STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The Stations of the Cross is a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's sufferings (passion) on his last day on Earth as a man. The 14 stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation and culminating with his burial in the sepulcher (which is the 14th Station or step.
Each of The 14 Stations (of the Cross) which is paryed and meditated on in steps or ‘stations’, is usually marked with an image or icon that represents the particular event in Christ’s passion being meditated on. Read More
The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday. But the devotion can be prayed at any time, in private
. The individual or group praying The Stations, usually move from station to station. At each station, the individual or group recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ's last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete.
OPENING PRAYERS
SIGN OF THE CROSS.
(Make the Sign of the Cross and say:)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
(Now one forms the intention of gaining indulgences, either for one's self or for others)
ACT OF CONTRITION
My Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast made this journey to die for me with love unutterable, and I have so many times unworthily abandoned Thee; but now I love Thee with my whole heart, and because I love Thee I repent sincerely for having ever offended Thee. Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany Thee on this journey. Thou goest to die for love of me; I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of Thee. My Jesus, I will live and die always united to Thee.
(Optional)O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend thee my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
My Lord Jesus Christ, with a contrite heart and a penitential spirit, I propose now to make the stations of the cross in commemoration of thy most bitter passion, and of thy most sorrowful death on Calvary. I adore thee and bless thee, O God of infinite mercy. With all my heart, I thank thee Divine Saviour for the unutterable love which caused thee to endure for me the cruel death of the Cross. Amen.
FIRST STATION
Jesus is condemned to death
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
Consider, that Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross. My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate, no, it was my sins, that condemned Thee to die. I beseech Thee, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul in its journey toward eternity.
I love Thee, my beloved Jesus; I love Thee more than myself; I repent with my whole heart of having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, it was not so much Pilate as my many sins that condemned thee to die on the Cross. Save me by thy death, from the eternal death which my own sins have so often deserved. I am sorry for them. I will never sin again.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
SECOND STATION
Jesus takes up His Cross
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
Consider, that Jesus, in making this journey with the cross on His shoulders, thought of us, and offered for us, to His Father, the death that He was about to undergo. My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations that Thou hast destined for me until death. I beseech Thee, by the merits of the pain Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross, to give me the necessary help to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation. I love Thee, Jesus, my love, I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, it was by Thine own will and for the Love of me that Thou didst take up the most heavy Cross, which I made for thee by my sins.
Grant that I may heartily detest and bewail them for as long as I may live.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
THIRD STATION
Jesus falls the first time beneath His Cross
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider, this first fall of Jesus under His cross. His flesh was torn by the scourges, His head crowned with thorns, and He had lost a great quantity of blood. He was so weakened that He could scarcely walk, and yet He had to carry this great load upon His shoulders. The soldiers struck Him rudely, and thus He fell several times in His journey.
My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross, but of my sins, which has made Thee suffer so much pain. Ah, by the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin. I love Thee, O my Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, it was the weigh of my numerous sins which caused Thee to fall beneath the Cross. Forgive me, O Lord, I am sorry for my sins and I am firmly resolved never more to sin.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
FOURTH STATION
Jesus meets His Mother
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider, the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey. Jesus and Mary looked at each other, and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly.
My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow Thou didst experience in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Thy most holy Mother. And thou, my Queen, who wast overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by thy intercession a continual and tender remembrance of the Passion of thy Son. I love Thee, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, how painful it was for Thee to meet Thy most afflicted Mother. O Mary, how great was thy grief in meeting thy beloved Son, Jesus, laden with the Cross, going to die on it for my sins. Obtain for me, a great sorrow for my sins and the grace to sin no more.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
FIFTH STATION
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry His Cross
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider that the Jews seeing that at each step Jesus, from weakness, was on the point of expiring, and fearing that He would die on the way when they wished Him to die the ignominious death of the cross, constrained Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross behind Our Lord.
My most sweet Jesus, I will not refuse the cross as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it. I accept in particular the death that Thou hast destined for me with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Thy death, I offer it to Thee. Thou has died for love of me, I will die for love of Thee, and to please Thee. Help me by Thy grace. I love Thee, Jesus, my love; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus thrice blest was he who aided Thee to bear the Cross. I accept as a penance for my sins, all the crosses and trials of my whole life. Grant that I may bear them patiently for the love of Thee.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
SIXTH STATION
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider that the holy woman named Veronica, seeing Jesus so afflicted, and His face bathed in sweat and blood, presented Him with a towel with which He wiped His adorable face, leaving on it the impression of His holy countenance.
My most beloved Jesus, Thy face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Alas! my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Thy grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins. Thou alone, my Redeemer, canst restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Thy Passion, O Jesus. I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my loving Jesus, Thou didst deign to print thy Sacred Face on Veronica's cloth.; deign to wipe away from my soul all it's sins, and imprint in it the lasting memory of thy bitter sufferings.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
SEVENTH STATION
Jesus falls a second time
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider the second fall of Jesus under the cross—a fall which renews the pain of all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.
My most gentle Jesus, how many times Thou hast pardoned me, and how many times have I fallen again, and begun again to offend Thee! Oh, by the merits of this new fall, give me the necessary helps to persevere in Thy grace until death. Grant that in all temptations which assail me I may always commend myself to Thee. I love Thee, Jesus, my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, it was my falling back into sin that caused thee to fall again beneath thy Cross. Grant me grace and strength never more to fall into sin
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
EIGHT STATION
Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider that those women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus in so pitiable a state, streaming with blood, as He walked along. But Jesus said to them, "Weep not for Me but for your children."
My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the offenses that I have committed against Thee, because of the pains which they have deserved, and still more because of the displeasure which they have caused Thee, Who hast loved me so much. It is Thy love, more than the fear of hell, which causes me to weep for my sins. My Jesus, I love Thee more than myself; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, Thou didst teach the women of Jerusalem, to weep rather over themselves; grant that while I meditate on Thy sufferings, I may weep over my sins which were the cause of them all.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
NINTH STATION
Jesus falls the third time
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider the third fall of Jesus Christ. His weakness was extreme, and the cruelty of His executioners excessive, who tried to hasten His steps when He had scarcely strength to move. Ah, my outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness Thou didst suffer in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Thy friendship. I love Thee, Jesus, my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, my repeated falls into sin, after so many promises to sin no more, were the cause of all Thy falls beneath the Cross. I am now firmly resolved with the help of Thine all-powerful grace, to avoid sin and all it's occasions.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
TENTH STATION
Jesus is stripped of His garments and given gall to drink
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Compassionate your Saviour thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:
My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torment which Thou hast felt, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in Thee, Who art so worthy of my love. I love Thee, O Jesus, with my whole heart: I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, grant that I may strip myself of all attachment to sinful pleasures and never offend thee by the vices of impurity and intemperance.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
ELEVENTH STATION
Jesus is hailed to the Cross
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider that Jesus, after being thrown on the cross, extended His hands, and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. These barbarians fastened Him with nails; and then, raising the cross, left Him to die with anguish on this infamous gibbet.
My Jesus, loaded with contempt, nail my heart to Thy feet, that it may ever remain there to love Thee, and never quit Thee again. I love Thee more than myself; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
My Beloved Jesus, it was my sins which nailed Thee to the Cross. I am heartily sorry for them and firmly resolved never more to sin.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
TWELFTH STATION
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider how thy Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head, and dies.
O my dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the cross on which Thou didst die for love of me. I have merited by my sins to die a miserable death, but Thy death is my hope. Ah, by the merits of Thy death, give me grace to die, embracing Thy feet and burning with love of Thee. I commit my soul into Thy hands. I love Thee with my whole heart; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, grant me the forgiveness of my sins and give me to Mary as Her child. I will ever love thee, and for the love of thee, I forgive all who may had injured me. I will be a devoted child of Mary, and will always invoke Her during life and at the hour of my death.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
THIRTEENTH STATION
Jesus is taken down from the Cross and laid in Mary's arms
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider that, our Lord having expired, two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took Him down from the cross, and placed Him in the arms of His afflicted Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness, and pressed Him to her bosom.
O Mother of Sorrow, for the love of this Son, accept me for thy servant and pray to Him for me. And Thou, my Redeemer, since Thou hast died for me, permit me to love Thee; for I wish but Thee, my Jesus, and I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt
O Mary my most sorrowful Mother, the sword of grief went through Thy soul when Thou didst hold Jesus lifeless in Thine arms. It was my sins that caused His death and so wounded Thy loving heart. Obtain for me forgiveness and be always a Mother to me
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
FOURTEENTH STATION
Jesus is laid in the tomb
L. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consider that the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulchre with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all withdrew.
Oh, my buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses Thee. But Thou didst rise again the third day. I beseech Thee, by Thy resurrection, make me rise glorious with Thee at the last day, to be always united with Thee in heaven, to praise Thee and love Thee forever. I love Thee, and I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
O my Jesus, bury my sins with Thee in the tomb and grant that I may rise to a new life, and avoid sin, and serve Thee faithfully all the days of my life.
Our Father..
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
As you move from one station to another recite this;
Stabat Mater Stanza:
Stabat Mater dolorosa (At the cross her station keeping)
Juxta crucem lacrymosa. (Stood the mournful Mother weeping)
Dum pendebat Filius (Close to Jesus to the last)
Response:
Sancta Mater, istud agas ( Holy Mother! pierce me through)
Crucifixi fige plagas ( In my heart each wound renew)
Cordi meo valide ( Of my Saviour crucified)
By the Cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Such I ask thee to procure,
Christ when thou shall call me hence.
Be thy Mother my defence,
With the palm of victory,
When to dust my dust retuneth,
Grant a soul that to thee yearneth,
In thy paradise a place.
Amen.
PRAYERS FOR THE INTENTIONS OF THE HOLY FATHER
O, my Lord Jesus, I offer the following prayers for The intentions of our Holy Father, the Pope:
Our Father..Hail Mary...
Glory be...
CLOSING PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED
Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself on my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beg Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm desire of amendment, while with deep affection and grief of soul I contemplate Thy five most precious Wounds, having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy: "They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones." God has loved us from all eternity. So He says: "Remember I first loved you. You had not come to be, nor did the world yet exist, but I loved you already. From all eternity I have loved you."
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