Stations

In the devotion of the Stations, an individual or group passes from station to station reciting prayers and meditating on each incident, or at least on the passion of Christ in general. This is a particularly useful devotion to follow in the weeks of Lent and if you are not familiar with the form of this prayer that doesn't matter. All you need, at St James', is to pick up a hymn book and wait in your seat for the priest to commence.

After an initial prayer, the priest leads the faithful to each of the 14 stations in turn. During each procession, the next verse of Stabat Mater (At the cross her station keeping, hymn number 57) is sung. Genuflecting at the station, the priest says:

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

to which the people reply:

Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

Words of meditation are said by the priest who then leads, alternately, with one of the prayers:

The Our Father

The Hail Mary

The Glory Be

The stations are:

1st Pilate Condemns Jesus To Die

2nd Jesus Accepts His Cross

3rd Jesus Falls The First Time

4th Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother

5th Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

6th Veronica Offers Her Veil To Jesus

7th Jesus Falls The Second Time

8th Jesus Speaks To The Women

9th Jesus Falls The Third Time

10th Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments

11th Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross

12th Jesus Dies Upon The Cross

13th Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross

14th Jesus Is Placed In The Sepulchre

You can read more about this devotion at the Catholic Community website, where you will find other useful prayers. Resources include a simple catechism which was written by Monsignor John Elliott, Fr Bryan’s predecessor.

Stations of the Cross