Fourteen Stations of the Cross are mounted along the transept and aisles. In 1921, several parishioners donated, as stations, a set of prints; copies of oil paintings by the artist Fugle, which, over time, became fragile. As a gift to the parish for its Golden Jubilee in 1952, the familiar images were reinterpreted in glittering mosaics (below) by Venetian artisans. The benefactor, Monsignor Herbert Hillenmeyer, hoped that these vivid scenes would "inspire fervent devotion for the Sacred Passion of Our Crucified Savior". First Station - Jesus is condemned to death Pilate said to them, "Then what am I to do with Jesus, the so-called Messiah?" "Crucify him!", they all cried. He said, "Why, what crime has he committed?". But they only shouted the louder, "Crucify him!". At that, he released Barabbas to them. Jesus, however, he first had scourged; then he handed him over to be crucified. (Mt 27: 22-23, 26) Second Station - Jesus receives His Cross The procurator's soldiers took Jesus inside the praetorium and collected the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and wrapped him in a scarlet military cloak. Weaving a crown out of thorns they fixed it on his head, and stuck a reed in his right hand. Then they began to mock him, dropping to their knees before him, saying, "All hail, King of the Jews!". They also spat at him. Afterward they took hold of the reed and kept striking him on the head. Finally, when they had finished making a fool of him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucifixion. (Mt 27: 27-31) Third Station - Jesus falls under the weight of the Cross the first time Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, While we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; But the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all. (Is 53: 4-6) Fourth Station - Jesus meets His Mother Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: "This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed, and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare".... His mother meanwhile pondered all these things in her heart. (Lk 2: 34-35, 51) Fifth Station - Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the Cross As they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon the Cyrenean who was coming in from the fields. They put a crossbeam on Simon's shoulder for him to carry along behind Jesus. A great crowd of people followed him, including women who beat their breasts and lamented over him. (Lk 23: 26-27) Sixth Station - The face of Jesus is wiped by Veronica There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, One of those from whom men hide their faces. (Is 53: 2-3) Seventh Station - Jesus falls the second time I am a man who knows affliction from the rod of his anger, one whom he has led and forced to walk in darkness, not in the light.... He has blocked my ways with fitted stones, and turned my paths aside.... He has broken my teeth with gravel, pressed my face in the dust. (Lam 3: 1-2, 9, 16) Eighth Station - The women of Jerusalem mourn for our Lord Jesus turned to them and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming when they will say, "Happy are the sterile, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed'. Then they will begin saying to the mountains, "Fall on us', and to the hills, "Cover us'. If they do these things in the green wood, what will happen in the dry?". (Lk 23: 28-31) Ninth Station - Jesus falls the third time It is good for a man to bear the yoke from his youth. Let him sit alone and in silence, when it is laid upon him. Let him put his mouth to the dust; there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to be struck, let him be filled with disgrace. For the Lord's rejection does not last forever; Though he punishes, he takes pity, in the abundance of his mercies. (Lam 3: 27-32) Tenth Station - Jesus is stripped of His garments Upon arriving at a site called Golgotha, a name which means Skull Place, they gave him a drink of wine flavoured with gall, which he tasted but refused to drink. When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among them by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. (Mt 27: 33-36) Eleventh Station - Jesus is nailed to the Cross It was about nine in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription proclaiming his offence read: "The King of the Jews". With him they crucified two insurgents, one at his right and one at his left. (Mk 15: 25-27) Twelfth Station - Jesus dies upon the Cross From noon onward, there was darkness over the whole land until midafternoon. Then toward midafternoon Jesus cried out in a loud tone, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?", that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?". This made some of the bystanders who heard it remark, "He is invoking Elijah!". Once again Jesus cried out in a loud voice, and then gave up his spirit. (Mt 27: 45-47, 50) Thirteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the arms of His Blessed Mother The centurion and his men who were keeping watch over Jesus were terror-stricken at seeing the earthquake and all that was happening, and said, "Clearly this was the Son of God!". Many women were present looking on from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to attend to his needs. (Mt 27: 54-55) Fourteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the Sepulchre When evening fell, a wealthy man from Arimathea arrived, Joseph by name. He was another of Jesus' disciples, and had gone to request the body of Jesus. Thereupon Pilate issued an order for its release. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in fresh linen and laid it in his own new tomb which had been hewn from a formation of rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away. (Mt 27: 57-60) Help / Site Map Please send questions, comments, and suggestions about this website to SaintThomasChurch@fuse.net.