Definition

Noun: 1. A series of fourteen images or carvings: These depict the final events (the Passion) of Jesus Christ's life, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his placement in the tomb. 2. A devotional practice: In the Roman Catholic Church and some other Christian traditions, this is a prayerful meditation performed while moving in sequence before each of the fourteen images, reflecting on the events they represent.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The old cathedral has beautiful wooden stations of the cross along its side aisles.
  • During Lent, the congregation walks the Stations of the Cross every Friday evening.
  • Her devotion was evident as she prayed before each station of the cross.

Advanced Usage

• "To make the stations of the cross": This phrase describes the act of performing the devotional practice.
  • The pilgrims made the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.

Variants and Related Words

• The Way of the Cross: A direct synonym for the Stations of the Cross, emphasizing the path Jesus walked.
• Via Dolorosa: The name of the actual street in Jerusalem believed to be the path Jesus walked; the devotional practice is based on this route.
• Station (in this context): Refers to each individual stopping point/image within the series.

Synonyms

• The Way of the Cross
• The Via Crucis (Latin term)

Notes on Meaning

This term is specifically religious. It refers both to the physical objects (the images) and to the spiritual exercise performed with them. The number of stations is traditionally fourteen, though some modern versions include a fifteenth station for the Resurrection.

Noun

1. (Roman Catholic Church) a devotion consisting of fourteen prayers said before a series of fourteen pictures or carvings representing successive incidents during Jesus' passage from Pilate's house to his crucifixion at Calvary