Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross that hang in the nave of St. Mark's during Lent are original wood block prints created by St. Mark's member Charlie Aldrich.  A second set of stations, more abstract in nature, were created by St. Mark's members Marcel  & Stephanie Varoz for Holy Week 2022. Marcel painted with his feet as he contemplated the footsteps of the Passion of Christ, and then Stephanie cut them out and assembled them into crosses.

We invite you to pray the Stations of the Cross as part of your personal Lenten Journey, in person at St. Mark's, or online using the prayers, images, and recordings on this page.  

​Prayer Notes:  The text of a short prayer is offered above each image.  An audio recording of a more extensive devotion including scriptures and prayers  (in both chant and plain spoken form) is offered below each image.  We offer the prayers in this format to enable you to maintain full visual focus on the images as you pray.  Booklets with the text of these more extensive devotions can be found in the back of the church at St. Mark's, and as digital files to download, below. 

Music Notes: In addition to prayers, we have provided musical recordings to accompany the Stations of the Cross that come from the "Via Crucis: Stations of the Cross", by Franz Liszt, performed by the Church of the Holy Ghost Choir.  The musical recording that accompanies the Angelus comes from "A Day in the Cloister" by the Daughters of Mary Mother of our Savior.  Both albums are available for purchase on Itunes. 
*Note: The PDF file above is designed for printing as a double sided booklet...it is not formatted for easy reading online.  If you are praying online, it is best to pray without the printed text, relying on the images and audio recordings instead. 

Opening Prayers

First Station: Jesus is condemned to death

Condemned Lord Jesus, draw us closer to you in your passion, that we may
walk the way of your cross in love, trusting only in your mercy.

Second Station: Jesus takes up his Cross

Jesus, tortured servant, may the isolation of your cross draw us from the
isolation of sin into the redeeming community of your forgiving love.

Third Station: Jesus falls for the first time

Fallen Jesus, lift us from our doubts and fear of weakness to a hope that reveals its strength in vulnerable service.

Fourth Station: Jesus meets his afflicted mother

Jesus, Son of Mary, in the midst of our disappointments and failures, help us to measure the success of our dreams by the example of your compassion.

Fifth Station: The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene

Helpless Jesus, destroy our defenses against your love, open our eyes to the grace of your presence, and free us for your service.

Sixth Station: A woman wipes the face of Jesus

Suffering Jesus, by your love, transform our fear of pain and rejection into a  willingness to risk ourselves in order to find you in all others.

Seventh Station: Jesus falls a second time

Jesus, fallen servant of God, touch our hardened hearts by your mercy, that we may accept your forgiveness for sins we so fear to confess. Love us, loveless though we be!

Eighth Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

Jesus, witness of the kingdom, free us from the blindness of delusions and despair, and give us a true vision of hope in God's saving will.

Ninth Station: Jesus falls a third time

Torn and weary Jesus, by your exhaustion, call us to the depths of suffering with you, and give us your strength for all this life's battles with evil.

Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments

Naked Jesus, strip us of our sin and shame, clothe us with your new righteousness of grace, and make us thankful for your love.

Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Crucified Jesus, crucify in us all that would separate us from you, that our lives may be shaped and molded by your offering on the cross and by the demands of your love.

Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the Cross

Lord God, do not abandon us in our self-destructive alienation from you. May the work of your Son finished on the cross bring us a new life of self-offering love.

Thirteenth Station: The body of Jesus is placed in the arms of his mother

Holy God, Holy and Immortal One, we grieve at the death of Jesus. We bring all of our griefs to bury with him. Free us both to grieve and let go of  grief in your presence.

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

Holy God, send your Spirit of patient love, that we may not fear the isolation of death and burial more than we hope in your promises of life and resurrection.

Concluding Prayers

The Angelus
English

℣. The Angel of the LORD declared unto Mary,
℟. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

℣. Behold the handmaid of the LORD.
℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
​
℣. And the Word was made flesh.
℟. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

℣. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
℟. That we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
​
Let us pray,
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O LORD, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen
Latin

℣. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ,
℟. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. * Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.

℣. Ecce ancilla Domini.
℟. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. * Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.

℣. Et Verbum caro factum est.
℟. Et habitavit in nobis.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. * Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.

℣. Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genetrix.
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
​
Oremus.
Gratiam tuam, quæsumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde; ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem eius et Crucem ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟: Amen.
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