Stations of the Cross

BACKGROUND
THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS are a fourteen-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man. The fourteen devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual 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 fourteen are complete. The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in churches as a series of fourteen small icons or images. They can also appear in church yards arranged along paths. The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which the events actually occurred.

INDULGENCES
A Plenary indulgence is grated to the faithful who make the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross. Those who are impeded can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 63)

OPENING PRAYERS

+ Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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[Kneeling before the altar, make an Act of Contrition, and form the intention of gaining the indulgences, whether for yourself or for the souls in purgatory.]

Act of Contrition:
O MY GOD, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, 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 sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.

Following the act of contrition pray:
MY LORD, JESUS CHRIST, You have made this journey to die for me with unspeakable love; and I have so many times ungratefully abandoned You. | But now I love You with all my heart; and, because I love You, I am sincerely sorry for ever having offended You. Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany You on this journey. You go to die for love of me; I want, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of You. My Jesus, I will live and die always united to You.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE FIRST STATION

PILATE CONDEMNS JESUS TO DIE

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW JESUS CHRIST, after being scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross.

All Pray:
MY MOST BELOVED JESUS, I embrace all the sufferings You have destined for me until death. I beg You, by all You suffered in carrying Your cross, to help me carry mine with Your perfect peace and resignation. I love You, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never let me separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE SECOND STATION

JESUS ACCEPTS HIS CROSS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER JESUS as He walked this road with the cross on His shoulders, thinking of us, and offering to His Father in our behalf, the death He was about to suffer.

All Pray:
MY MOST BELOVED JESUS, I embrace all the sufferings You have destined for me until death. I beg You, by all You suffered in carrying Your cross, to help me carry mine with Your perfect peace and resignation. I love You, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never let me separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE THIRD STATION

JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER THE FIRST FALL OF JESUS. Loss of blood from the scourging and crowing with thorns had so weakened Him that He could hardly walk; and yet He had to carry that great load upon His shoulders. As the soldiers struck Him cruelly, He fell several times under the heavy cross.

All Pray:
MY BELOVED JESUS, it was not the weight of the cross but the weight of my sins which made You suffer so much. By the merits of this first fall, save me from falling into mortal sin. I love You, O my Jesus, with all my heart; I am sorry that I have offended You. May I never offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE FOURTH STATION

JESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW THE SON met his Mother on His way to Calvary. Jesus and Mary gazed at each other and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly.

All Pray:
MY MOST LOVING JESUS, by the pain You suffered in this meeting grant me the grace of being truly devoted to Your most holy Mother. And You, my Queen, who was overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by Your prayers a tender and a lasting remembrance of the passion of Your divine Son. I love You, Jesus, my Love, above all things. I repent of ever having offended You. Never allow me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE FIFTH STATION

SIMON HELPS JESUS CARRY THE CROSS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW WEAK and weary Jesus was. At each step He was at the point of expiring. Fearing that He would die on the way when they wished Him to die the infamous death of the cross, they forced Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross after Our Lord.

All Pray:
MY BELOVED JESUS I will not refuse the cross as Simon did: I accept it and embrace it. I accept in particular the death that is destined for me with all the pains that may accompany it. I unite it to Your death and I offer it to You. You have died for love of me; I will die for love of You and to please You. Help me by Your grace. I love You, Jesus, my Love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE SIXTH STATION

VERONICA OFFERS HER VEIL TO JESUS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER THE COMPASSION of the holy woman, Veronica. Seeing Jesus in such distress, His face bathed in sweat and blood, she presented Him with her veil. Jesus wiped His face, and left upon the cloth the image of his sacred countenance.

All Pray:
MY BELOVED JESUS, Your face was beautiful before You began this journey; but, now, it no longer appears beautiful and is disfigured with wounds and blood. Alas, my soul also was once beautiful when it received Your grace in Baptism; but I have since disfigured it with my sins. You alone, my Redeemer, can restore it to its former beauty. Do this by the merits of Your passion; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE SEVENTH STATION

JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW the second fall of Jesus under His cross renews the pain in all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.

All Pray:
MY MOST GENTLE JESUS, how many times You have forgiven me; and how many times I have fallen again and begun again to offend You! By the merits of this second fall, give me the grace to persevere in Your love until death. Grant, that in all my temptations, I may always have recourse to You. I love You, Jesus, my Love with all my heart; I am sorry that I have offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE EIGHTH STATION

JESUS SPEAKS TO THE WOMEN

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW the women wept with compassion seeing Jesus so distressed and dripping with blood as he walked along. Jesus said to them, “Weep not so much for me, but rather for Your children.”

All Pray:
MY JESUS, laden with sorrows, I weep for the sins which I have committed against You because of the punishment I deserve for them; and, still more, because of the displeasure they have caused You who have loved me with an infinite love. It is Your love, more than the fear of hell, which makes me weep for my sins. My Jesus, I love You more than myself; I am sorry that I have offended You. Never allow me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE NINTH STATION

JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW JESUS CHRIST fell for the third time. He was extremely weak and the cruelty of His executioners was excessive; they tried to hasten His steps though He hardly had strength to move.

All Pray:
MY OUTRAGED JESUS, by the weakness You suffered in going to Calvary, give me enough strength to overcome all human respect and all my evil passions which have led me to despise Your friendship. I love You, Jesus my Love, with all my heart; I am sorry for ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE TENTH STATION

JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW JESUS was violently stripped of His clothes by His executioners. The inner garments adhered to his lacerated flesh and the soldiers tore them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Have pity for your Savior so cruelly treated and tell Him:

All Pray:
MY INNOCENT JESUS, by the torment You suffered in being stripped of Your garments, help me to strip myself of all attachment for the things of earth that I may place all my love in You who are so worthy of my love. I love You, O Jesus, with all my heart; I am sorry for ever having offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE ELEVENTH STATION

JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER JESUS, thrown down upon the cross, He stretched out His arms and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the cross, left Him to die in anguish.

All Pray:
MY DESPISED JESUS, nail my heart to the cross that it may always remain there to love You and never leave You again. I love You more than myself; I am sorry for ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE TWELFTH STATION

JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW YOUR JESUS, after three hours of agony on the cross, is finally overwhelmed with suffering and, abandoning
Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head and dies.

All Pray:
MY DYING JESUS, I devoutly kiss the cross on which You would die for love of me. I deserve, because of my sins, to die a terrible death; but Your death is my hope. By the merits of Your death, give me the grace to die embracing Your feet and burning with love of You. I yield my soul into Your hands. I love You with my whole heart. I am sorry that I have offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

All kneel for a moment and pray:

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

THE THIRTEENTH STATION

JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW, after Our Lord had died, He was taken down from the cross by two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, and placed in the arms of His afflicted Mother. She received Him with unutterable tenderness and pressed Him close to her bosom.

All Pray:
O MOTHER OF SORROWS, for the love of Your Son, accept me as Your servant and pray to Him for me, And You, my Redeemer, since you have died for me, allow me to love You, for I desire only You and nothing more. I love You, Jesus my Love, and I am sorry that I have offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

THE FOURTEENTH STATION

JESUS IS PLACED IN THE SEPULCHER

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V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Priest:
CONSIDER HOW the disciples carried the body of Jesus to its burial, while His holy Mother went with them and arranged it in the sepulcher with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all departed.

All Pray:
OH, MY BURIED JESUS, I kiss the stone that closes You in. But You gloriously did rise again on the third day. I beg You by Your resurrection that I may be raised gloriously on the last day, to be united with You in heaven, to praise You and love You forever. I love You, Jesus, and I repent of ever having offended You. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

CLOSING PRAYERS

After the stations pray the
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be…
five times, in honour of the Passion of Jesus Christ, and once for the intention of the Holy Father.

PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED:
MY GOOD AND DEAR JESUS, I kneel before You, asking You most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon Your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the Prophet David spoke long ago concerning Yourself: “They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones.”

Sign of the Cross (+):
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After the stations pray:
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be…
five times, in honour of the Passion of Jesus Christ, and once for the intention of the Holy Father.

PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED:
MY GOOD AND DEAR JESUS, I kneel before You, asking You most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon Your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the Prophet David spoke long ago concerning Yourself: “They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones.”

+ Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The faithful who, after receiving Communion, recite this prayer before a picture of Christ Crucified may gain a plenary indulgence on any Friday in Lent and a partial indulgence on other days of the year, with the addition of prayers for the Holy Father's intention.
Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 22

ADDITIONAL PRAYERS TO OBTAIN PLENARY INDULGENCE:
"For the intentions of the Holy Father.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen."

Excerpt from "onepeter5.com" website regarding "prayers for the Holy Father's intention":
When you pray generically for the intentions of the Holy Father, we know that four specific, objective intentions are prayed for every time. From the Raccolta, a collection of indulgences that used to be published by the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences:

23. The Pope’s intention always includes the following objects:
i. The progress of the Faith and triumph of the Church.
ii. Peace and union among Christian Princes and Rulers.
iii. The conversion of sinners.
iv. The uprooting of heresy.
Whenever you pray for the pope’s intentions, you are praying for these extremely Catholic intentions. You are even praying for these intentions if you are praying in the sede vacante period between different papal reigns.