Category Stations of The Cross

Feb 4 2014

The Fourth Station

The Fourth Station

Jesus Meets His Mother

This is another event that is not recorded in the gospels. In fact, there is no mention of Jesus’ mother in any of the gospel passion narratives except for the occasion when, in John’s gospel, she stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus was dying.

There is another woman present at the meeting. She is one of the women who accompanied Jesus on his journey from Galilee –
“There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.” [Matthew 26:55-56]

The dedication at the bottom of the tableau is:

IN MEMORY OF JAMES CURRAN,
BALLYSCANLON, AND HIS WIFE MARGARET
Feb 4 2014

The Third Station

The Third Station

Jesus Falls The First Time

This event is not recorded in the gospels, but it is likely to have occurred because Jesus had already been beaten and scourged and was, therefore, very weak.

In the background are the walls of Jerusalem. The place of crucifixion was just outside the walls so it wasn’t a long walk – but long enough when carrying such a weight.

Notice the two men in yellow and blue garb observing Jesus. They represent the onlookers – followers of Jesus, opponents, curious people, passers by, you and me.

The Roman (?) soldier stands in the background, too, unconcerned and uninvolved – it’s just another crucifixion.

The dedication at the bottom of the tableau is:

PRAY FOR THE MULCAHY FAMILY, FENOR
Feb 4 2014

The Second Station

The Second Station

Jesus Is Laden With His Cross

It is unlikely that Jesus would have carried a complete cross. Rather, he would have carried only the horizontal cross-piece. The vertical shaft of the cross was usually left in situ after the previous crucifixion and ready for the next.

Pontius Pilate is still in the background of the tableau holding what looks like a tablet with writing on it. Perhaps it is the inscription that was affixed to the cross –

“Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.'” [John 19:19]

Of course, that is an English translation. It was actually written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

The dedication at the bottom of the tableau is:

IN MEMORY OF THE RELATIONS
OF ROBERT PHELAN OF ISLANDIKEANE
Feb 4 2014

The First Station

The First Station

Jesus Is Condemned To Death

Here we see Jesus being led away, hands bound, to be crucified. At this point the Romans were in charge, but that doesn’t look like any Roman soldier that we ever saw. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, wanted to release Jesus who he thought was innocent but the crowd wanted crucifixion –

“So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.” [Matthew 27:24-26]

We can see Pilate at the rear of the tableau washing his hands aided by a servant.

The dedication at the bottom of the tableau is:

PRAY FOR THE DONOR, THE REVD. WILLIAM BROWNE P.P.
Feb 4 2014

Stations Of The Cross, Fenor

Stations Of The Cross, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Fenor

Michelangelo's Pieta
[ The picture opposite is of Michelangelo’s Pieta. Click to zoom. ]

In this section of the web site we show you the Stations of the Cross tableaux that are on the walls of Immaculate Conception church. You will be able to see them in close-up as you have probably never seen them before. Also, we will describe the scenes depicted at each station.

Please note that, if you wish to partake of the Stations as a devotion by contemplating the scenes and praying at each one, we would advise you to make use of other web sites such as THIS at Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

If you are interested in the history and development of the Stations, we recommend The Way of the Cross on the Vatican web site.

You can see our own Stations of the Cross by using the menu on the left.

 

 

Feb 4 2014

The Fourteenth Station

The Fourteenth Station

The fourteenth station

Jesus Is Placed In The Sepulchre

Jesus is dead, wrapped in his shroud, the empty spice jar on the floor. At his head and feet are Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. One soldier is present – presumably the faithful centurion. Jesus’ mother holds him and looks down on his face. Behind her are the three grieving women of Galilee. On her right is the beloved disciple. –
“So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there”. [John 19:40-42].

The dedication on the brass plate below the tableau is:

PRESENTED BY
MARY B. HICKEY, LOUGHDAHEEN
IN MEMORY OF
HER DECEASED RELATIVES.
Feb 4 2014

The Thirteenth Station

The Thirteenth Station

The thirteenth station

Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross

Crucifixion was usually a slow, lingering death. When necessary, to hasten death, a victim’s legs were broken and then suffocation quickly ensued. The dead victim was left to rot on the cross unless the body was claimed by a relative. –
“Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water”. [John 19:31-34].

In the tableau we can see clearly the wound in Jesus’ side caused by the spear. Traditionally, it is his right side.

The two men are Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus –
“After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body”. [John 19:38]. Only John’s gospel mentions Nicodemus.

The mother of Jesus clasps his left hand while the beloved disciple supports his head. Three other women are present. –
“There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee”. [Matthew 27:55-56].

 

The dedication on the brass plate below the tableau is:

IN MEMORY OF
DECEASED RELATIVES OF
JOHN AND ELLIE MURPHY,
BALLYPHILIP.
Feb 4 2014

The Twelfth Station

The Twelfth Station

The twelfth station

The Twelfth Station The twelfth station Jesus Dies On The Cross  Jesus is finally “lifted up”. The two robbers are crucified on either side of Jesus. In their case they are tied to their crosses with ropes – another common Roman practice. The tableau shows Jesus raised above the ground by less than a metre rather than the ten metres seen in some paintings.Pilate’s inscription is now seen nailed to the cross –
“Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.'” [John 19:19-20].Jesus’ mother looks on. Beside her a man covers his face in anguish. Is this “the beloved disciple”? –
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!'”. [John 19:26-27].Is the soldier in the foreground the centurion who made the declaration of faith? –
“When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!'” [Matthew 27:54].The dedication on the brass plate below the tableau is:

IN MEMORY OF
THE PARENTS AND RELATIVES
OF ROBERT AND MARY MURPHY.
Feb 4 2014

The Eleventh Station

The Eleventh Station

Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross

Two men are nailing Jesus’ hands to the cross – his feet have not been nailed as yet. In fact, the practice was to drive the nails through the wrists rather than the palms and through the heels just in front of the Achilles tendons rather than through the insteps. There would have been no footrest or, at best, a very basic one. Also, Jesus would have been completely naked – this was meant to be a shameful death as well as a very painful one.

The youth who has been carrying the INRI notice is unable to watch the nailing and covers his eyes. Jesus’ mother lifts her arms in anguish and the man in green behind her covers his face.

The dedication on the brass plate below the tableau is:

IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF
THE PARENTS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS
OF EDMUND AND STATIA DUNPHY,
BALLYBRENOCK
Feb 4 2014

The Tenth Station

The Tenth Station

Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments

One man tugs at Jesus’ tunic while a soldier holds his cloak aloft. The man in the bottom left corner is busy with his tools but it is not clear what he is doing. Perhaps he is nailing the footrest to the cross – the footrest has not been seen in any of the previous stations.

The three men in the background are having a discussion, stroking their beards, while the group of women is mourning.

The two men on the right are in a pensive mood. Jesus is submissive.

The dedication on the brass plate below the tableau is:

PRESENTED BY
JOHN POWER, DUNHILL
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
HIS DEAR WIFE BRIDGIE.