![Via Dolorosa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Via_Dolorosa.jpg)
The ''Via Dolorosa'' (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, 'Sorrowful Way', often translated 'Way of Suffering'; ar, طريق الآلام;
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
: ויה דולורוזה) is a processional route in the
Old City of Jerusalem
The Old City of Jerusalem ( he, הָעִיר הָעַתִּיקָה, translit=ha-ir ha-atiqah; ar, البلدة القديمة, translit=al-Balda al-Qadimah; ) is a walled area in East Jerusalem.
The Old City is traditionally divided into ...
. It represents the path that
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
would have taken, forced by the Roman soldiers, on the way to his
crucifixion
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...
. The winding route from the former
Antonia Fortress
The Antonia Fortress (Aramaic: קצטרא דאנטוניה) was a citadel built by Herod the Great and named for Herod's patron Mark Antony, as a fortress whose chief function was to protect the Second Temple. It was built in Jerusalem at the ...
to the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hy, Սուրբ Հարության տաճար, la, Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri, am, የቅዱስ መቃብር ቤተክርስቲያን, he, כנסיית הקבר, ar, كنيسة القيامة is a church i ...
— a distance of about 600 metres (2,000 feet) — is a celebrated place of
Christian pilgrimage
Christianity has a strong tradition of pilgrimages, both to sites relevant to the New Testament narrative (especially in the Holy Land) and to sites associated with later saints or miracles.
History
Christian pilgrimages were first made to s ...
. The current route has been established since the 18th century, replacing various earlier versions.
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor (born 10 April 1935, Cork City, Ireland – died 11 November 2013, Jerusalem) was a Dominican priest, a leading authority on St. Paul, and a Professor of New Testament at the École Biblique in Jerusalem, a position ...
, ''The Holy Land'', (2008), p. 37 It is today marked by fourteen
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The station ...
,
nine of which are outside, in the streets, with the remaining five stations being currently inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
History
The Via Dolorosa is not one street, but a route consisting of segments of several streets. One of the main segments is the modern remnant of one of the two main east-west routes (''
Decumanus Maximus
In Roman urban planning, a decumanus was an east–west-oriented road in a Roman city or castrum (military camp). The main decumanus of a particular city was the Decumanus Maximus, or most often simply "the Decumanus". In the rectangular street gr ...
'') through the Roman city of
Aelia Capitolina
Aelia Capitolina (Traditional English Pronunciation: ; Latin in full: ) was a Roman colony founded during Emperor Hadrian's trip to Judah in 129/130, centered around Jerusalem, which had been almost totally razed after the siege of 70 CE. The f ...
, as built by
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
. Standard Roman city design places the main east-west road through the middle of the city, but the presence of the
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount ( hbo, הַר הַבַּיִת, translit=Har haBayīt, label=Hebrew, lit=Mount of the House f the Holy}), also known as al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (Arabic: الحرم الشريف, lit. 'The Noble Sanctuary'), al-Aqsa Mosque compoun ...
along much of the eastern side of the city required Hadrian's planners to add an extra east-west road at its north. In addition to the usual central north-south road (''
Cardo
A cardo (plural ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Roman cities and military camps as an integral component of city planning. The cardo maximus, or most often the ''cardo'', was the main or central north–south-oriented street ...
Maximus''), which in Jerusalem headed straight up the western hill, a second major north-south road was added down the line of the
Tyropoeon Valley
Tyropoeon Valley (Greek: i.e., "Valley of the Cheesemakers") is the name given by Josephus the historianWars 5.140 to the valley or rugged ravine, in the Old City of Jerusalem, which in ancient times separated Mount Moriah from Mount Zion and em ...
; these two cardines converge near the
Damascus Gate
The Damascus Gate is one of the main Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is located in the wall on the city's northwest side and connects to a highway leading out to Nablus, which in the Hebrew Bible was called Shechem or Sichem, and from the ...
, close to the Via Dolorosa. If the Via Dolorosa had continued west in a straight line across the two routes, it would have formed a triangular
block
Block or blocked may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Block programming, the result of a programming strategy in broadcasting
* W242BX, a radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina, United States known as ''96.3 ...
too narrow to construct standard buildings; the decumanus (now the Via Dolorosa) west of the Cardo was constructed south of its eastern portion, creating the discontinuity in the road still present today.
The first reports of a pilgrimage route corresponding to the Biblical events dates from the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
era; during that time, a
Holy Thursday
Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday (also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, among other names) is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the ...
procession started from the top of the
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet ( he, הַר הַזֵּיתִים, Har ha-Zeitim; ar, جبل الزيتون, Jabal az-Zaytūn; both lit. 'Mount of Olives'; in Arabic also , , 'the Mountain') is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jeru ...
, stopped in
Gethsemane
Gethsemane () is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where, according to the four Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus underwent the agony in the garden and was arrested before his crucifixion. It is a place of great resona ...
, entered the Old City at the
Lions' Gate
Lions' Gate ( he, שער האריות, Sha'ar ha-Arayot, Lions' Gate, ar, باب الأسباط, Bab al-Asbat, Gate of the Tribes), also St Stephen's Gate, is one of the seven open Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. It leads into the Muslim Qu ...
, and followed approximately the current route to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre;
[Oxford Archaeological Guide: The Holy Land (paperback, 4th edition, 1998), pp. 34–36] however, there were no actual stops during the route along the Via Dolorosa itself.
By the 8th century, however, the route went via the western hill instead; starting at Gethsemane, it continued to the alleged
House of Caiaphas on
Mount Zion, then to
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia ( 'Holy Wisdom'; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque ( tr, Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi), is a mosque and major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The cathedral was originally built as a Greek Ortho ...
(viewed as the site of the
Praetorium
The Latin term (also and ) originally identified the tent of a general within a Roman castrum (encampment), and derived from the title praetor, which identified a Roman magistrate.Smith, William. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 2 ed., ...
), and finally to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
s of Jerusalem split into two factions, one controlling the churches on the western hill, the other the churches on the eastern hill; they each supported the route which took pilgrims past the churches the faction in question controlled,
one arguing that the Roman governor's mansion (''
Praetorium
The Latin term (also and ) originally identified the tent of a general within a Roman castrum (encampment), and derived from the title praetor, which identified a Roman magistrate.Smith, William. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 2 ed., ...
'') was on Mount Zion (where they had churches), the other that it was near the
Antonia Fortress
The Antonia Fortress (Aramaic: קצטרא דאנטוניה) was a citadel built by Herod the Great and named for Herod's patron Mark Antony, as a fortress whose chief function was to protect the Second Temple. It was built in Jerusalem at the ...
(where they had churches).
What the Crusader
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem ( la, Regnum Hierosolymitanum; fro, Roiaume de Jherusalem), officially known as the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem or the Frankish Kingdom of Palestine,Example (title of works): was a Crusader state that was establishe ...
called Jehoshaphat Street () was where present-day Via Dolorosa partly is. (Today's Via Dolorosa extends westward from the western portion of that street.) Near the ruined
Antonia Fortress
The Antonia Fortress (Aramaic: קצטרא דאנטוניה) was a citadel built by Herod the Great and named for Herod's patron Mark Antony, as a fortress whose chief function was to protect the Second Temple. It was built in Jerusalem at the ...
and north of the
Templum Domini precinct, Jehoshaphat Street led eastward to the Jehoshaphat Gate (near or at
Lions' Gate
Lions' Gate ( he, שער האריות, Sha'ar ha-Arayot, Lions' Gate, ar, باب الأسباط, Bab al-Asbat, Gate of the Tribes), also St Stephen's Gate, is one of the seven open Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. It leads into the Muslim Qu ...
on
Lions' Gate Street), with the
Valley of Jehoshaphat
The Valley of Josaphat (variants: Valley of Jehoshaphat and Valley of Yehoshephat) is a Biblical place mentioned by name in the Book of Joel ( and ): "I will gather together all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Josaphat: "Then ...
(near or in the
Kidron Valley
The Kidron Valley ( classical transliteration, ''Cedron'', from he, נחל קדרון, ''Naḥal Qidron'', literally Qidron River; also Qidron Valley) is the valley originating slightly northeast of the Old City of Jerusalem, which then separate ...
) beyond the gate.
In the 14th century,
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI ( la, Clemens VI; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Bla ...
achieved some consistency in route with the
bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
''Nuper Carissimae'', establishing the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
Custody of the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
, and charging the friars with "the guidance, instruction, and care of Latin pilgrims as well as with the guardianship, maintenance, defense and rituals of the Catholic shrines of the Holy Land". Beginning around 1350, Franciscan friars conducted official tours of the Via Dolorosa, from the Holy Sepulchre to the House of
Pilate
Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of J ...
—opposite the direction travelled by Christ in the Bible. The route was not reversed until c. 1517, when the Franciscans began to follow the events of
Christ's Passion
In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ.
Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...
chronologically — setting out from the House of Pilate and ending with the crucifixion at Golgotha.
From the onset of Franciscan administration, the development of the Via Dolorosa was intimately linked to devotional practices in Europe. The Friars Minor were ardent proponents of devotional
meditation
Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...
as a means to access and understand the Passion. The hours and guides they produced, such as ''Meditaciones vite Christi'' (''MVC''), were widely circulated in Europe.
![Via Dolorosa-09-](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Via_Dolorosa-09-.jpg)
Necessarily, such devotional literature expanded on the terse accounts of the Via Dolorosa in the Bible; the period of time between just after Christ’s condemnation by Pilate and just before his crucifixion receives no more than a few verses in the
four Gospels
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
. Throughout the fourteenth century, a number of events, marked by stations on the Via Dolorosa, emerged in devotional literature and on the physical site in Jerusalem.
The first stations to appear in pilgrimage accounts were the Encounter with
Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene (, Standard Hebrew ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian Hebrew ''Šimʿôn''; , ''Simōn Kyrēnaios''; ) was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three ...
and the Daughters of Jerusalem. These were followed by a host of other, more or less ephemeral, stations, such as the House of Veronica, the House of Simon the Pharisee, the House of the Evil Rich Man Who Would Not Give Alms to the Poor, and the House of Herod. In his book, ''The Stations of the Cross'', Herbert Thurston notes: "... Whether we look to the sites which, according to the testimony of travelers, were held in honor in Jerusalem itself, or whether we look to the imitation pilgrimages which were carved in stone or set down in books for the devotion of the faithful at home, we must recognize that there was a complete want of any sort of uniformity in the enumeration of the Stations."
![19 Shop on the Via Dolorosa near Eece Homo Arch, Jerusalem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/19_Shop_on_the_Via_Dolorosa_near_Eece_Homo_Arch%2C_Jerusalem.jpg)
This negotiation of stations, between the European imagination and the physical site would continue for the next six centuries. Only in the 19th century was there general accord on the position of the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth stations. Ironically, archaeological discoveries in the 20th century now indicate that the early route of the Via Dolorosa on the Western hill was actually a more realistic path.
The equation of the present Via Dolorosa with the biblical route is based on the assumption that the Praetorium was adjacent to the
Antonia Fortress
The Antonia Fortress (Aramaic: קצטרא דאנטוניה) was a citadel built by Herod the Great and named for Herod's patron Mark Antony, as a fortress whose chief function was to protect the Second Temple. It was built in Jerusalem at the ...
. However, like
Philo
Philo of Alexandria (; grc, Φίλων, Phílōn; he, יְדִידְיָה, Yəḏīḏyāh (Jedediah); ), also called Philo Judaeus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt.
Philo's deplo ...
, the late-first-century writer
Josephus
Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for ''The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly d ...
testifies that the Roman governors of
Roman Judaea
Judaea ( la, Iudaea ; grc, Ἰουδαία, translit=Ioudaíā ) was a Roman province which incorporated the regions of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea from 6 CE, extending over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms of ...
, who governed from
Caesarea Maritima
Caesarea Maritima (; Greek: ''Parálios Kaisáreia''), formerly Strato's Tower, also known as Caesarea Palestinae, was an ancient city in the Sharon plain on the coast of the Mediterranean, now in ruins and included in an Israeli national park ...
on the coast, stayed in
Herod's Palace while they were in Jerusalem, carried out their judgements on the pavement immediately outside it, and had those found guilty flogged there; Josephus indicates that Herod's Palace is on the western hill, and it has recently (2001) been rediscovered under a corner of the
Jaffa Gate citadel. Furthermore, it is now confirmed by archaeology that prior to
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
's 2nd-century alterations (see
Aelia Capitolina
Aelia Capitolina (Traditional English Pronunciation: ; Latin in full: ) was a Roman colony founded during Emperor Hadrian's trip to Judah in 129/130, centered around Jerusalem, which had been almost totally razed after the siege of 70 CE. The f ...
), the area adjacent to the Antonia Fortress was a large open-air pool of water.
![Roman Jerusalem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Roman_Jerusalem.PNG)
In 2009, Israeli archaeologist
Shimon Gibson
Shimon Gibson is a British-born archaeologist living in North Carolina, where he is a Professor of Practice in the Department of History at University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Life
Gibson was the lead archaeologist excavating a wilderness ...
found the remains of a large paved courtyard south of the
Jaffa Gate
Jaffa Gate ( he, שער יפו, Sha'ar Yafo; ar, باب الخليل, Bāb al-Khalīl, "Hebron Gate") is one of the seven main open Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.
The name Jaffa Gate is currently used for both the historical Ottoman gate ...
between two fortification walls, with an outer gate and an inner one leading to a barracks. The courtyard contained a raised platform of around . A survey of the ruins of the Praetorium, long thought to be the Roman barracks, indicated that it was no more than a watchtower. These findings together "correspond perfectly" with the route as described in the
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
s and match details found in other ancient writings.
The route traced by Gibson begins in a parking lot in the
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
n Quarter, then passes the
Ottoman walls of the Old City next to the
Tower of David
The Tower of David ( he, מגדל דוד, Migdál Davíd), also known as the Citadel ( ar, القلعة, al-Qala'a), is an ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem.
The citadel that stands today dates ...
near the Jaffa Gate before turning towards the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The new research also indicates that the crucifixion site is around from the traditionally accepted site.
The 14 stations
The traditional route starts about 200 metres inside (west of) the
Lions' Gate
Lions' Gate ( he, שער האריות, Sha'ar ha-Arayot, Lions' Gate, ar, باب الأسباط, Bab al-Asbat, Gate of the Tribes), also St Stephen's Gate, is one of the seven open Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. It leads into the Muslim Qu ...
(St. Stephen's Gate) in the
Muslim Quarter, at the
Umariya Elementary School, near the location of the former
Antonia Fortress
The Antonia Fortress (Aramaic: קצטרא דאנטוניה) was a citadel built by Herod the Great and named for Herod's patron Mark Antony, as a fortress whose chief function was to protect the Second Temple. It was built in Jerusalem at the ...
. Continuing from
Lions' Gate Street, the route makes its way westward through the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the
Christian Quarter
The Christian Quarter ( ar, حارة النصارى, ''Ḥārat al-Naṣārā''; he, הרובע הנוצרי, ''Ha-Rova ha-Notsri'') is one of the four quarters of the walled Old City of Jerusalem, the other three being the Jewish Quarter, ...
. The current enumeration is partly based on a circular devotional walk, organised by the
Franciscans
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
in the 14th century; their devotional route, heading east along the Via Dolorosa (the opposite direction to the usual westward pilgrimage), began and ended at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also passing through both Gethsemane and
Mount Zion during its course.
Whereas the names of many roads in Jerusalem are translated into
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
, and
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
for their signs, the name used in Hebrew is ''Via Dolorosa'', transliterated. The Arabic name is the translation of 'way of pain' ( ).
The series of 14 stations currently commemorate the fourteen following episodes:
(1) The place where Jesus was condemned to death;
(2) Jesus is made to bear his cross (
Church of the Flagellation
The Church of the Flagellation is a Roman Catholic church and Christian pilgrimage site located in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, near St. Stephen's Gate (also called Lions' Gate). It is part a Franciscan monastery which also ...
/
Church of the Imposition of the Cross and
Church of Ecce Homo);
(3) Jesus falls for the first time;
(4) Jesus meets
his mother
''His Mother'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. It was one of more than a dozen films produced by the Kalem Company filmed in Ir ...
(
Church of Our Lady of Sorrows);
(5)
Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene (, Standard Hebrew ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian Hebrew ''Šimʿôn''; , ''Simōn Kyrēnaios''; ) was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three ...
is made to bear the cross (
Chapel of Simon of Cyrene
The Chapel of Simon of Cyrene is a Catholic chapel belonging to the Franciscans in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The place marks the fifth station of Via Dolorosa, and refers to the biblical episode in which Simon of Cyrene takes Jesus' cross, and c ...
);
(6) A woman wipes Jesus’ face;
(7) Jesus falls for the second time;
(8) The women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus;
(9) Jesus falls for the third time;
(10) Jesus is stripped of his garments;
(11) Jesus is nailed to the cross;
(12) Jesus dies on the cross;
(13) Jesus is taken down from the cross; and
(14) Jesus is placed in the sepulchre.
Trial by Pilate: stations one and two
![Ecce IMG 1590](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Ecce_IMG_1590.jpg)
The first and second stations commemorate the events of
Jesus' encounter with Pontius Pilate, the former in memorial of the biblical account of the trial and Jesus' subsequent scourging, and the latter in memorial of the ''
Ecce homo'' speech, attributed by the
Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
to Pilate. Biblical scholars propose that Pilate likely carried out his judgements at the now destroyed
Antonia Palace, at the southwest side of the city, in what is now the
Umariya Elementary School.
Adjacent to it, there are two
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
compounds taking their names from these events: a
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
monastery including the
Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross
The Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross (Hebrew language, Hebrew: קפלת ההרשעה וכפיית הצלב) is a Roman Catholic church located within the Franciscan monastery that also contains the Church of the Flagellatio ...
and the
Church of the Flagellation
The Church of the Flagellation is a Roman Catholic church and Christian pilgrimage site located in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, near St. Stephen's Gate (also called Lions' Gate). It is part a Franciscan monastery which also ...
, and the
Convent of the Sisters of Zion, including the Church of Ecce Homo; a large area of Roman paving, beneath these structures, was traditionally regarded as
Gabbatha
Gabbatha (Aramaic גבתא) is the Aramaic name of a place in Jerusalem that is also referred to by the Greek name of (Greek ). It is recorded in the gospels to be the place of the trial of Jesus before his crucifixion 30/33 AD. The site o ...
, or 'the pavement' described in the Bible as the location of Pilate's judgment of Jesus.
Archaeological studies have confirmed that
an arch at these two traditional stations was built by Hadrian as the triple-arched gateway of the eastern of two
forums.
Prior to Hadrian's construction, the area had been a large open-air pool of water, the
Struthion Pool mentioned by
Josephus
Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for ''The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly d ...
.
When later building works narrowed the Via Dolorosa, the two arches on either side of the central arch became incorporated into a succession of buildings; the Church of Ecce Homo now preserves the northern arch.
The three northern churches were gradually built after the site was partially acquired in 1857 by
Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne
image:Alphonse Ratisbonne 1865.jpg, Father Ratisbonne in 1865
Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, Congregation of Our Lady of Sion, N.D.S., (1 May 1814, Strasbourg, Alsace, France – 6 May 1884, Ein Karem, Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire) was a ...
, a
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
who intended to use it as a base for proselytizing the Jews. The most recent church of the three—the Church of the Flagellation—was built during the 1920s; above the high altar, under the central dome, is a mosaic on a golden ground showing ''The Crown of Thorns Pierced by Stars'', and the church also contains modern stained-glass windows depicting ''
Christ Scourged at the Pillar'', ''Pilate Washing his Hands'', and the ''Freeing of
Barabbas
Barabbas (; ) was, according to the New Testament, a prisoner who was chosen over Jesus by the crowd in Jerusalem to be pardoned and released by Roman governor Pontius Pilate at the Passover feast.
Biblical account
According to all four canoni ...
''. The Convent, which includes the Church of Ecce Homo, was the first part of the complex to be built, and contains the most extensive archaeological remains. Prior to Ratisbonne's purchase, the site had lain in ruins for many centuries; the
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
had previously constructed a set of buildings here, but they were later abandoned.
The three falls: stations three, seven, and nine
![Jerusalem - Via Dolorosa Station III](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Jerusalem_-_Via_Dolorosa_Station_III.jpg)
Christian tradition holds that Jesus stumbled three times during his walk along the route;
this belief is currently manifested in the identification of the three stations at which these falls occurred. Tradition holds that
Mary, the mother of Jesus
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
, set up stone markers at her home outside Jerusalem to retrace the steps of her son’s
Passion, but the origin of the devotion in its present form is not clear.
The first fall is represented by the current third station, located at the west end of the eastern fraction of the Via Dolorosa, adjacent to the 19th-century ''Polish Catholic Chapel''; this chapel was constructed by the
Armenian Catholics
, native_name_lang = hy
, image = St Elie - St Gregory Armenian Catholic Cathedral.jpg
, imagewidth = 260px
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Saint Elias and Saint Gregory the Illumina ...
. The 1947–48 renovations, to the 19th-century chapel, were carried out with the aid of a large financial grant from the
Polish army
The Land Forces () are the land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 62,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military history stre ...
. The site was previously one of the city's
Turkish bath
A hammam ( ar, حمّام, translit=ḥammām, tr, hamam) or Turkish bath is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited ...
s.
The second fall is represented by the current seventh station, located at a major crossroad junction, adjacent to a Franciscan chapel, built in 1875. In Hadrian's era, this was the junction of the main cardo (north-south road), with the decumanus (east-west road) which became the Via Dolorosa; the remains of a
tetrapylon
A tetrapylon ( el, τετράπυλον, "four gates"), plural ''tetrapyla'', known in Latin as a ''quadrifrons'' (literally "four fronts") is a type of ancient Roman monument of cubic shape, with a gate on each of the four sides, generally built ...
, which marked this Roman junction, can be seen in the lower level of the Franciscan chapel. Prior to the 16th century, this location was the 8th and last station.
![Christian quarter Jerusalem Crosses](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Christian_quarter_Jerusalem_Crosses.JPG)
The third fall is represented by the current ninth station, which is not actually located on the Via Dolorosa, instead being located at the entrance to the
Ethiopian Orthodox
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church ( am, የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን, ''Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan'') is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. One of the few Chris ...
Monastery and the
Coptic Orthodox
The Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, translit=Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit=the Egyptian Orthodox Church; ar, الكنيسة القبطي ...
''Monastery of
Saint Anthony'', which together form the roof structure of the subterranean ''Chapel of Saint Helena'' in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox churches split in 1959, and prior to that time the monastic buildings were considered a single Monastery. However, in the early 16th century, the third fall was located at the entrance courtyard to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and an engraved stone cross signifying this remains ''in situ''. Prior to the 15th century, the final station was located before this point would have been reached.
The encounters
Four stations commemorate encounters between Jesus and other people, in the city streets.
With Mary, Jesus' mother: fourth station
Christian tradition holds that Mary approached her son during his way of the cross. The fourth station, the location of the
Armenian Catholic
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, commemorates these events; a
lunette
A lunette (French ''lunette'', "little moon") is a half-moon shaped architectural space, variously filled with sculpture, painted, glazed, filled with recessed masonry, or void.
A lunette may also be segmental, and the arch may be an arc take ...
, over the entrance to the chapel, references these events by means of a bas-relief carved by the
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
artist
Zieliensky. The oratory, named ''Our Lady of the Spasm'', was built in 1881, but its
crypt
A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics.
Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...
preserves some archaeological remains from former Byzantine buildings on the site, including a mosaic floor.
With Simon of Cyrene: fifth station
![Jerusalem Via Dolorosa BW 13](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Jerusalem_Via_Dolorosa_BW_13.JPG)
The fifth station refers to the biblical episode in which
Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene (, Standard Hebrew ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian Hebrew ''Šimʿôn''; , ''Simōn Kyrēnaios''; ) was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three ...
takes Jesus' cross, and carries it for him. This narrative is included in the three
Synoptic Gospels
The gospels of Gospel of Matthew, Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Mark, and Gospel of Luke, Luke are referred to as the synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar or sometimes identical ...
. The current traditional site for the station is located at the east end of the western fraction of the Via Dolorosa, adjacent to the
Chapel of Simon of Cyrene
The Chapel of Simon of Cyrene is a Catholic chapel belonging to the Franciscans in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The place marks the fifth station of Via Dolorosa, and refers to the biblical episode in which Simon of Cyrene takes Jesus' cross, and c ...
, a
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
construction built in 1895. An inscription, in the
architrave
In classical architecture, an architrave (; from it, architrave "chief beam", also called an epistyle; from Greek ἐπίστυλον ''epistylon'' "door frame") is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of columns.
The term can ...
of one of the Chapel doors, references the Synoptic events.
Prior to the 15th century, this location was instead considered to be the ''House of the Poor Man'', and honoured as the fifth station for that reason;
[Dave Winter, ''Israel Handbook'', p. 126] the name refers to the Lukan tale of
Lazarus and Dives
The rich man and Lazarus (also called the parable of Dives and Lazarus or Lazarus and Dives) is a parable of Jesus from the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Speaking to his disciples and some Pharisees, Jesus tells of an unnamed rich man a ...
, this Lazarus being a beggar, and ''Dives'' being the Latin word for ''
ne who is
NE, Ne or ne may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Neutral Evil, an alignment in the American role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''
* New Edition, an American vocal group
* Nicomachean Ethics, a collection of ten books by Greek philosopher A ...
Rich''. Adjacent to the alleged ''House of the Poor Man'' is an arch over the road; the house on the arch was thought to be the corresponding ''House of the Rich Man''.
The houses in question, however, only date to the Middle Ages, and the narrative of Lazarus and Dives is now widely held to be a
parable
A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, w ...
.
With Veronica: sixth station
![Assisi frescoes detail pietro lorenzetti 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Assisi_frescoes_detail_pietro_lorenzetti_2.jpg)
A medieval Roman Catholic legend viewed a specific piece of cloth, known as the ''
Veil of Veronica
The Veil of Veronica, or (Latin for sweat-cloth), also known as the Vernicle and often called simply the Veronica, is a Christian relic consisting of a piece of cloth said to bear an image of the Holy Face of Jesus produced by other than huma ...
'', as having been supernaturally imprinted with Jesus' image, by physical contact with Jesus' face. By
metathesis of the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
words ''vera icon'' (meaning ''true image'') into ''Veronica'', it came to be said that the ''Veil of Veronica'' had gained its image when a ''
Saint Veronica
Saint Veronica, also known as Berenike, was a woman from Jerusalem who lived in the 1st century AD, according to extra-biblical Christian sacred tradition. A celebrated saint in many pious Christian countries, the 17th-century ''Acta Sanctorum' ...
'' encountered Jesus, and wiped the sweat from his face with the cloth; no element of this legend is present in the Bible, although the similar ''
Image of Edessa
According to Christian tradition, the Image of Edessa was a holy relic consisting of a square or rectangle of cloth upon which a miraculous image of the face of Jesus had been imprinted—the first icon ("image"). The image is also known as the M ...
'' is mentioned in ''The Epistles of Jesus Christ and Abgarus King of Edessa'', a late piece of
New Testament apocrypha
The New Testament apocrypha (singular apocryphon) are a number of writings by early Christians that give accounts of Jesus and his teachings, the nature of God, or the teachings of his apostles and of their lives. Some of these writings were cit ...
. The ''Veil of Veronica'' relates to a pre-Crucifixion image, and is distinct from the post-Crucifixion
Holy Face
The Holy Face of Jesus is a title for specific images which some Catholics believe to be miraculously formed representations of the face of Jesus Christ. The image obtained from the Shroud of Turin is associated with a specific medal worn by som ...
image, often related to the
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin ( it, Sindone di Torino), also known as the Holy Shroud ( it, Sacra Sindone, links=no or ), is a length of linen cloth bearing the negative image of a man. Some describe the image as depicting Jesus of Nazareth and bel ...
.
The current sixth station of the Via Dolorosa commemorates this moment when a woman is said to have wiped the sweat from Jesus' face with a cloth. The location was identified as the site of the encounter in the 19th century; in 1883, Greek Roman Catholics purchased the 12th-century ruins at the location, and built the Church of the Holy Face and Saint Veronica on them, claiming that Veronica had encountered Jesus outside her own house, and that the house had formerly been positioned at this spot. The church includes some of the remains of the 12th-century buildings which had formerly been on the site, including arches from the Crusader-built Monastery of
Saint Cosmas. The present building is administered by the
Little Sisters of Jesus
The Little Sisters of Jesus are a community of Catholic religious sisters inspired by the life and writings of Charles de Foucauld, founded by Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus (Madeleine Hutin).
Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus 1898 - 1989 ...
, and is not generally open to the public.
With Pious Women: eighth station
The Eighth station commemorates an episode described by the
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
, alone among the canonical gospels, in which Jesus encounters ''pious women'' on his journey, and is able to stop and speak to them. However, prior to the 15th century the final station in Jesus' walk was believed to occur at a point earlier on the Via Dolorosa, before this location would have been reached. The present eighth station is adjacent to the
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...
''Monastery of Saint
Charalampus
Saint Charalampos ( grc, Ἅγιος Χαράλαμπος) (also variously Charalampas, Charalampus, Charalambos, Haralampus, Haralampos, Haralabos or Haralambos) was an early Christian priest in Magnesia on the Maeander, a city in Asia Minor, i ...
''; it is marked by the letters ''IC XC / Nika'' carved into the wall, and an embossed cross.
Modern processions
Each Friday, a Roman Catholic procession walks the Via Dolorosa route, starting out at the monastic complex by the first station; the procession is organized by the Franciscans of this monastery, who also lead the procession. Acted re-enactments also regularly take place on the route, ranging from amateur productions with, for example, soldiers wearing plastic helmets and vivid red polyester wraps, to more professional drama with historically accurate clothing and props.
The seat of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem is located on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. At the entrance of the Patriarchate is a column with a cross on it, marking the 9th Station of the Via Dolorosa. In 1980
Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
Pope Shenouda III (; cop, Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲅ̅ '; ar, بابا الإسكندرية شنودة الثالث '; 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012) was the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See ...
(3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012) had forbidden Coptic faithful from traveling to Jerusalem on pilgrimage until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was resolved. However, despite the ban, dozens of Coptic pilgrims travel to Jerusalem every year, especially during the Easter holidays.
Kissab, Bisan. "Coptic Church: No Pilgrimage to Jerusalem Before Liberation", ''Al-Akhbar'', April 20, 2012
/ref>
Image gallery of the 14 stations
Geisselungskapelle BW 1.JPG, 1st Station, Jesus is condemned to death
Sculpture at Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross.JPG, 2nd Station, Jesus carries his cross
Chapel in 3rd Station (Via Dolorosa).JPG, 3rd Station, Jesus falls the first time
Chapel in 4th Station (Via Dolorosa).JPG, 4th Station, Jesus meets his mother
Chapel in 5th Station (Via Dolorosa).JPG, 5th Station, Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross
Chapel in 6th Station (Via Dolorosa).JPG, 6th Station, Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Chapel in 7th Station (Via Dolorosa).JPG, 7th Station, Jesus falls the second time
Israel - Jerusalem - The Old City - 117 (4260903445).jpg, 8th Station, Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
Jerusalem Holy Sepulchre BW 22.JPG, 9th Station, Jesus falls the third time
East Jerusalem Batch 1 (888).jpg, 10th Station, Jesus is stripped of his garments
Holy Sepulchre1.jpg, 11th Station, Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
Голгофа.jpg, 12th Station, Jesus dies on the cross
495.Stabat Mater Altar.Golgotha.Church of the Holy Sepulchre.Jerusalem.jpg, 13th Station, Catholic bust of Our Lady of Sorrows
5277-20080123-jerusalem-stone-of-anointing.jpg, alternative 13th Station, Stone of the Anointing
Jerusalem Grabeskirche Innen Grab Jesu 2.JPG, 14th Station, Jesus is laid in the tomb
See also
* Passion of Jesus
In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ.
Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...
References
Sources
*
{{Coord, 31, 46, 45.84, N, 35, 13, 55.46, E, display=title
Streets in Jerusalem
Christianity in Jerusalem
New Testament geography
Christian pilgrimages
Relics associated with Jesus
Stations of the Cross
Christian terminology
Latin place names
Crucifixion of Jesus
Catholic Church in Jerusalem
Church of the Holy Sepulchre