Viacrucis or Via Crucis is an ancient act of devotion carried out by Christians to remember and represent the passion and death of Jesus Christ throughout the road to Calvary. Viacrucis derives from Latin Way of the Cross and means “way of the cross.”
The Via Crucis is made up of fourteen stations that represent the suffering of Jesus, from his condemnation to his burial. However, in 1991 Pope John Paul II added a final station, number fifteen, in order to add the moment of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The origin of the Via Crucis dates back to the first years of Christianity, when Christians venerated those places that were related to the life and death of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. In fact, it is said that Mary herself, mother of Jesus, visited each of these spaces daily.
Although there is no certain origin, this custom spread to more and more people who sought to visit the holy places where Jesus Christ had been throughout his passion, death and resurrection.
After the Crusades, the devotion to performing the Via Crucis expanded to other territories where there were Christians. The custom was adopted of doing something similar to what was done in Jerusalem to manifest faith and remember and thank the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity.
In this way, devotees who did not have the possibility of reaching Jerusalem could perform the Stations of the Cross in their towns or cities in order to cultivate and rekindle their Christian faith.
The spread of the Via Crucis is attributed to the Franciscans, who received an indulgence from Pope Innocent XI to guard the holy places where Jesus was. Likewise, it was the Franciscans who established the fourteen stations of the Via Crucis in their churches, necessarily preceded by a Franciscan priest.
Some time later, Pope Benedict XIV, in 1742, asked all priests to place stations represented with a cross in churches. Years later, the restriction that only Franciscans led the Stations of the Cross was removed to extend it to all bishops within their diocese.
See also Holy Week.
Stations of the Via Crucis
The Way of the Cross is made up of fourteen stations in which we pray and meditate on the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During its development, whether in a church or open space along with interpretations, people pray respectfully and remember everything experienced by Jesus Christ and his followers.
First station: Jesus is betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples. He is arrested and sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate.
Second station: Jesus carries the Cross.
Third station: Jesus falls for the first time due to the weight of the Cross.
Fourth station: Jesus meets his mother, Mary.
Fifth station: Jesus is helped to carry the Cross by Simon the Cyrenean.
Sixth station: Veronica cleans Jesus’ face.
Seventh station: Jesus falls for the second time with the Cross.
Eighth station: Jesus comforts the women of Jerusalem.
Ninth station: Jesus falls for the third time.
Tenth station: Jesus is deprived of his clothes.
Eleventh station: Jesus is crucified.
Twelfth station: Jesus dies on the cross.
Thirteenth station: Jesus’ body is taken down from the Cross and embraced by Mary.
Fourteenth station: Jesus’ body is placed in a tomb.
Fifteenth station: Jesus rises from the dead on the third day.
See also The Passion of Christ.