Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Walking the walk
Stations of the Cross help parishioners relate to Jesus’ final days
Each Friday during Lent, parishioners at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fort Smith walk in the footsteps of Jesus through a devotion known as the Stations of the Cross.
It’s a tradition that dates to the earliest days of Christianity, when the faithful would follow Jesus’ path to the cross, known as the Via Dolorosa (Latin for “way of sorrows”) in Jerusalem. It’s a tradition that continues there today.
Over time, those unable to travel to the Holy Land began creating their own stations or scenes of Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion and burial, so they, too, could follow the devotion.
Today, churches of many denominations walk and pray through the Stations of the Cross — some all year long, others only during Lent and some just on Good Friday, the day that Christians commemorate the Crucifixion.
These scenes, or stations, are depicted in various ways, including
in mosaics, sculptures, paintings, bronze plaques and other art forms. Some churches also have “living” Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, with parishioners or actors portraying Jesus, Pontius Pilate, Mary, the Roman guards and others as they re-enact the events leading to the Crucifixion.
The Rev. John Antony, pastor of Immaculate Conception, said the church’s stations are “very traditional” and made of plaster. The large stations hang on the walls of the sanctuary.
“I really like them because they are very realistic and easy to tell what each one means, which is good for me because I have a simple faith and need God to speak to me using a 2-by-4 sometimes,” he said.
The number of stations varies, but the most common are the 14 established by Pope Clement XII in the 16th century. They begin with Jesus being condemned to death and end with his burial.
Pope Francis led worshippers on the Way of the Cross last Good Friday in the Colosseum in Rome and is set to do so again this year. He has spoken on the importance of the devotion, and reiterated his thoughts last year during a youth gathering in Krakow, Poland, saying, “The Way of the Cross alone defeats sin, evil and death, for it leads to the radiant light of Christ’s resurrection and opens the horizons of a new and fuller life. It is the way of hope, the way of the future.”
Antony said the purpose of walking the stations is to grow in faith.
“When we understand more and more deeply how much Jesus suffered and died for us, we understand a little more deeply how much he loves us. And we try — feebly to be sure — to love him in return,” he said.
Each Friday during Lent, Immaculate Conception parishioners gather at 6 p.m., and a priest, deacon or lay minister leads them in praying and singing through the Stations of the Cross.
“Walking together gives us the feeling of companionship along the road, which can be rough,” he said. “Just like Jesus walked to Calvary but was helped along the way by his mother and Simon, so we help each other along life’s way through death to the glory of heaven.”
Antony said he particularly likes the singing as they walk between stations.
“We sing a song called ‘Stabat Mater,’ which is Latin and means literally ‘mother was standing,’ but is trying to see Jesus’ suffering and death through her eyes — which as