient tradition holds that, after Our Lord’s Ascension, the Virgin Mary herself made a practice of revisiting the sites of her Son’s Passion, and the early Christians followed suit. During the Middle Ages, chapels and shrines were erected throughout Europe to imitate these “stations,” providing a way for the faithful to walk in Christ’s footsteps even if they couldn’t go on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 

In the 17th century, Pope Innocent XI approved the Franciscans’ practice of setting up stations within individual churches. He also granted the same indulgence opportunities previously only available to those who made the physical pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In the 18th century, Pope Clement XII fixed the number of stations at 14, from which we derive the form of the devotion we practice today.

Why pray the Stations of the Cross all year long (not just during Lent)?

The Stations of the Cross is an opportunity to walk with our Lord on the road to Calvary—something we should remember not just during Lent but throughout the year. Meditating on Jesus’ suffering reminds us how much he loves us and deepens our appreciation for the gift of our redemption. Imagine yourself being with Our Lord during his time of greatest need, just as you would be there for a friend who is suffering, and let it be an opportunity to grow in intimacy with Christ.

This would make a wonderful devotion to practice on Fridays, when the Church traditionally remembers Our Lord’s suffering and death. But even if you don’t pray the stations every week, it’s a powerful devotional practice to pray as often as possible throughout the year.

What are the Stations of the Cross?

Catholic.org lists the fourteen stations in order with a brief description of each:

1st Station: Jesus is condemned to death
2nd Station: Jesus carries His cross
3rd Station: Jesus falls the first time
4th Station: Jesus meets His Mother
5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry His cross
6th Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7th Station: Jesus falls the second time
8th Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
9th Station: Jesus falls a third time
10th Station: Jesus’ clothes are taken away
11th Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross
12th Station: Jesus dies on the cross
13th Station: The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross
14th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

At each of the stations, the format of the prayers typically follow this pattern (each station takes about  2–3 minutes to pray):

1. A brief Scripture passage from one of the Gospels depicting the scene illustrated in the station (usually represented by a work of art, such as a painting).
2. A short prayer: “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”
3. A collective prayer, which varies based on the version of the stations you’re using. Sometimes a brief devotional reflection precedes the prayer.
4. An optional closing refrain, often sung, before moving on to the next station.

How to Pray the Stations of the Cross

1. Pray with physical stations

Many Catholic churches have physical Stations of the Cross, usually in the form of paintings or works of art lining the inside walls of the church. Other places you can often find physical stations include shrines, abbeys, or seminaries that are open to the public. Some may even have outdoor prayer gardens with stations.

Choose a location to visit and take a prayer book that has the Stations of the Cross listed (or pull up a digital version on your smartphone or tablet). Take your time as you go from station to station, praying along with the guide. Better yet, bring a friend with you and pray the stations together.

2. Pray with a book

Pray the stations as part of your personal prayer time, whether at home or at an adoration chapel. Use a book that lists the Stations of the Cross to guide your prayer. Some of these also have illustrations of each station to help guide you. Or, you can print out pieces of your favorite sacred works of art that correspond to each station and incorporate visio divina into your prayer! 

Allow 15–20 minutes to pray through all fourteen stations. But if you only have a few minutes to pray with one or two stations, don’t let that stop you! Just pick up where you left off at your next prayer time and pray through the stations gradually.

3. Pray with CatholicTV

If you want visual stations and an audible prayer guide anytime, anywhere, then pray the Stations of the Cross with CatholicTV! Host Bishop Robert Reed will lead you through each station on-site, featuring beautiful locations like the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Kentucky (with stunning mosaic stations) and the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Massachusetts (with life-size, outdoor bronze stations).

You can pray the Stations of the Cross on CatholicTV every Friday at noon ET, or stream anytime on your desktop or smart device.

Thank you for reading this far! By now, you’ve learned about the origins of the Stations of the Cross, as well as what each of the stations are and how the devotion is structured. Plus, you have several options to incorporate this devotion into your prayer life. We invite you to give it a try and journey with Our Lord during the events of his passion and death, and share with a friend how this new prayer practice has impacted your spiritual life!