Cover Image: “The Sacrifice of the Cross” by Gebhard Fugel, 1863-1939

Unknown Dimensions, Christian Art Monthly Magazine

Original prayers and reflections updated from “The Office for Holy Week and of the Paschal Triduum According to the American Rite,” published by Saint Andrew’s House, 1921. Icons from “Blessed Be God : A Complete Catholic Prayer Book” by Fr. Charles J. Callan and Fr. John A. McHugh, 1925, and full translation of the Stabat Mater from “With God : A Book of Prayer and Reflections” by Reverend F. X. Lasance, 1911.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Artwork for each Station by Gebhard Fugel from Catholic Publication Press’ “The Way of the Cross.”

Copyright © 2025 Diocesan

THE WAY OF THE CROSS
This holy devotion commemorates the various incidents that occurred during our Lord’s painful journey with His cross from the tribunal of Pilate to the hill of Calvary.

It is tradition that the Blessed Virgin daily made a visit to the scenes of Christ’s Passion, and from the earliest times Christians flocked to Jerusalem to visit those holy places. For those who were unable to make such a pilgrimage, but who wished in spirit to accompany it, the custom arose throughout Europe of setting up representations of the different incidents of the Passion, which, since 1731, have been definitely restricted to our present fourteen stations.

A Plenary Indulgence is granted 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

Before visiting the Stations, kneel before the high altar and 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
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, from whom all blessings flow. May I love You above all things, and delight in doing Your holy will. Amen.

To be repeated at each station.

“V.” marks verses typically read by a priest,
“R.” marks responses of the participants.

“Can wicked rulers be allied with you? […]
They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death.”
Psalm 94:20-21

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Jesus, after leaving the house of Caiaphas, where He had been blasphemed, and the palace of Herod, where He had been mocked, is dragged before Pilate. His back is torn with scourges, His Head is crowned with thorns, and He Who on the last day will judge the living and the dead, is condemned to a shameful death. (Kneel)
R. Jesus, Who with wonderful submission was condemned to die for our sake; grant that we may bear in mind that our sins were the cause of Your unjust sentence, which You accepted with gladness on our behalf. May this thought nestle deep in our hearts and make us hate those sins which caused Your death. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)
Stabat Mater dolorosa,
Juxta crucem lacrymosa,
Dum pendebat Filius.

At the Cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

“Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and
like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”
Isaiah 53:7

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. A heavy Cross is laid upon the bruised shoulders of Jesus. He receives it with meekness, even a secret joy, for it is the instrument with which He will redeem the world. (Kneel)
R. Jesus, grant us by virtue of Your Cross and bitter Passion, to cheerfully submit and willingly embrace all the trials and difficulties of our earthly pilgrimage, and may we be always ready to take up our cross daily and follow You. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)
Cujus animam gementem,
Contristatam et dolentem,
Pertransivit gladius.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.

“My transgressions […] were set upon my neck; he caused my strength fail; the Lord gave me into the hands of those of whom I cannot withstand.”
Lamentations 1:14

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Jesus, bowed down under the weight of the Cross, slowly sets off for Calvary, amidst the mockings and insults of the crowd. His agony in the garden has exhausted His Body: He is sore with blows and wounds, and His strength fails Him. He falls to the ground under the weight of the Cross. (Kneel)
R. Jesus, Who for our sins bore the heavy burden of the Cross, and fell under its weight, may the thought of Your suffering make us watchful against temptation; may the mercy of Your outstretched hand help us if we should fall into any grave sin. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)
O quam tristis et afflicta
Fuit illa benedicta
Mater Unigeniti!

Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole-begotten One!

“Would I had died instead of you, […] my son, my son!”
2 Samuel 18:33

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Oppressed by the weight of the Cross, Jesus meets Mary, His sorrowful Mother. She is stricken with grief, and her tender heart is filled with anguish and pain. (Kneel)
R. Jesus, help me to realize my contributions to Your great and numerous pains. Allow me to humbly repent, that I may turn from my sins, and provide me with grace to live in Your goodness and truth. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)

Quae moerebat, et dolebat,
Pia Mater dum videbat.
Nat poenas inclyti.

Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son.

“‘Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who stands next to me,’
declares the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah 13:7

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. The strength of Jesus fails Him, and He is unable to proceed; the executioners take hold, and force Simon of Cyrene to bear His Cross. (Kneel)
R. Jesus, thank You for allowing me to suffer with You. Help me to find fulfillment in humbly bearing my cross, that it may remind me of my dependence on and salvation through You. May I never shrink away from suffering, but rejoice that I should be counted worthy to suffer in Your name. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)
Quis est homo qui non fleret
Matrem Christi si videret
In tanto supplicio?

Is there one who would not weep
Whelmed in miseries so deep
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

“Preserve my life, for I am
godly; save your servant
who trusts in you.”
Psalm 86:2

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Veronica, driven by loyalty and compassion, presents her veil to Jesus to wipe His disfigured face. And Jesus imprints on it His holy countenance: a great reward for so small an offering. What return do you make to the Lord for His innumerable blessings? (Kneel)
R. Jesus, You have blessed me beyond compare. What can I return for all the gifts You have bestowed upon me? I devote myself entirely to Your service. I give You all of my heart: imprint on it Your sacred image, that I may never again be tainted by sin. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)

Quis non posset contristari
Christi Matrem contemplari
Dolentem cum Filio?

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?

“Let him put his mouth in the
dust—there may yet be hope.”
Lamentations 3:29

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Suffering under the weight of His Cross, Jesus again falls to the ground; but the cruel executioners do not permit Him to rest a moment. Pushing and striking Him, they urge Him onward. It is the frequent repetition of our sins which oppress Jesus. Witnessing this, how can I continue to sin? (Kneel)
R. Jesus, Son of David, who helps all of those who cry out to You in faith; have mercy on me. Stretch out Your right hand to defend me, that I may not fall back into my sins from the past.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)

Pro peccatis suae gentis,
Vidit Jesum in tormentis,
Et flagellis subditum.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender child,
All with bloody scourges rent.

“For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Luke 23:31

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Some holy women in the crowd were so touched with sympathy at the sight of the sufferings of Jesus, that they openly mourned and lamented Him. Jesus, knowing what was to come in Jerusalem, because of its rejection of Him, turned to the women and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.’ (Kneel)
R. Jesus, we mourn and will continue to mourn both for You and for ourselves; for Your sufferings, and for our sins which caused them. Teach us, that we may be comforted and escape the judgments prepared for all those who reject You. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)
Vidit suum dulcem natum
Moriendo, desolatum,
Dum emisit spiritum.

For the sins of His own nation
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent.

“He has walled me about
so that I cannot escape;
he has made my chains heavy.”
Lamentations 3:7

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. (Genuflect)
R. Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. (Stand)
V. Jesus, arriving exhausted at the foot of Calvary, falls for the third time to the ground. His love for us, however, is not diminished nor extinguished. How great was the burden of our sins, to cause Jesus to fall so often! By taking them upon Himself, out of great love for us, we are saved from the abyss of hell. (Kneel)
R. Jesus, my heart is filled with gratitude that You have saved me from a life of sin and death, as I have so often deserved. Ignite within me a passion to turn from my sinful ways, and grant me the grace to persevere in faith for the rest of all my days. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Recite Act of Contrition.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified,
R. Have mercy on us! (Stand)

Eia Mater, fons amoris,
Me sentire vim doloris.
Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O thou Mother! fount of love,
Touch my spirit from above.
Make my heart with thine accord.