MOORE — The Via Dolorosa is Latin for the way of grief, way of suffering or simply painful way. The Via Dolorosa is a street in two parts in Jerusalem where Jesus walked and carried the cross on his way to the crucifixion.
Should you walk this path today you would find nine Stations of The Cross along the way. The winding route is only about 2,000 feet from the Antonia Fortress west to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Inside the church the remaining five Stations of the Cross are found.
The Stations of the Cross are in this order: No. 1 — Jesus is condemned to death. No. 2 — Jesus carries His cross. No. 3 — Jesus falls for the first time. No. 4 — Jesus meets his mother. No. 5 — Simon helps Jesus carry His cross. No. 6 — Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. No. 7 Jesus falls the second time. No. 8 — Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem. No. 9 — Jesus falls a third time. The remaining Stations of the Cross are found inside the Church of the Holy Seplechre — No. 10 — Jesus is stripped of his clothes. No. 11 — Jesus is nailed to the cross. No. 12 — Jesus dies on the cross. No. 13 — Jesus is taken down from the cross. No. 14 — Jesus is laid in the tomb.
There is a beautiful song depicting this path is called: “Via Dolorosa.” Among the artists performing this song are Sandi Patty. She gives a beautiful rendition of this song along with video clips on YouTube of Jesus carrying the heavy cross down this narrow street.
Reviewing the 14 Stations of the Cross brings us a little closer to the suffering Jesus went through before he was hung on the cross.
As I write this column I finger a shaggy wooden cross keychain and will keep it close during the upcoming weeks. A reminder of what Jesus went through for us all.
