the stations of the cross

The Stations of The Cross :

The Stations of The Cross We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world .

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Introduction and Explanation The Stations represent the traditional stopping places of the Cross to remind us of the events of Good Friday. The devotion dates back to medieval times when Christians made their personal pilgrimages following the last steps of Jesus on earth. Traditionally there are fourteen Stations depicting what happened to Jesus between his condemnation before Pilate and his burial in the sepulchre. Here at Christ Church there is also a Fifteenth Station representing “The Resurrection” to remind us that one day with Jesus, we will know the joy of the resurrection if we persevere to the end. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world .

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Our Stations Of The Cross have been specially commissioned for Christ Church and designed and painted by Michael Coles, an artist who has done many commissions in churches, both stained glass and paintings. They are painted in acrylic paint on board . In addition to portraying the events of Good Friday our pictures incorporate local scenes including St.Albans , Waltham Abbey & Waltham Cross, to remind us that the Good Friday events are still relevant today. Our stations start by the war memorial , and continue around the walls of the church, ending by the Font. The Stations Of The Cross were blessed and dedicated by The Right Reverend Christopher Foster, Bishop of Hertford, on Holy Cross Sunday, 15th September, 2002. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world .

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The Art work + General Points The only place where black is used is for the Cross. The sky gets progressively darker – from light blue to almost black. In the Resurrection panel light returns , radiating from the empty tomb in increasing circles of yellow and blue. In all the panels the unnamed and unknown people have no faces. This shows up better the faces of characters whom we know from the Gospels. All the scenes are shown against a background of local buildings – St . Albans , Waltham Abbey & Waltham Cross. This is a common feature of early paintings and emphasises the connections in place and time between the Crucifixion and our own times . We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world .

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The First Station Jesus is condemned before Pilate Behind Pilate is St. Albans Town Hall, its design inspired by the Classical style of Roman buildings . The eagles are the emblems of Roman power. Behind Jesus, in the distance, is St.Albans Abbey. In front of Jesus is bowl of water - a reference to Pilate washing his hands of the affair. A Prayer Lord Jesus, stood before Pilate, your life condemned, your word rejected, your innocence ignored: Keep us from rejecting your word of truth and salvation . Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you .

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The Second Station Jesus accepts the Cross In the background we can see one of the old High Street Houses of St Albans and the Abbey Tower. The Roman soldiers are shown with their spears. A Prayer Lord Jesus, carried your cross on the wounded stripes of your back, for love of us and for all the world. Help us to bear our cross, for love of you and for love of others. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you .

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, the weight of your cross was the weight of our sins which make us stumble and fall. In our weakness, we turn to you for strength. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Third Station Jesus falls for the first time The buildings of St.Albans form the background.

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, although you suffered, you still reached out to care for your mother. May our cross-bearing never keep us from caring for our families. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Fourth Station Jesus meets his Mother In the background is the Clock Tower near St.Albans Market Square.

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, as you struggled to bear your cross to Calvary, a passer-by was drafted to help you. Make us as willing as Simon to bear the burdens of those in need. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Fifth Station Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene Simon of Cyrene, in deep blue, carries the cross. The other figures are Alexander and Rufus, the sons of Simon. (Mark 15.21)

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, others also took risks to comfort you. Strengthen our faith to take loving risks for our needy brothers and sisters. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Sixth Station Veronica wipes the face of Jesus Although not recorded in the scriptures, traditionally the cloth which Veronica used was then imprinted with the face of Jesus . The name Veronica is sometimes thought to derive from Latin vera (true) and Greek eikon (image) in reference to the image on the cloth. In the background is the Fighting Cock, said to be one of the oldest pubs in St.Albans .

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, our sins weighed heavily upon you as you stumbled along the way. Forgive us, Lord, for the sins which make us fall. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Seventh Station Jesus falls for the second time In the background is the Abbey. The kneeling donkeys allude to the tradition that only the beasts recognised the divinity of Christ and knelt in front of him. Similar images can be seen in the fresco of the Cathedral in Sienna.

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, your suffering under the cross caused the women of Jerusalem to weep. Make our suffering in life, a share in your suffering. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Eighth Station The women of Jerusalem weep for Jesus This event is described in the Gospel of St Luke. In the background is the Abbey Gate .

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, the full burden of our sin crushed you mightily to the earth. Do not forsake us in our falling, but bring us to repentance and faith. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Ninth Station Jesus falls for the third time In the background, the cross is being erected by the soldiers.

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, stripped and jeered at, you endured humiliation without complaint. Humble us in our work and daily lives. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Tenth Station Jesus is stripped Notice the ‘INRI’ inscription that now appears on the cross and the dice in the foreground used by the soldiers to see who should have the robe. INRI is an acronym of the Latin inscription IESVS·NAZARENVS·REX·IVDÆORVM ( Iesus Nazarenus , Rex Iudaeorum ), which translates to English as "Jesus the Nazarene (Galilean), King of the Jews (Judeans)".

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, nailed to the cross, you took your place among the condemned. Take your place beside us sinners, and bring us through faith to the Paradise of God. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Eleventh Station Jesus is nailed to the Cross Against a very dark background we see the figures of Jesus , John and Mary, his mother, and Mary Magdalene. ( John 19.25)

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, when your sacrifice was complete, you handed your life to the Father, and he did not forsake you. Keep us close to your cross and death, now and at the hour of our death. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Twelfth Station Jesus dies on the Cross Luke tells us that the sun stopped shining and darkness covered the whole country (Luke 24.44). Notice the lance which pierced Jesus’ side, and the sponge, soaked in cheap wine , which the soldiers gave Jesus to quench his thirst. Notice also how the colour of Jesus’ body is now ‘drained’ and almost completely white.

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, faithful friends and loving women took loving care of your lifeless body. Turn the darkness of death into the brightness of day for those we love. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Thirteenth Station Jesus is taken down from the Cross The background is now almost completely black symbolic of the darkness and desolation the Jesus’ death brought. Jesus’ lifeless body now lacking any colour is removed from the cross.

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, in the tomb you were laid, but from the tomb you arose. Be the Lord of the resurrection for us and for all the baptized. Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Fourteenth Station Jesus is laid in the Tomb Black is the predominant colour in this scene... The Cross can be seen on the hill of Golgotha, still ‘shining’ against the black of night... The large round black stone sealing the tomb... The black faceless soldiers on guard duty in the foreground...

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A Prayer Lord Jesus, early in the morning, the angel announced your rising in glory. May we proclaim of your saving power to those around us . Lord, help us to take up our cross and follow you . The Fifteenth Station The Resurrection On the left are King Harold, who is said to be buried at Waltham Abbey; King Edward 1st and his wife Eleanor, who is offering the Eleanor Cross to the Risen Christ . On the right are King Charles 1st; Saint Alban,holding the palm of martyrdom and Amphibalus , the priest who baptised Alban and for whom Alban stood in when the Roman soldiers came to arrest him . In the background: on the left, the brook and Christ Church. On the right St. Albans Abbey. In the foreground we see the women who prepared the spices for Jesus’ body

Artistic Styles:

Artistic Styles We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world . Traditional ‘sanitised’ paintings and terracotta panels

Artistic Styles:

Artistic Styles We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world . From a set of Stations in Saint Paul's Episcopal church in Norwalk, Connecticut New stations of the cross representing Christ in the midst of modern armed conflicts, including the Iraq war, have drawn angry denunciation and high praise

Artistic Styles:

Artistic Styles We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world . Through Nomadic Eyes Stations of the Cross in Lodwar Cathederal , Kenya

The Scriptural Way of The Cross:

The Scriptural Way of The Cross We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world .

Slide 24:

The Scriptural Way of the Cross was inaugurated by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991. Thereafter John Paul II performed the scriptural version many times at the Coliseum in Rome on Good Fridays during his pontificate, a tradition that Benedict XVI has continued. The scriptural version was not intended to invalidate the traditional version, rather it was meant to add greater understanding of the Passion. They are an alternative to the traditional stations which assist with reflecting on the scriptural accounts of the Passion of Christ and which many Protestants are more comfortable observing because they are attested in scripture. Out of the fourteen traditional Stations of the Cross, only eight have scriptural foundation - Stations 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9 being unattested in any of the gospels.

Slide 25:

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin Jesus is Denied by Peter Jesus is Judged by Pontius Pilate (1) Jesus is Scourged at the Pillar and Crowned with Thorns Jesus Bears the Cross (2)

Slide 26:

8. Jesus is Helped by Simon the Cyrenian to Carry the Cross (5) 9. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (8) 10.Jesus is Crucified (11) 11.Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the Good Thief 12.Jesus Speaks to His Mother and the Beloved Disciple 13.Jesus Dies on the Cross (12) 14.Jesus is Placed in the Tomb (14)

Slide 27:

Another Version Starts with The Last Supper and ends with The Resurrection of Jesus. 1. The Last Supper 2. The Garden of Gethsemane 3. Jesus Before Pilate 4. The Scourging and The Crowning with Thorns 5. The Receiving of The Cross 6. The Fall 7. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus 8. The Women of Jerusalem 9. The Stripping of His Garments 10. The Good Thief 11. Mary and John Below The Cross 12. The Death of Jesus 13. The Laying in The Tomb 14. The Resurrection We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world .