A statue of Jesus carrying His cross amongst onlookers (in a garden).
In preparation of entering into Holy Week next week, we wanted to take time to reflect on what the week encompasses and also contemplate the importance of the Stations of the Cross.
Holy Week is always the 8 starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Resurrection (or Easter) Sunday. This year, Holy Week takes place March 29-April 5.
The Dynamic Catholic has a detailed explanation of all the focused on events that take place during this most special week, but the following is a summary of the focus of each day (credit: Dynamic Catholic):
Palm Sunday, Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem
Monday of Holy Week, Jesus clears out the temple with a whip
Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus is anointed with oil at Bethany and preaches on the Mount of Olives
Spy Wednesday, Jesus is betrayed by Judas
Holy Thursday, Jesus celebrates the Last Supper, prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, and is arrested
Good Friday, Jesus is sentenced to death, scourged, beaten, crucified, and dies on the Cross
Holy Saturday, Jesus is buried in the tomb and descends into hell
Easter Sunday, Jesus rises from the dead
The Stations of the Cross consists of 14 focused events taking places on Good Friday into Holy Saturday; these events are the last 12-16 hours of Jesus’s life, death and burial:
Jesus is Condemned to Death
Jesus Takes Up His Cross
Jesus Falls the First Time
Jesus Meets His Mother
Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Jesus Falls the Second Time
Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Jesus Falls the Third Time
Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross (sometimes called the Crucifixion)
Jesus Dies on the Cross
Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb
Emily’s post here from 2016 is a great short read about the Stations of the Cross with some of her keen insights. She also has a wonderful post called “Joy Depends on the Cross” that are her thoughts on the true gospel being steeped in suffering, but leading to eternal joy!
And finally, we would be remiss not to mention once more that Emily’s book, Living Memento Mori, is especially pertinent for Holy Week as each chapter is intertwined with a Station of the Cross. She does a beautiful job relating each station to her and encourages everyone in their own challenges.