La Via Crucis

The Way of Cross

Opening Prayer

(R) O Lord Jesus Christ, You died on this Holy Cross as a sign of Your love for us, greater than Your own life.

(A) Therefore, we worship You and rely on Your great suffering, which we are about to contemplate. Please inspire us to feel sorrow for our sins appropriately, and to willingly accept all the hardships of this earth. 

O Mother Mary, please help us journey the way of the cross to make amends for the wrongdoings we have committed against the Lord. Amen.

STATION I - Pilate condemns Jesus to death

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) Pilate had to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed Him over to be crucified. The soldiers put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown out of thorny branches and put it on his head. Then they began to salute Him, "'Hail King of the Jews!" (Mark 15:15-18)

(A) Most beloved Jesus, it wasn't solely Pilate who condemned to death but our sins. Pardon our sinfulness and sanctify us to do penance and amend our impure lives. 


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

At the cross her station keeping, 

Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

STATION II - Jesus carries His cross to Calvary

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) When they finished making fun of Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him. (Mark 15:20) 

(A) Most gracious Jesus, it should be our obligation to carry the cross, sinful as we are. We beseech You to strengthen our faith so that we may overcome our tribulations with patience and resignation. 


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, 

All His bitter anguish bearing, 

Now at length the sword had passed.

STATION III - Jesus falls the first time

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) Jesus suffered from hunger and pain when He took up the cross and began to walk to the top of Calvary. He fell down under the weight of the cross and was heckled and mobbed by the crowd before getting to his feet again. 

(A) His actions teach us that during our lives we must struggle to overcome our difficulties in order to reach the Kingdom of Our Father.

Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us,

Oh, how sad and sore distressed 

Was that Mother highly blest, 

Of the sole begotten One!

STATION IV - Jesus meets His Mother

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) When they met at the synagogue Simon said to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, "This child is chosen by God for the destruction and salvation of many in Israel; He will be a sign from God which many will speak against, and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart." (Luke 2:34-35)


(A) Most loving Jesus, grant us the grace of a truly devoted love for Your most holy Mother and pardon our trespasses.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother Sorrows, pray for us.

Christ above in torment hangs. 

She beneath beholds the pangs 

Of her dying glorious Son.

STATION V - Simon of Cyrene

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) They took Jesus away, as they went they had met a man named Simon, from Cyrene, who was coming into the city. They seized him, put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)


(A) Most adorable Jesus, we yearn for faith that we could take over Simon's place, for in actuality we refuse the minute ordeals and crosses in our respective lives. Help us by Your grace that we may always be faithful to carry our cross with endearing patience.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

Is there one who would not weep,

Whelmed in miseries so deep, 

Christ's dear Mother to behold?

STATION VI - Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) "He had no form or comeliness that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hid their faces.” (Isa 53:2)


(A) Most sweet Jesus, I beseech You to bestow on me resignation and prowess, as Veronica had courageously wipe your deformed face, so that we may be kind enough to console those in grave suffering, for we so utmostly believe such doing is reflected unto You.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.


Can the human heart refrain 

From partaking in her pain, 

In that Mother's pain untold?

STATION VII - Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) Weak and exhausted, Jesus falls under the weight of the cross. Even though we may accept the cross, we can still be overpowered by its weight. Like Jesus, we struggle to our feet and try again. Jesus says, "Take up your cross and follow me."


(A) Most gentle Jesus, it is beyond imagination how many times we have sinned against You, and offended You! Grant us your reverential help to persevere and overcome every temptation, frail as we are, and forgive us our sins.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, 

She beheld her tender Child,

All with bloody scourges rent.

STATION VIII - Jesus speaks to the women for Jerusalem

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) A large crowd of women were following Him, weeping for Him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Women of Jerusalem! Don't cry for me, but for yourselves and your loved ones." (Luke 23:27-28)


(A) Most gracious Jesus, we are weeping for our sins. Console us and grant us pardon so that we may be repentant and become worthy of Your everlasting kingdom.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.


For the sins of His own nation, 

Saw Him hang in desolation 

Till His spirit forth He sent.

STATION IX - Jesus falls the third time

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) "The hour has come for the son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth; a grain of wheat is no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it dies, then it produces many grains." (John 12:23-26)


(A) Most gracious Jesus, we have always been overpowered by temptations which make us fall into committing sins. We have fallen several times, and we beg You to forgive us and make us worthy children of God.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

O thou Mother: fount of love! 

Touch my spirit from above, 

Make my heart with thine accord.

STATION X - Jesus is stripped of His garments

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (the place of Skull). There they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh, but Jesus would not drink it. Then they divided His clothes among themselves. (Mark 15:22-24)


(A) Most beloved Jesus, taking off Your clothes, we seemingly resemble the incident in ourselves being stripped of our sins. Impure as we are, we beg You for pardon and sanctification. 


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.


Make me feel as thou hast felt; 

Make my soul to glow and melt

With the love of Christ my Lord.

STATION XI - Jesus is nailed to the cross

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) When they came to a place called "The Skull", they nailed Jesus to the cross, Jesus said, "Father forgive them, they don't know what they are doing."(Luke 23:32-35)

(A) No matter how barbaric You were crucified. You still had shown your undying mercy and love for us. Most loving Jesus, we pray that we may also be forgiven of all our sins and impurity.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

Holy Mother, pierce me through; 

In my heart each wound renew 

Of my Savior crucified.

STATION XII - Jesus dies on the cross

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) At the cross, Jesus leaves His Mother, Mary, to John, His beloved disciple. Jesus assured Paradise to the criminal who said Jesus has done nothing wrong, and it's himself who deserved the cross.

(A) Since twelve o'clock until three o'clock when the sun has stopped shining, the veil of the temple hanging was torn into two, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father into your hands, I place my spirit." (Luke 23:40-46)

(R) Extremely suffering Jesus, You promised heaven to the criminal who had consoled You. Teach me to console others and grant us pardon of our sins so that we may be worthy of salvation.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

Let me share with thee His pain,

Who for all my sins was slain,

Who for me in torment died.

STATION XIII - Jesus is taken down from the cross

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) Mary, the Mother of Jesus, looks at her Son's body as it is taken down from the cross. She is torn by grief at her Son’s death, but she seemed to be more relieved that all the pain and suffering of her Son has finally ended.

(A) It is no wonder that you are honoured as the Queen of Heaven, dear Mother, for it was Jesus Himself who bestowed this honour on you, and the Catholic Church follows His example.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.


Let me mingle tears with thee,

Mourning Him who mourned for me,

All the days that I may live.

STATION XIV - Jesus is laid in the tomb

(R) We adore You O Christ and we bless You,

(A) for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.


(R) Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night, went with Joseph of Arimathea, taking spices...they wrapped His body in linen. There was a garden...and in it a new tomb...and laid Jesus there. (Matt 27:59-60)

(A) Most gentle Jesus, please bury our sins in the sepulchre where You had resurrected so that we may be renewed with new vigour to live and die in Your mercy, and be pardoned of our sins.


Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us sinners. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.


By the Cross with thee to stay;

There with thee to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of thee to give.

(Kneeling and praying the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for the Pope's intentions to receive plenary indulgences.)