There is no practice more profitable for the entire sanctification of the soul than the frequent meditation of the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri
Praying through the stations of the cross gives us the opportunity to take a mini pilgrimage through the last hours of Christ’s life on earth. We contemplate His suffering, His total sacrifice, and what all of that means in our relationship with Him. We are able to take a spiritual walk through teh sacred places which were sanctified by the sufferings and death of our Divine Savior.
History of the Chaplet
The chaplet was composed by St. Alphonsus Ligouri.
Pope Pius IX and X granted the Chaplet of the Way of the Cross to the Vincentian Order. Later The Holy Office withdrew it in 1912, since the indulgences can be gained by using the crucifix alone.
Indulgences
Originally, this pious practice was limited to Jerusalem
and its environs. Gradually it became universal as
several Popes granted plenary and partial indulgences
to the faithful who devoutly meditate on the Way of the
Cross.
- A plenary indulgence every time the devotion is
completed. - An additional plenary indulgence if one receives
Holy Communion on the day. - Also an additional plenary indulgence if one
performs the devotion ten times and receives
Holy Communion within a month after so doing. - A partial indulgence of ten years for every
Station made if one was not able to finish the
Stations.
The conditions for gaining them are:
- Walking from Station to Station when making
the Way of the Cross privately; when making it
publicly, it suffices for the priest with the altar
boys to do so. - Meditate at each Station on the sufferings of our
Lord.
These two conditions are essential. No oral prayers are
prescribed; yet they are profitable.
Praying the Chaplet
This chaplet is typically prayed every Friday during Lent. Your parish likely offers a time for gathering to pray together.
To the sick and to others who cannot go to a church to make the Way of the Cross, the Holy See has given the privilege of gaining the indulgences attached to the Way of the Cross by holding in their hand a specially indulgenced crucifix and saying the prescribed prayers, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be 20 times.
There are several versions of the stations of the cross. This list follows along with the medals in the stations chaplet and is considered the traditional set of stations. No set is right or wrong, the focus is entering into prayer while remembering Christ’s Passion.
Let Us Pray.
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
The Apostle’s Creed – at the crucifix
I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Act of Contrition – at the first bead
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all of my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with the help of your grace, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.
Our Father – at the second bead
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary – at the third bead
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory Be – at the fourth bead
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified – at the fifth bead
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 repentence 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 of you: “They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have counted all my bones!”
The First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith to them: Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in him. (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: Behold the Man. When the chief priests, therefore, and the servants, had seen him, they cried out, saying: Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith to them: Take him you, and crucify him: for I find no cause in him. The Jews answered him: We have a law; and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again, and he said to Jesus: Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith to him: Speakest thou not to me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and I have power to release thee? Jesus answered: Thou shouldst not have any power against me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that hath delivered me to thee, hath the greater sin. And from henceforth Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, saying: If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar. Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was the parasceve of the pasch, about the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews: Behold your king. But they cried out: Away with him; away with him; crucify him. Pilate saith to them: Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar. Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him forth.
John 19:4-16 DRA
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had passed.
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Second STATION: JESUS Bears His Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
When the chief priests, therefore, and the servants, had seen him, they cried out, saying: Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith to them: Take him you, and crucify him: for I find no cause in him. But they cried out: Away with him; away with him; crucify him. Pilate saith to them: Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar. Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him forth. And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.
John 19:6, 15-17 DRA
O, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother, highly blest,
Of the sole begotten One!
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Third STATION: Jesus Falls for the First Time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Christ above in torment hands:
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.
Then, while meditating upon this station, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Fourth STATION: JESUS MEets His Mother
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Is there one who would not weep,
Whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
Then, while meditating upon this station, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Fifth STATION: Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
And as they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus.
Luke 23:26 DRA
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Sixth STATION: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.
Then, while meditating upon this station, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Seventh STATION: JESUS Falls for the Second Time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent.
Then, while meditating upon this station, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Eighth STATION: JESUS Meets the Women of Jerusalem
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?
Luke 23:27-31
O thou Mother: font of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord.
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Ninth STATION: JESUS Falls for the Third Time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Make me feel as thou has felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt,
With the love of Christ my Lord.
Then, while meditating upon this station, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Tenth STATION: JESUS IS Stripped of His Garments
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things.
John 19:23-24 DRA
Holy Mother, pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Eleventh STATION: JESUS IS Nailed to the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there; and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.
Luke 23:33-34 DRA
Let me share with Thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torment died.
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Twelfth STATION: JESUS Dies on the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.
John 19:30 DRA
Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Thirteenth STATION: JESUS IS Taken Down from the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
By the cross with thee to stay;
There with thee to weep and pray
Is all I ask of thee to give.
Then, while meditating upon this station, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Fourteenth STATION: JESUS IS Laid in the Tomb
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
And taking him down, he wrapped him in fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid. And it was the day of the Parasceve, and the sabbath drew on.
Luke 23:53-54 DRA
Virgin of all virgins best,
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine.
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
THE Fifteenth STATION: The Resurrection
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
And in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye his disciples that he is risen: and behold he will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.
Matthew 28:1-7 DRA
Then, meditating upon these things, pray:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.
or
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.
After all of the stations, it is traditional to recite a series of 5 Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Be’s in honor of the 5 wounds of Christ.
CLosing
Lord Jesus Christ, Your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites earth and heaven and reconciles all people to You. May we who have faithfully reflected on these mysteries follow in Your steps and so come to share Your glory in heaven where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus! For Thee I live.
Jesus! For Thee I die.
Jesus! I am Thine in life and death.
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
