Stations of the Cross - St. Alphonsus Liguori

Opening Prayers

Act of Contrition

O MY GOD, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.

Opening Prayer

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, Thou hast made this journey to die for us with love unutterable; and we have so many times unworthily abandoned Thee; but now we love Thee with our whole hearts, and because we love Thee, we repent sincerely for having ever offended Thee. Pardon us, our God, and permit us to accompany Thee on this journey. Thou goest to die for love of us; we wish also, our beloved Redeemer, to die for love of Thee. Lord Jesus, we will live and die always united to Thee. Amen.

The First Station

Jesus Is Condemned to Death

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

MARK 15:15

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Jesus had been arrested the previous evening in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. He could not be sentenced to capital punishment under Jewish law. The community leaders brought him to Pontius Pilate, a Roman representative, for judgment. The crowds are unruly and controlled by mob thought, shouting "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate does not protect Jesus, but sentences him to Crucifixion.

PSALM 31:13, 15 I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around;
They put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.

Meditation:

Let us consider how Jesus Christ, after being scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross.

Prayers:

O ADORABLE JESUS, it was not Pilate but our sins that condemned You to die. We beseech You, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist our souls on their journey to eternity. We love You, beloved Jesus. We love You more than we love ourselves. With all our hearts we repent of ever having offended You. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

The Second Station

Jesus Accepts His Cross

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

JOHN 19:17

So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.

Jesus is forced to take the journey that every condemned man must; he must carry his own cross through the streets. Some suggest that this helped fatigue the condemned men to bring about a hastier death. Some say it was to humiliate those about to die. Having just been flogged, the cross would be intensely painful upon his torn back.

PSALM 86:6-7 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer,
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the time of my trouble I will call upon you,
for you will answer me.

Meditation:

Let us consider Jesus as He walked this road with the cross on His shoulders, thinking of us, and offering to His Father in our behalf, the death He was about to suffer.

Prayers:

OUR MOST BELOVED JESUS, we embrace all the sufferings You have destined for us until death. We beg You, by all You suffered in carrying Your cross, to help us to carry ours with Your perfect peace and resignation. We love You, Jesus. We repent of ever having offended You. Never let us separate ourselves from You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.

The Third Station

Jesus Falls The First Time

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

ISAIAH 53:4

Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we account him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

The Cross is heavy and Jesus is exhausted. Jesus walks an uneven road. As the crowd looks on, Jesus stumbles and drops his burden. He knows he must undertake this journey, but his physical body is cracking under the strain.

PSALM 70:1-2 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogether dismayed;
Let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and be disgraced.

Meditation:

Let us consider the first fall of Jesus. Loss of blood from the scourging and being crowned with thorns had so weakened Him that He could hardly walk; and yet He had to carry that great load upon His shoulders. As the soldiers struck Him cruelly, He fell several times under the heavy cross.

Prayers:

OUR MOST BELOVED JESUS, it was not the weight of the cross but the weight of our sins which made You suffer so much. By the merits of this first fall, save us from falling into mortal sin. We love You, Jesus, with all our hearts. We are sorry that we have offended You. May we never offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Oh, how sad and sore distressed,
Was that Mother highly blessed,
Of the sole-begotten One!

The Fourth Station

Jesus Meets His Mother

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

LUKE 2:34B-35

This child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.

Jesus' mother was the first human to love him, bringing him into the world under extraordinary circumstances. Now they meet face to face, at the moment when she can do nothing to ease her child's pain. As a mother, she loved him and nurtured him, and set him free as an adult. Now, she must watch him endure suffering.

PSALM 86:16-17 Turn to me and have mercy upon me;
Give your strength to your servant;
and save the child of your handmaid.
Show me a sign of your favor,
So that those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed;
Because you, O Lord, have helped and comforted me.

Giving thanks for the life and example of Mary, mother of Jesus.

Meditation:

Let us consider how the Son met His Mother on His way to Calvary. Jesus and Mary gazed at each other; their looks were like arrows piercing their loving hearts.

Prayers:

OUR MOST LOVING JESUS, by the pain You suffered in this meeting, grant us the grace of being truly devoted to Your most holy Mother.

And you, Mary, our Queen, who was overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for us by your prayers a tender and a lasting remembrance of the Passion of your Divine Son.

We love You, Jesus, above all things. We repent of ever having offended You. Never allow us to offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs,
Of her dying, glorious Son.

The Fifth Station

Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

LUKE 23:26

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and made him carry the cross behind Jesus.

We know only that an African helped carry the cross, as Jesus' physical body failed under the strain. Simon is the man who helps others when called upon, the quiet man in the crowd who does what is right and kind. The soldiers compelled his action, but he willingly lifted up the heavy crossbeam.

PSALM 18:6-7 I called upon the Lord in my distress
And cried out to my God for help.
He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling;
My cry of anguish came to his ears.

Give thanks for the man from Africa who helped Jesus.

Meditation:

Let us consider how weak and weary Jesus was. At each step, He was at the point of expiring. Fearing that He would die on the way, when they wished Him to die the infamous death of the cross, they forced Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross after Our Lord.

Prayers:

OUR BELOVED JESUS, we will not refuse the cross as Simon did; we accept it and embrace it. We accept in particular the death that is destined for us, with all the pains that may accompany it. We unite it to Your death, and we offer it to You. You have died for love of us; we will die for love of You, and to please You. Help us by Your grace. We love You, Jesus. We repent of ever having offended You. Never let us offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Is there one who would not weep,
Whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

The Sixth Station

Veronica Wipes The Face of Jesus

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

ISAIAH 53:2-3

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hid their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Jesus' body is showing the extent of his exertion—our tradition tells us of the blood and sweat which mingled on his forehead. The story of Veronica is an extra-scriptural legend, telling how a woman moistened a towel and wiped his suffering face. It is the story of a compassionate and brave act on a terrible day.

PSALM 25:15-16, 19 Turn to me and have pity on me,
For I am left alone and in misery.
The sorrows of my heart have increased;
bring me out of my troubles.
Protect my life and deliver me;
Let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.

Meditation:

Let us consider the compassion of the holy woman, Veronica. Seeing Jesus in such distress, His face bathed in sweat and blood, she presented Him with her veil. Jesus wiped His face, and left upon the cloth the image of His sacred countenance.

Prayers:

OUR BELOVED JESUS, Your face was beautiful before You began this journey; but, now, it no longer appears beautiful, and is disfigured with wounds and blood. Alas, our souls also were once beautiful when they received Your grace in Baptism; but we have since disfigured them with our sins. You alone, our Redeemer, can restore them to their former beauty. Do this by the merits of Your Passion; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Can the human heart refrain,
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother's pain untold?

The Seventh Station

Jesus Falls The Second Time

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

1 PETER 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Despite the help from Simon, the moral support of his mother, the small comfort from Veronica, no one can deny the immense toll the Via Dolorosa takes on Jesus' body. At the top, he falls again for the second time. The end of his death sentence is coming closer.

PSALM 6:2-4 Have pity on me, O God, for I am weak;
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are wracked.
My spirit shakes with terror; how long, O Lord, how long?
Turn, O Lord, and deliver me;
Save me for your mercy's sake.

Give thanks for God's mercy and forgiveness, counting Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, allowing mercy to always temper justice.

Meditation:

Let us consider how the second fall of Jesus, under His cross, renews the pain in all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.

Prayers:

O MOST GENTLE JESUS, how many times have You forgiven us? And how many times we have fallen again, and begun again, to offend You? By the merits of this second fall, give us the grace to persevere in Your love until death. Grant, that in all our temptations, we may always have recourse to You. We love You, Jesus, with all our hearts. We are sorry that we have offended You. Never let us offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender child,
All with bloody scourges rent.

The Eighth Station

Jesus Meets The Women of Jerusalem

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

LUKE 23:27-31

A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

In every age, in every society, there are those who are filled with compassion for suffering, especially on behalf of the innocent. Jesus is followed by women from Jerusalem, who realize that no last minute pardon is coming. The pain of the cross will not be put away.

PSALM 80:5-7 You have fed us with the bread of tears;
you have given us bowls of tears to drink.
You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Restore us, O God of hosts; Show the light of your countenance,
and we shall be saved.

Meditation:

Let us consider how the women wept with compassion seeing Jesus, so distressed and dripping with blood, as He walked along. Jesus said to them, "Weep not so much for Me, but rather for Your children."

Prayers:

OUR JESUS, laden with sorrows, we weep for the sins which we have committed against You because of the punishment we deserve for them; and, still more, because of the displeasure they have caused You, who have loved us with an infinite love. It is Your love, more than the fear of Hell, which makes us weep for our sins. Our Jesus, we love You more than ourselves. We are sorry that we have offended You. Never allow us to offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

The Ninth Station

Jesus Falls the Third Time

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

HEBREWS 4:15-16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The procession is about to enter Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. This unused quarry was turned by Herod the Great into a large avenue for crucifixions. It is not easy to see the suffering upon the cross. But it is easy to become indifferent as so many people pass by all the crucified. There is a lot to be done in the city for the coming Passover. Is there time to stop and consider the three men being crucified today?

PSALM 119:81-82 My soul has longed for your salvation;
I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes have failed from watching for your promise,
And I say, "When will you comfort me?"

Meditation:

Let us consider how Jesus Christ fell for the third time. He was extremely weak and the cruelty of His executioners was excessive; they tried to hasten His steps, though He hardly had strength to move.

Prayers:

OUR OUTRAGED JESUS, by the weakness You suffered in going to Calvary, give us enough strength to overcome all human respect and all our evil passions, which have led us to despise Your friendship. We love You, Jesus, with all our hearts. We are sorry for ever having offended You. Never permit us to offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
O sweet Mother! fount of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.

The Tenth Station

Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

JOHN 19:23-24

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it." This was to fulfil what the scripture says, "They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots."

For anyone, being stripped is a terrible thing. A faithful Jew in the time of Jesus follows modesty laws and does not expose his or her body. To be naked in public is a terrible humiliation. For Jesus, the physical pain is only part of his torture. The absolute helplessness of being stretched on the cross, exposed to all while he is in agony, is yet to come on this appalling day.

The crowd rejects him, now seeing him humiliated, as less than fully human. Meanwhile, the soldiers, engaged in a normal days work, take the spoils as is their right on the job.

PSALM 22:16-18 Packs of dogs close me in, and gangs of evildoers circle around me;
They pierce my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them;
they cast lots for my clothing.
Be not far away, O Lord, you are my strength; hasten to help me.

Meditation:

Let us consider how Jesus was violently stripped of His clothes by His executioners. The inner garments adhered to his lacerated flesh and the soldiers tore them off so roughly that the skin came with them.

Prayers:

OUR INNOCENT JESUS, by the torment You suffered in being stripped of Your garments, help us to strip ourselves of all attachments to earthly things so that we may place all our love in You, who are so worthy of our love. We love You, O Jesus, with all our hearts. We are sorry for ever having offended You. Never let us offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt,
With the love of Christ, my Lord.

The Eleventh Station

Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

MATTHEW 27:39-40

Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

Jesus, after his psychological and physical humiliation, is nailed to the cross. Nails are put through his wrists, and the crossbeam hoisted up to its cross piece. Another nail is driven through his feet. The weight of his body hangs from the wrists, with the only way to relieve it being to push up with his feet. Every convict is labeled, and Jesus' placard, King of the Jews, is affixed above him.

PSALM 22:7-8 All who see me laugh me to scorn;
They curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
"He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him;
Let him rescue him, if he delights in him."

In gratitude and sorrow, stand before the cross. Know the love of God, which allows his own son to be subjected to this sort of death.

Meditation:

Let us consider Jesus, thrown down upon the cross, He stretched out His arms and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the cross, left Him to die in anguish.

Prayers:

OUR DESPISED JESUS, nail our hearts to the cross that they may always remain there to love You and never leave You again. We love You more than ourselves. We are sorry for ever having offended You. Never permit us to offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Holy Mother, pierce me through!
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Savior crucified.

The Twelfth Station

Jesus Dies On The Cross

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

MARK 15:37-39

Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

As he hung on the cross, Jesus looked down at his mother and one of his disciples, and he gave them into each other's care as mother and son. He finally gave voice to his physical distress, saying "I am thirsty". His distress grows deeper as he prays to God: "My God, My God, why do you abandon me?" At this hour, he is totally, completely alone. He offers his spirit to his silent Father God. He surrenders. It is finished.

PSALM 99:2-3, 9 The Lord is great in Zion; he is high above all people.
Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome;
He is the Holy One.
Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill;
For the Lord our God is the Holy One.

Meditation:

Let us consider how Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, is finally overwhelmed with suffering and, abandoning Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head and dies.

Prayers:

OUR DYING JESUS, we devoutly kiss the cross on which You would die for love of us. We deserve, because of our sins, to die a terrible death; but Your death is our hope. By the merits of Your death, give us the grace to die embracing Your feet and burning with love of You. We yield our souls into Your hands. We love You with our whole hearts. We are sorry that we have offended You. Never let us offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Let me share with you His pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

The Thirteenth Station

Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

JOHN 19:38-42

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen clothes, according to the custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

The experienced soldiers, watching the slow deaths on the cross, now break the legs of crucified men so they will die faster. But Jesus is dead already, confirmed as they thrust a spear into his side, piercing the pericardium around his heart. Joseph and Nicodemus arrive with the order from the governor allowing them to have the body. Jesus' body is lowered into Mary's arms, and she is able to hold him once more.

Jesus' body is laid in the tomb, a spot that was always meant to be temporary, until after the Sabbath was over and the work of burial could be completed. For him, the suffering is over.

PSALM 143:4, 6-7 My spirit faints within me; my heart within me is desolate.
I spread out my hands to you;
My soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.
O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me;
Do not hide your face from me or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

Meditation:

Let us consider how, after Our Lord had died, He was taken down from the cross by two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, and placed in the arms of His afflicted Mother. She received Him with unutterable tenderness and pressed Him close to her bosom.

Prayers:

O MOTHER OF SORROWS, for the love of your Son, accept us as your servants and pray to Him for us.

And You, Jesus, our Redeemer, since you have died for us, allow us to love You, for we desire only You and nothing more. We love You, Jesus, and we are sorry that we have offended You. Never let us offend You again. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him Who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.

The Fourteenth Station

Jesus Is Laid In The Tomb

V.) We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

R.) Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

MATTHEW 27:59-61

So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there sitting opposite the tomb.

Women have been witness to all the pain this sad day has held. They have watched the sentencing amongst the crowd, followed his painful steps up the hill, watched as he languished in his suffering. Now, just a few women—both Mary—remain, watching at the tomb. They sit and watch, as twilight deepens to darkness, and their friend's body remains inside the tomb, sealed. Now, it is all over.

It is finished. The tomb is full of a body broken for us.

PSALM 68:19-20 Blessed be the Lord day by day,
The God of our salvation, who bears our burdens.
He is our God, the God of our salvation;
God is the Lord, by whom we escape death.

Meditation:

Let us consider how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to its burial, while His holy Mother went with them and arranged it in the sepulcher with her own hands. They, then, closed the tomb and all departed.

Prayers:

O, OUR BURIED JESUS, we kiss the stone that closes You in; but You gloriously did rise on the third day. We beg You, by Your resurrection, that we may be raised gloriously on the last day, to be united with You in heaven, to praise You and love You forever. We love You, Jesus, and we repent of ever having offended You. Grant that we may love You always; and then do with us as You will.

[Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time]

Lord Jesus, crucified, have mercy on us!

Stabat Mater
By the cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of thee to give.

Closing Prayers

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers five times
in honor of the Passion of Jesus.

Pray the Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be prayers one time
for the intentions of the Holy Father.

May the souls of the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

✝ The Stations of the Cross ✝