In the earliest years of Christianity, the locations central to the story of Holy Week — the Garden of Gethsemane, Calvary, the Holy Sepulcher, and more — were destinations for pilgrims who wanted to experience Christ’s sacrificial love for us in a physical way. In the years after the Crusades, pilgrimage to the Holy Land became impossible for most Christians, and the Stations of the Cross was popularized as a devotional means to pray through the passion and death of Christ.

Throughout history the number of stations has varied, with different traditions focusing on different events. In the 18th century, the number was officially fixed at 14 by Pope Clement XII. These stations are taken from the Gospel accounts of Christ’s passion and death, though there are several which are derived from tradition and apocryphal sources, such as the meeting of Mother and Son and St. Veronica wiping the face of Christ.

©LPi