Definition

Noun: 1. A representation of any of the 14 stages in Christ's journey to Calvary: A "station of the cross" is a specific image, sculpture, or other depiction representing one of the fourteen traditional events from the Passion of Jesus Christ, from his condemnation to his entombment. These are used for devotional purposes, especially during Lent. 2. One of a series of such representations: The term also refers to one individual depiction within the complete series of fourteen, which are typically arranged in order along the walls of a church or along a path for prayerful meditation.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The faithful paused to pray at each station of the cross. (The religious people stopped to pray at each depiction in the series.)
  • The new church has beautiful marble stations of the cross. (The new church has beautiful marble sculptures depicting the fourteen stages.)
  • The first station of the cross shows Jesus being condemned to death. (The first depiction in the series shows the moment Jesus is sentenced to die.)

Advanced Usage

• "To make the stations of the cross": This is a devotional practice meaning to pray and meditate while moving sequentially from one station to the next.
  • Every Friday during Lent, the parishioners make the stations of the cross. (Every Friday during the Lenten season, the church members perform the devotional prayer journey.)

Variants and Related Words

• The Way of the Cross: This is a synonym for the series of stations and the devotional practice itself.
  • They followed the Way of the Cross up the hillside. (They performed the devotional prayer along the path with the fourteen stations.)
• Stations (informal, context-dependent): In a religious context, this can be a shortened form.
  • Let's pray the stations together. (Let's perform the devotional prayer of the stations together.)

Synonyms

• Way of the Cross: The path or the devotional practice associated with the stations.
• Via Dolorosa: The Latin term meaning "Sorrowful Way," often used to refer to the actual path in Jerusalem or the series of events depicted by the stations.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The term is specifically and exclusively religious, referring to this Christian devotional tradition. It does not have secular meanings.

Noun

1. a representation of any of the 14 stages in Christ's journey to Calvary