Expert: Dean Gade - 5/16/2006

Question
I was asked several days ago if I knew anything about the stations of the cross.  I do not recall any specific teaching in either the Methodist lessons as a child or the Assembly of God lessons more recently that related to this topic in any detail.  Could you please give me an outline of what they are referring to and where I could find scriptures or other reading related to this topic.

Answer
The "Stations of the Cross" are depictions of various   events in the last days of Jesus.  

The depicting of these events in wood, stone and often stained glass is a TRADITION of the Roman Catholic Church.  

Some of them are not mentioned in the Bible. Most, however, make visual the road of sorrow by Jesus on His way to the cross told of in the Gospels of the Bible.  They can help worshippers review this time when He atoned for our sins in much the same way that many churches celebrate the Lenten Season before Easter.


They are:

Christ condemned to death;
the cross is laid upon him;
His first fall;
He meets His Blessed Mother;
Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross;
Christ's face is wiped by Veronica; (Not found in the Bible)
His second fall;
He meets the women of Jerusalem;
His third fall;
He is stripped of His garments;
His crucifixion;
His death on the cross;
His body is taken down from the cross; and
laid in the tomb.