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First Station - Jesus Is Condemned to
Death
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus, the most innocent of beings, is condemned to death, yes, to the shameful death
of the cross. In order to remain a friend of Caesar, Pilate delivers Jesus into the
hands of His enemies. O fearful crime, to condemn Innocence to death and to
displease God in order to please men.
O innocent Jesus, * I have sinned and I am guilty of eternal death; * but that I
may Live, * Thou dost gladly accept the unjust sentence of death. * For whom then shall I
henceforth live * if not for Thee, my Lord? * If I desire to please men, * I can not be
Thy servant. * Let me, therefore, rather displease the whole world * than not please Thee,
O Jesus!
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish
bearing, Now at length the sword had passed.
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Second Station - Jesus Carries His Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
When our divine Redeemer beheld the Cross, He most willingly reached out to it with His
bleeding arms. He embraced it lovingly, kissed it tenderly, took it on His bruised
shoulders, and, exhausted as He was, He carried it joyfully.
O my Jesus, * I can not be Thy friend and follower * if I refuse to carry my
cross. * O beloved cross, * I embrace Thee, * I kiss Thee, * I joyfully accept Thee from
the hand of my God. * Far be it from me to glory in anything * save in the Cross of my
Lord and Redeemer. * By it the world shall be crucified to me, * and I to the world, *
that I may be Thine forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. O, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother, highly blest,
Of the sole begotten One!
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Third Station - Jesus Falls the First Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Carrying the Cross, our dear Savior was so weakened with its heavy weight that He fell
exhausted to the ground. The Cross was light and sweet to Him, but our sins made it
so heavy and hard to carry.
Beloved Jesus, * Thou didst carry the burden and the heavy weight of my sins. *
Should I then not bear in union with Thee * my light burden of suffering, * and accept the
sweet yoke of Thy commandments? * Thy yoke is sweet and Thy burden is light. * I willingly
accept it. * I will take up my cross and follow Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Christ above in torment hands: She beneath beholds the
pangs Of her dying glorious Son.
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Fourth Station - Jesus Meets His Blessed
Mother
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
How sad and how painful must it have been for Mary to behold her beloved Son laden with
the Cross, covered with wounds and blood, and driven through the streets by savage
executioners! What unspeakable pangs her most tender heart must have
experienced! How earnestly did she desire to die instead of Jesus, or at least with
Him!
O Jesus, * O Mary, * I am the cause of the pains that pierced your hearts. *
Would that my heart might experience some of your sufferings. * O Mother, * let me share
in thy sufferings and those of they Son, * that I may obtain the grace of a happy
death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Is there one who would not weep, Whelmed in miseries so
deep, Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
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Fifth Station - Simon of Cyrene Helps
Jesus Carry His Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Simon of Cyrene was forced to help our exhausted Savior carry His Cross. How
pleased would Jesus have been, had Simon offered his services of his own accord.
However, Simon was not invited by Christ as you are. He says: "Take up your
cross and follow Me." Nevertheless you recoil, and carry it grudgingly.
O Jesus, * whosoever does not take up his cross and follow Thee, * is not worthy
of Thee. * Behold, I cheerfully join Thee on the way of the cross. * I desire to carry it
with all patience until death, * that I may prove worthy of Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that
Mother’s pain untold?
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Sixth Station - Veronica Wipes the Face of
Jesus
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, Veronica presents her veil to Jesus, to wipe His disfigured
face. He imprints on it His holy countenance, and returns it to her as a
recompense. Shall Christ reward you in like manner? Then you too must do Him a
service. But you do a service to Christ every time you perform a work of mercy
towards your neighbor: for He says: "What you have done to the least of My brethren,
you have done to Me."
Dearest Jesus, * what return shall I make Thee for all Thy benefits? * Behold, I
consecrate myself entirely to Thy service. * My whole heart I give to Thee; * stamp on it
Thy holy image, * that I may never forget Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.
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Seventh Station - Jesus Falls the Second
Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Overwhelmed by the weight of the Cross, Jesus falls again to the ground. But the
cruel executioners do not permit Him to rest a moment. With thrusts and blows they
urge Him onward. With what cruelty Jesus in treated and trampled under foot!
Remember, compassionate soul, that your sins caused Jesus this painful fall.
Have mercy on me, O Jesus, * and help me never to fall into my former sins. *
From this moment I will strive sincerely * never to sin again. * But Thou, O Jesus,
strengthen me with Thy grace, * that I may faithfully carry out my resolution.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation Till
His spirit forth He sent.
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Eighth Station - Jesus Speaks to the Women
of Jerusalem
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, these devoted women weep over our suffering Savior. But He
turns to them and says: "Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and your
children. Weep for your sins and those of your children; for they are the cause of
My suffering." You also must weep over your sins, for there is nothing more
pleasing to our Lord and more useful to yourself than the tears you shed out of contrition
for your sins.
O Jesus, * who shall give my eyes a torrent of tears, * that I may day and night
weep over my sins? * I beseech Thee by Thy bitter and bloody tears * to move my heart, *
so that tears may flow in abundance from my eyes, * and that I may weep over Thy
sufferings * and over my sins until death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. O thou Mother: font of love! Touch my spirit from above, Make
my heart with thine accord.
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Ninth Station - Jesus Falls the Third Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Exhausted at the foot of Calvary, Jesus falls for the third time to the ground.
How painfully must have been reopened all the wounds of His tender body by these repeated
falls. And how enormous must my sins be, to cause Jesus to fall so painfully.
Had not Jesus taken my sins upon Himself, they would have plunged me into the abyss of
Hell.
Most merciful Jesus, * I return Thee a thousand thanks * for not permitting me
to die in my sins * and fall into the abyss of Hell, * as I have deserved so often. *
Enkindle in me a sincere desire to amend my life. * Let me never again fall into sin, *
but grant me the grace of final perseverance.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Make me feel as thou has felt; Make my soul to glow and melt,
With the love of Christ my Lord.
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Tenth Station - Jesus Is Stripped of His
Garments
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Arriving on Calvary, Jesus was cruelly deprived of His garments. How painful the
stripping must have been, because the garments adhered to His mangled body, so that in
removing them parts of the flesh were torn away. Jesus is deprived of His garments
that He may die possessed of nothing. How happy shall not I die after laying aside
my evil habits and tendencies!
Help me, O Jesus, to amend my life. * Let it be renewed according to Thy will
and desire. * However painful the correction may be to me, * I will not spare myself. *
With the assistance of Thy grace, * I will refrain from all sinful pleasure and vain
amusement, * that I may die happy and live forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Holy Mother, pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of
my Savior crucified.
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Eleventh Station - Jesus Is Nailed to the
Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Stripped of His garments, Jesus is violently thrown down on the Cross. His hands
and His feet are nailed to it in the most cruel way. Jesus remains silent, because
it so pleases His heavenly Father. He suffers patiently, because He suffers for
you. How do you act in sufferings and trials? How fretful and impatient, how
full of complaints are you!
O Jesus, * meek and patient Lamb, * I renounce forever my impatience. * Crucify,
O Lord, my flesh, * with its evil desires and vices. * Punish and afflict me in this life,
* but spare me in the next. * I resign myself altogether to Thy holy will. * May it be
done in all things.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Let me share with Thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torment died.
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Twelfth Station - Jesus Dies on the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Behold Jesus crucified! Behold His wounds received for love of you! His
whole appearance betokens love. His head is bent to kiss you. His arms are
extended to embrace you. His heart is open to receive you. Oh what love!
Jesus dies on the Cross, to preserve you from eternal death.
Most lovable Jesus, * who will grant that I may die for love of Thee? * I will
endeavor to die to the world and its vanities * when I behold Thee on the Cross * covered
with wounds and crowned with thorns. * Merciful Jesus, * take me into Thy wounded heart, *
that I may despise all perishable things, * to live and die for Thee alone.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
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Thirteenth Station - Jesus Is Taken Down
From the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus did not descend from the Cross, but remained on it till His death. When
taken down, He rested on the bosom of His beloved Mother as He had so often done in
life. Persevere in your good resolutions, and do not flee from the cross. For
he who perseveres till the end shall be saved. Consider, moreover, how pure the
heart should be that receives the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the adorable Sacrament
of the Altar.
O Lord Jesus crucified! * I most earnestly entreat Thee: * Help me do what is
right * and let me not be separated from Thy Cross, * for on it I desire to live and to
die. * Create in me, O Lord, a clean heart, * that I may worthily receive Thee in Holy
Communion, and that Thou mayest remain in me, * and I in Thee, * for all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. By the cross with thee to stay; There with thee to weep and
pray Is all I ask of thee to give.
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Fourteenth Station - Jesus Is Laid in the
Tomb
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
The body of Jesus is laid in a stranger’s tomb. He Who in this world had not
whereon to rest His head, would have no grave of His own after death. You whose
heart is still attached to this world, despise it that you may not perish with it.
O Jesus, * Thou hast singled me out from the world, * what then shall I seek in
it? * Thou hast created me for Heaven, * what then shall I desire upon earth? * Depart
from me, deceitful world, with thy vanities! Henceforth I will walk the way of the
Cross * traced out for me by my Redeemer, * and journey onward to my heavenly home, *
where my rest and my joy shall be forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond request: Let me share
thy grief divine. |
Prayer Before a Crucifix
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Look down upon me, good and gently Jesus, while before Thy face I
humbly kneel; and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively
sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of
amendment. While with great love and tender pity I contemplate Thy five wounds, pondering
over them within me, calling to mind the words which David, Thy prophet, said of Thee, my
Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My
bones." |
O Salutaris
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O salutaris Hostia!
Quae coeli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia,
Da roburm, fer auxilium.Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria,
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria. Amen. |
Tantum Ergo
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Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui,
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui;
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.Genitori Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio,
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
V. Panem de coelo praestitisti eis,
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem. |
Prayer
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| Oremus. Deus qui nobis sub Sacramento mirabili passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti:
tribue, quaesumus, ita nos Corporis et Sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari; ut
redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis jugiter sentiamus: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula
saeculorum. Amen. |
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O God, Who in this wonderful Sacrament, hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion, grant
us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the sacred Mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that our
souls may be always sensible of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Who livest and reignest world
without end. Amen. |
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Divine Praises
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Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus!
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart!
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy!
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception!
Blessed be her glorious Assumption!
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother!
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse!
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints! |
Indulgences
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The Stations of the Cross constitute a major devotion in the Catholic World. They
surround the various Sacred places which were personally sanctified by the sufferings and
death of our Divine Savior. Originally, this pious practice was limited to Jerusalem
and its environs. Gradually it became universal as several Popes granted plenary and
partial indulgences to the faithful who devoutly meditate on the Way of the Cross.
Indulgences are:
- A plenary indulgence every time the devotion is completed.
- An additional plenary indulgence if one receives Holy Communion on the day.
- Also an additional plenary indulgence if one performs the devotion ten times and
receives Holy Communion within a month after so doing.
- A partial indulgence of ten years for every Station made if one was not able to finish
the Stations.
The conditions for gaining them are:
- Walking from Station to Station when making the Way of the Cross privately; when making
it publicly, it suffices for the priest with the altar boys to do so.
- Meditate at each Station on the sufferings of our Lord.
These two conditions are essential. No oral prayers are prescribed; yet they are
profitable. |
