Stations of the Cross

I hope none of you use dial-up, because this post is LOADED with pictures and videos!

With it being the Friday before Easter, I thought I would post pictures of the Via Dolorosa, or the Stations of the Cross. Traditionally, this walk is the walk that Jesus took as he carried the cross on His way to be crucified. I will only be posting pictures of some of them, but you'll get the idea. Like most sights here, I don't know if any of the spots are authentic at all. If they are, they would be many feet above the original spot, since Jerusalem has been built upon so many times. Also like most sights here, it's always amazing to put yourself in the Lord's shoes and imagine Him living His mortal life here.

Tom insisted that I take this pictures just outside the Old City. In the days of Christ, many people would have sold doves for people to use as a sacrifice, as mentioned in the New Testament where Christ was upset when they were doing it right outside the temple.

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Station One: Pilate condemns Jesus to death, then washes his hands.

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Station Two: (looking down from station one) After flagellation, Jesus was crowned with thorns and clothed in a red robe as a mark of derision. They mocked Him as "King of the Jews". He then begins His walk from here.

A courtyard just inside the door shown in the above picture (video).


A crown of thorns represented on the ceiling of a church inside the above courtyard.


A plant in the courtyard that is thought to be the same kind of thorny plant they would have used for Christ's crown of thorns.

Station Three: Jesus falls down for the first time.

(video)

Mural inside the above church.

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Station Four: Jesus sees His mother.

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Station Five: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.

(video)

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Station Six: Veronica wipes the sweat of blood from Jesus' face. I don't think this is from scriptural reference - just tradition.

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Station Seven: Jesus falls down a second time.

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Station Twelve: (inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) Christ was hung and crucified.

This video is looking down from where many believe Christ was crucified. Those lamps on the bottom right is where tradition says Christ was first laid right after His death. As also shown in the video below, when we went last Friday priests and monks from different denominations took turns doing a processional walk through the church, singing in different languages.

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Station Fourteen: Tomb of Joseph of Arimethea.

As I type this up on Friday morning, my eyes keep wandering to the window above my computer. It overlooks some of Jerusalem, and the weather is very nice today - possibly similar to the day Christ was crucified more than 2,000 years ago. I can hear many birds singing outside, and there's just a few clouds in the sky. At this time of day, way back then, Christ would have been completely exhausted, having stayed up all night. It would be the beginning of the day that He finishes the suffering of the atonement. The very atonement that allows you and I to find happiness in this life, to find peace amid heartache, to find healing of our wounds, and to live with our families forever in the life to come. If I could make my heart bleed onto my keyboard and express my feelings as I contemplate this, I would.

I guess my hope in posting all this on this special day is to turn our hearts towards Christ as Easter approaches. Hopefully we can worry a little less about candy and Easter eggs this weekend, and a little more about what we're each doing to make use of Christ's suffering in our lives.