Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross is a Christian tradition depicting the final hours of Christ’s life. People walk along a path of fourteen stations showing Christ’s path to crucifixion, from when he was condemned to death to when he was laid in the tomb.
The route traditionally believed to have been taken by Jesus to his death at Calvary in Jerusalem is called the Via Dolorosa, or Sorrowful Way. A tradition that developed very early in the Holy Land was to follow the Via Dolorosa, stopping and contemplating the events leading to Christ’s Passion and crucifixion. The Stations of the Cross was originally brought by Crusaders to medieval Europe, intended for those who could not make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Stations of the Cross is a common devotion today in several Western sectors of the Church, including the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Lutheran denominations.
Each Station represents a story about the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. Of the fourteen stations, eight are based on events recorded in the Gospels. The others are based on inferences from the Gospel accounts or from other sources.
St. Stephen’s own Stations of the Cross is located on the trail behind the church, and was designed by a seminarian from Duke University in 2002. Following the Stations of the Cross is traditionally performed on Fridays in Lent, but it is part of the Meditation Trail year-round. When the Stations of the Cross is walked, people stop, read the scripture, and pray at each station before moving on.
Audio Entry: Stations of the Cross