The Stations are meant to help people to make in spirit, as it were, a pilgrimage to the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death, and this has become one of the most popular of Catholic devotions in the season of Lent. It is carried out by passing from Station to Station, with certain prayers at each and a meditation on Jesus’ deep love for humanity.

The origin of the devotion may be traced to the Holy Land where Jesus experienced His passion, death and resurrection. In Jerusalem these important sites were reverently marked out from the earliest times and became an important destination for pilgrims ever since the days of Constantine. A desire to reproduce the holy places in other lands, for those who were unable to make the actual pilgrimage, seems to have manifested itself at quite an early date.

In conclusion it may be safely said that the Stations of the Cross is one of the richest devotions which enables us to more literally obey Christ's command to take up our cross and follow Him.

For more information on the Way of the Cross, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15569a.htm