STATIONS OF THE CROSS
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ABOUT THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
For Roman Catholics throughout the world, the Stations of the Cross are synonymous with Lent, Holy Week and, especially, Good Friday. This devotion is also known as the "Way of the Cross", the "Via Crucis", and the "Via Dolorosa." It commemorates 14 key events on day of Christ's crucifixion. The majority concern His final walk through the streets of Jerusalem, carrying the Cross.
The Stations originated in medieval Europe when wars prevented Christian pilgrims from visiting the Holy Land. European artists created works depicting scenes of Christ's journey to Calvary. The faithful installed these sculptures or paintings at intervals along a procession route, inside the parish church or outdoors. Performing the devotion meant walking the entire route, stopping to pray at each "station."
Today, images of the Stations (or simple crosses representing them) are on display in almost all Catholic churches. They serve mainly as a focus for Lenten worship services. But the Stations can also be performed privately, at any time of the year, even at home. Many organizations offer free or inexpensive, illustrated pamphlets for this purpose.

For more on the history and practice of the Stations, see the Bibliography below, especially the detailed article in The Catholic Encyclopedia.

To pray the Stations online, with step-by-step instructions and the complete text of the prayers, see Stations of the Cross-Online Prayer.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Publications in English
Alberione, James
1975 "The Stations of the Cross." In The Vatican II Weekday Missal for Spiritual Growth. Daughters of St. Paul, eds. pp. 2347-2353. Boston: St. Paul Editions.
Alston, G. Cyprian
1999 "Way of the Cross." In The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV. Original 1912, Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition, 1999. Marie Jutras, transcriber. Arvada, Colorado: New Advent/Kevin Knight. Available from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15569a.htm
Barton-Cotton, Inc.
1965 The Way of the Cross, compiled and composed from Biblical texts. Baltimore, Maryland: Barton-Cotton, Inc.
Barton-Cotton, Inc.
1977 The Way of the Cross, as composed by St. Alphonsus Ligouri. Baltimore, Maryland: Barton-Cotton, Inc.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
2001 Way of the Cross (pamphlet). Washington, D.C.
Catholic Book Publishing Company
1974 The Fourteen Stations of the Way of the Cross, with the Meditations by Saint Alphonsus Ligouri. New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co.
Catholic Book Publishing Company
1996 "The Stations of the Cross." In New Saint Joseph Sunday Missal. pp. 1549-1553. New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company.
Evans, Francis, ed.
1993 "Scriptural Way of the Cross." In New St. Joseph People's Prayer Book. pp. 952-959. New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company.
Maryknoll Fathers
1957 "The Way of the Cross." In Daily Missal of the Mystical Body. pp. 1648-1654. New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons.
Order of St. Benedict
1978 The Way of the Cross. Revised 2nd edition. Collegeville, Minneseota: The Liturgical Press.

Publications in Spanish
Amatulli Valente, Flaviano
1984 Vía Crucis Bíblico. México, D.F.: Apóstoles de la Palabra.
Basila Manzur, Elías, y Rafael Moya García
1998 "Vía Crucis." In Misal 1999 para todos los domingos y fiestas del año. pp. 441-444. México, D.F.: Obra Nacional de la Nueva Prensa.
De-Zarco, Mariano
1992 "Viacrucis por la santificación de los sacerdotes." In Preces de alabanza y liberación. pp. 29-32. México, D.F.: Congregación de Misioneros Franciscanos.
Donadoni, Antonio, S.J.
n.d. "Ejercicio del Santo Vía Crucis." In El devoto del purgatorio, o sea Misa y oraciones en favor de las Benditas Ánimas. pp. 162-182. Mexico City: Librería Gerardo Mayela, distributor.
Flores Merino, Francisco, César García Sarabia, y Afredo Arreola Aguayo
1995 "Vía Crucis Breve." In Yo creo...Yo rezo. pp. 43-45. Guadalajara: Ediciones Populares.
Jacobo M., Heriberto
1999 "Vía crucis." In El libro de mis oraciones. pp. 101-114. Mexico City: Ediciones Paulinas, S.A. 
Mach, José, S.J.
c1970 "Vía Crucis: Modo de hacerlo bien en iglesia u oratorio público." In Ancora de Salvación. Nueva edición, original 1912. pp. 408-436. México, D.F.: Librería Guadalupana.
Villalain, Julian G.
c2000 "Ejercicio del Santo Vía Crucis." In Lavalle nacional para el uso del católico mexicanos. pp. 160-273. New edition. Original 1906. México, D.F.:[no publisher indicated].
CREDITS

Illustration: "Shadow of the Cross", © 2002 by E.M. Mulhare.

Texts of prayers and hymns in this work are traditional devotions of the Roman Catholic Church and pertain to the public domain.

All other content, including graphics and artwork, Copyright ©2002 by E. M. Mulhare, Hamilton, NY 13346 USA. All Rights Reserved. Published electronically as part of Lenten Companion: Illustrated Online Stations of the Cross. Original created 31-Jan-2002. This page last modified 14-Jul-2002.


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