Enrich your Lenten devotion by praying the Stations of the Cross with us each Friday in Lent at 5:30 p.m.
From the earliest days of the Church, Christians made pilgrimages to Jerusalem to walk the Via Dolorosa, Latin for “The Sorrowful Way.” These pilgrims followed what was believed to be the route that Jesus walked on his way to the cross. It started at the location of the Antonia Fortress, the traditional headquarters of Pontius Pilate, through the city, to Mount Calvary.
St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan Order were known for their devotion to the Lord’s passion. In 1342, the Pope appointed them to be guardians of the shrines of the Holy Land. The friars in Jerusalem guided the faithful along the path.
When the Turks took Jerusalem in 1517 and blocked access to the Holy Land, reproductions of the stations were erected at popular spiritual centers, including Cordova, Nuremberg, Louvain, and Antwerp.
By the end of the 17th century, it became a common feature in church architecture to incorporate the Stations of the Cross. The faithful were encouraged to make devotional visits and follow the stations, especially during Lent. That practice continues to this day, including here at All Saints’ Cathedral.
It has been an All Saints’ custom to celebrate the Eucharist on Friday evenings in Lent at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Stations of the Cross. While we can’t meet in person due to the COVID–19 pandemic, all are invited to pray the stations with Fr. Kevin Carroll on Zoom. The service will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel if you wish to view it at a later time.
Meeting ID: 819 9600 1026
Password: 614092