14. The deposition in the sepulchre


When it was evening, there came a rich man from  Arimathea, named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.        Matthew 27: 57-60

Lord, grant us your compassion that we may always provide for those in need.

1. Christ is condemned to death The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked him. Jesus replied, “You say so.” The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you  no answer? See of how many things they accuse you !” Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.... Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas... and handed Jesus over to be crucified. Mark 15: 1-5, 15 Lord, grant us discernment that we may see as you see, not as the world sees.

2. Christ is made to bear his cross


When the chief priests and the guards saw Jesus they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.” ... They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!”  Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. John 19: 6, 15-17

Lord, grant us strength of purpose that we may faithfully bear our crosses each day.

El Greco: Via Crucis 1587-97

3. His first fall under the cross


The soldiers took him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. They dressed him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on him; and they began to acclaim him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

They kept beating his head with a reed, and spitting on him, and kneeling and bowing before him. After they had mocked him, they took the purple robe off him and put his own garments on him. And they led him out to crucify him. Mark 15: 16-20. 

Weakened by his treatment from the soldiers Jesus falls.

Lord, grant us forgiveness of our sins that burden you so heavily and may we, by your grace, be aided never more to commit them.

4. The meeting with Mary


A prophecy was made when, as a child,  Jesus was presented in the Temple. Simeon, a just and devout man, gave a blessing and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed (and a sword will pierce even your own soul) to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2: 34-35 .

Mary had been there at every stage in the life of Jesus. She was there beside him as he took his first steps, holding her breath, longing to put out her hands to steady him, to prevent a fall, but she let him go alone: the little child must learn to walk on his own feet. Now as then she is silent; she holds

5. Simon the Cyrenean helps to carry the cross

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. Mark 15: 21

Lord, grant us willing spirits that we may be your  instruments on earth.

6. Veronica wipes the sacred face

This story is not in the Bible. Veronica wipes the blood and sweat from the face of Jesus. It is a single gesture of love and concern and it meant so much to Jesus, and to Veronica whose handkerchief then miraculously bore a representation of the face of Jesus (Veronica means ‘true image’). We, being self-centred, fail many times to offer a helping hand, to say a word of comfort or just give simple encouragement to someone on the brink of despair. Those precious moments slip away from life because of selfishness.


Lord, grant that we may be guided and strengthened by the Spirit to give ourselves in love and service to one another and to you.

7. The second fall


Once again, Jesus stumbles and falls under the weight of the heavy wooden cross.

His body is covered with bruises and he is bloodstained from head to foot.

We fall daily. We despair, complain and ask, "Why?" Somehow we feel we ought to be able to rest contentedly and confidently on past achievements, and then suddenly down we fall! 

Lord, grant us perseverance that we may never stop seeking you.

8. Christ speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem


A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time

9. The third fall


Jesus, completely overcome by physical weakness, slumps under the cross for the final time. We have slipped, stumbled, fallen many times in life. The temptation is to lose heart and to have low self-esteem. But in the words of the hymn, ‘Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse relieve: because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come.’

Lord, grant that we may be faithful unto death and be given a crown of life.

back her hands as she did then, his will is her will. It was for this hour that she gave him to the world. So, her Son goes on to do his Father's will. The Father so loved the world, that he gave up his only Son to save it.

Lord, grant that we may learn to say with Mary, ‘Be it unto me according to your word!’

From the Stations designed by Fr Angelbert M. Vang SJ of Yaoude, Cameroon, for Hekima College in Nairobi, Kenya

From a full series of 14 made by Demetz Art Studio SRL, Italy, in Venetian mosaic

10. Christ is stripped of his garments


They divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. Matthew 27 v 35

Jesus is nearing his final moment when the soldiers strip him of his clothing in a savage effort to mortify him. Somehow, we yearn to be something great in this life, always seeking goals that are beyond us or not good for us: never content with being the simple, ordinary, run-of-the-mill person God made.

Lord, grant us the virtue of humility.

12. The giving up of the Spirit


It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last. Luke 23: 44-46

Lord, grant us trust in you that when our time on earth is ended our spirits may come to you without delay through the merits of Our Lord and Saviour.

13. Christ is taken down from the cross


Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. John 19: 25-27.   

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. John 19: 40

Mary, who had cradled the infant Jesus so lovingly  now holds, in a similar way, the corpse of her son who has died so cruelly in the prime of his manhood.

Lord, grant us constancy that we may be willing to stand by those in need and ever ready to attend to practical necessities with love and care.

Michelangelo: Pieta

11. The nailing to the cross


When they came to the place called the Skull, Golgotha, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 33-34

Lord, grant us merciful hearts that we may bring your reconciliation and forgiveness to all.

Carved and painted wooden stations from El Salvador

St Simon’s Episcopal Church, 1522 Highway 138 NE, Conyers, GA 30013       tel: 770 483 3242/2036   

email:  info@stsimonsconyers.net    Web Administrator lmaher@stsimonsconyers.net        Webmail

Mihaly Munkacsy: Christ in front of Pilate, 1881

Sculpted group in Ludwigskirche, Darmstadt, Germany

people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” Luke 23: 27-31

Lord, grant us gentle spirits that we may comfort those who mourn.