How to Pray Stations of The Cross?

History of the Stations of the Cross

The tradition of the Stations of the Cross dates back to the early centuries of Christianity when pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. As Christianity spread, it became difficult for many believers to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. To provide an alternative way for the faithful to meditate on Christ’s Passion, various churches in Europe began creating their own stations.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Franciscans, who were given custody of the Holy Places in Jerusalem, played a crucial role in popularizing this devotion. They established 14 stations corresponding to significant moments of Christ’s suffering and death. Pope Clement XII officially recognized the practice in the 18th century, and it became a widespread tradition in Catholic churches worldwide.

Today, the Stations of the Cross remain a central Lenten devotion, helping Christians reflect on Christ’s sacrifice and apply His lessons of love and endurance to their own lives. (Learn how to pray Rosary in Latin).

Prayers Before The Stations

God, I am heartily sorry for having offended O Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.My Lord Jesus Christ, with a contrite heart and a penitential spirit, I purpose now to make the Way of the Cross in commemoration of Thy most bitter Passion, and of Thy most sorrowful death on Calvary. I adore Thee and bless Thee, O God of infinite mercy. With all my heart I thank Thee, divine Saviour, for the unutterable love which caused Thee to endure for me the cruel death of the Cross. Amen.

First Station

Jesus is condemned to death

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, it was not so much Pilate as my many My thus, it was ned Thee to die on the Cross. Save me by Thy death from the eternal death which my sins have so often deserved. I am sorry for them, I will never sin again.

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 trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

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. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

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, world without end. Amen.

Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

At the Cross, her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother, weeping,
Where her Son, extended, hung.

Second Station

Jesus takes up His Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, it was by Thine own will and for the love of me that Thou didst take up the most heavy Cross, which I made for Thee by my sins. Grant that I may heartily detest and bewail them as long as I live.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

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

Third Station

Jesus falls the first time beneath His Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, it was the weight of my numerous sins which caused Thee to fall beneath the Cross. Forgive me, O Lord; I am sorry for my sins and firmly resolved never more to sin.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Oh how sad and sorrow-laden
Was that ever blessed Maiden
Mother of the all-holy One!

Forth Station

Jesus meets His Mother

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, how painful it was for Thee to meet Thy most afflicted Mother. O Mary, how great was thy grief in meeting thy beloved Son Jesus laden with the Cross, going to die on it for my sins. Obtain for me a great sorrow for my sins and the grace to sin no more.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

How she mourned with bitter
Tender Mother, thus perceiving
Torments of her glorious Son.

Fifth Station

Simon if Cyrene helps Jesus to carry His Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, thrice blest was he who aided Thee to bear the Cross. I accept, as a penance for my sins, all the crosses and trials of my whole life. Grant that I may bear them patiently for the love of Thee.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Who the man his tears withholdeth
When Christ’s Mother he beholdeth
In her martyrdom profound?

Sixth Station

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY loving Jesus, Thou didst deign to print Thy sacred face on Veronica’s cloth; deign to wipe away from my soul all its sins, and imprint in it the lasting memory of Thy bitter sufferings.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Who not with compassion sated
Hath that Mother contemplated
With her Son in sorrow bound?

Seventh Station

Jesus falls a second time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, it was my falling back into sin that caused Thee to fall again beneath Thy Cross. Grant me grace and strength never more to fall into sin.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

For His people’s sins in anguish
She beheld her Jesus languish
By the blood-stained lashes rent.

Eight Station

Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, Thou didst teach the women of Jeru- salem to weep rather over themselves; grant that whilst I meditate on Thy sufferings, I may weep over my sins which were the cause of them all.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Saw her sweet Son, for His nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His Spirit forth He sent.

Ninth Station

Jesus falls the third time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, my repeated falls into sin, after so many promises to sin no more, were the cause of all Thy falls beneath the Cross. I am now firmly resolved with the help of Thine all-powerful grace, to avoid sin and its occasions.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

O thou Mother! fount of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make me feel, to mourn with thee.

Tenth Station

Jesus is stripped of His garments and given gall to drink

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, grant that I may strip myself of all attachment to sinful pleasures, and never offend Thee by the vices of impurity and intemperance.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Make me feel as thou hast felt:
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, God!

Eleventh Station

Jesus is nailed to the Criss

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY beloved Jesus, it was my sins which nailed Thee to the Cross. I am heartily sorry for them, and firmly resolved never more to sin.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Holy Mother, grant my craving:
Deep within my heart engraving
Wounds of Jesus crucified.

Twelfth Station

Jesus dies on the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, grant me the forgiveness of my sins and give me to Mary as her child. I will ever love Thee, and, for the love of Thee, I forgive all who may have injured me. I will be a devoted child of Mary, and will always invoke her during life and at the hour of my death.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain
Who for all our sins was slain
Who for me to suffer deigned.

Thirteenth Station

Jesus is taken down from the Cross and laid in Mary’s arms

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MARY, my most sorrowful Mother, the sword of grief went through my soul when thou didst hold Jesus lifeless in thine arms. It was my sins that caused His death and so wounded thy loving heart. Obtain for me forgiveness, and be always a Motherto me.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him Who mourned for me,
Long as life shall yet endure.

Fourteenth Station

Jesus is laid in the tomb

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

O MY Jesus, bury my sins with Thee in the tomb, and grant that I may rise to a new life, and avoid sin and serve Thee faithfully all the days of my life.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us. 

Passing from one station to another, say:

Holy Mother, pierce my through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

By the Cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Such I ask thee to procure.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence
Be thy Mother my defence,
With the palm of victory,
When to dust my dust returneth,
Grant a soul that to Thee yearneth,
In Thy paradise a place. Amen.