14 Facts about the 14 Stations of the Cross — cover photo credit:Zvonimir Atletic / Shutterstock.com
Growing up Catholic, I was encouraged to talk to God, to eat Jesus’ body and blood in the form of a tasteless cracker and watered-down communion wine, and to confess my sins to the ready and listening priest. The Stations of the Cross were displayed in sculpturette form at the front of the church, showing a devastatingly suffering Christ carrying his destiny and submitting to it as the loving son of God. Still, that was about as much exposure as I got to the stations—unless I’d gone to the restroom or fallen asleep (both happened) too many times during CCD, aka Wednesday church school for Catholic young’uns.
But what do the fourteen Stations of the Cross really mean? I was raised Catholic, and I couldn’t tell you without a good bit of research. But why not honor my upbringing? Learn a little about what I was supposed to know by the ripe age of eight? My nana is probably pretty upset that I never got confirmed as a real adult Catholic, but maybe I can make it up to her seven years later. Here goes.
In short, the Stations of the Cross are a series of images that show Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. They also refer to the prayers Christians say when observing these images. Oftentimes the religious travel along a path in the church lobby where the images are displayed on the walls, stopping to pray and meditate on each one. The Stations of the Cross are also, more beautifully, known as the Way or the Way of Sorrows.
There are two versions of the Stations of the Cross: the one that sticks to scripture tightly, and the one that’s more popularly depicted in art and even churches. I bet you can guess which one we’re going to examine.
You must be logged in to post a comment.