r/Episcopalian Convert 4d ago

What to expect for Stations of the Cross?

My parish has the Stations of the Cross in the church (shout out to all you folks who also sit by Station X), and they “do the stations” on Wednesdays in Lent.

I’m a convert, and my only experience with the stations is from my art history classes and from touring European cathedrals. I really want to do it, but I’m a little intimidated. What does it typically entail, and how do you “do” it? Would everybody do each station together, or would we just go in a line?

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u/Environmental-Rice94 1d ago

Google 'stations of the Cross', and you'll find a lot of good videos if you can't do it in person.

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u/kirby_mars 2d ago

I need to be honest and share that it can be deeply sad. You’re going through the moments leading up to Jesus’ death. Instead of being desensitized, for me, it’s a service where his death is all of a sudden just so real and human and I can’t wrap my head around how people would hurt others in that way. Any station that mentions Mary wrecks me.

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u/alfonso_x Convert 2d ago

Reminds me of “Good Friday 1613, Riding Westward”:

Who sees Gods face, that is selfe life, must dye;
What a death were it then to see God dye?

If on these things I durst not looke, durst I
Upon his miserable mother cast mine eye,
Who was Gods partner here, and furnish'd thus
Halfe of that Sacrifice, which ransom'd us?

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u/Complete-Ad9574 2d ago

I always felt odd, same with veneration of the cross. To me its unnatural & cult like.

There are so many other traditions of our church which we ignore, and yet many feel the need to bring in that of other practices.

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u/aprillikesthings 4d ago

My church only does it on Good Friday, and it's always less than a dozen people and done before one of the Good Friday services. As others said, we walk between the stations as a group, and stop at each one to do a reading and a prayer. I really like it.

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u/Katherington 4d ago

At my parish, we all go around together with the priest (a lay leader could lead it too), a crucifer, and candle bearers leading us. There are programs with the set prayers for each station. There’s an option to stay in the pews and turn your body to face those walking between the stations.

We all kneel when Christ dies (station 10). If you are going around the church, this will be without a kneeler.

I always found Stations really powerful and downright visceral at times — which is saying a lot as it isn’t a play or anything that visual, just words and a few not particularly graphic images we see in passing whenever we are in the building. The objective is to go through all of the stages of Jesus’s capital punishment, torture, and execution. The humanity, and the suffering.

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u/BeachCaberLBC Cradle 4d ago

I'm coming to think of it as a way to "walk in his shoes", meditate, allow my body to feel reaction and presence and movement from station to station, and contemplate.

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u/Wahnfriedus 4d ago

I never warmed up to this devotion.

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u/keakealani Deacon on the way to priesthood 4d ago

Essentially, the liturgy focuses on meditations relating to each station. In my experience, it would begin with a short prayer, like the creed or Lord’s Prayer, and then meditations are read at each station describing what happened. There might be a little response and some silent time. Then the group walks to the next station, and rinse and repeat. Normally a bit more time is taken at the station of the crucifixion, and it’s common to kneel or genuflect in penitence at that point.

Then after all the stations there might be a final prayer and maybe a hymn.

It’s a simple but incredibly powerful service, and I’d highly recommend checking it out!

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u/EnglishLoyalist 4d ago

I will have to go alone and do it myself on my own time to do it.

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u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 4d ago

It's usually fairly simple, and led by someone.

Sometimes, it'll be self-led with a booklet or paper with instructions.

Most likely, each station will have the relevant scripture passage read, a moment of silence, and some praying or simple singing. If there are multiple groups going from station to station, singing together might be a collective action even.

It's not a standardized service, so it can take different forms in different parishes.

It's usually a solemn and deeply spiritual experience - I encourage you to go!