Walk with Jesus
Praying the stations of the cross is an adaptation of a tradition Christian pilgrims have in Jerusalem, in which prayers are offered at a series of places associated with Jesus’ passion and death. KC and I participated in this tradition together during our pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2022, and it was a remarkable and moving experience. Although the number of stations has varied widely over time, there are now typically fourteen stations in a service. Each station is based on events recorded in the Gospels, and there are several different forms available for use.
During Holy Week at Saint Anne’s, we take the time to do three different forms of stations of the cross. There are readings, versicles, and prayers at each station, as well as a series of pictorial representations of the event being commemorated. Each one provides a moving experience of walking with Jesus in his final hours. You will get something new with each form of the stations, and it has proven to be a meaningful tradition in this parish year after year.
On Monday, March 30, at 6PM, we will pray A Walk in Jerusalem: Stations of the Cross, which has been brought to life by the Rev. Canon John Peterson, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion. It is illustrated with 14 black-and-white photographs and a map that provides the appropriate episode of the Passion story along with a meditation and a brief liturgy.
On Tuesday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 1, at 6PM, we will pray The Way of the Cross, which comes from the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services. Participants will walk the stations of the cross positioned throughout the nave of Saint Anne’s, providing new insight into our familiar worship space.
Finally, on Friday, April 3, at 6PM, the group will follow Women of the Passion, A Journey to the Cross, written by Katie Sherrod, which offers an experience of the Passion of Jesus Christ as witnessed by the women in the company of Jesus. This version of Stations is enlightening for both men and women who want to get a new perspective on the Passion.