Stations

Stations (Lat. statio), a name applied in the Roman Catholic Church to certain places reputed of special sanctity, which are appointed to be visited as places of prayer. The name is particularly applied in this sense to certain churches in the city of Rome, which, from an early period, have been appointed as churches which the faithful are particularly invited to visit on stated days. The names of these churches are found on the several days in the Roman missal prefixed to the liturgy peculiar to the day. The word, however, is employed in a still more remarkable manner in reference to a very popular and widely-received devotional practice of the Roman Catholic Church, known as that of 'The Stations of the Cross.' This devotion prevails in all Catholic countries; and the traveller often recognises it even at a distance by the emblems which are employed in directing its observance—the lofty 'Calvary' crowning some distant eminence, with a series of fresco-pictures or bas-reliefs arranged at intervals along the line of approach. But the same series of images or pictures is ranged round most Roman Catholic churches, usually starting from one side of the high altar and ending at the other. These representations, the subjects of which are supplied by scenes from the several stages of the Passion of our Lord, are called Stations of the Cross, and the whole series is popularly known as the Via Calvarii, or Way of Calvary. The origin of this devotional exercise, like that of local pilgrimages, is traceable to the difficulty of access to the Holy Places of Palestine, consequent on the Moslem occupation of Jerusalem and the Holy Land; these representations being designed to serve as some analogous incentive to the piety and faith of the Christian worshipper of our Lord in His Passion. The number of the so-called 'stations' is properly fourteen, although in some places fifteen, and in others, as Vienna, only eleven; but, whatever may be their number, the subject of all is a sort of pictorial narrative of the Passion. The devotional exercise itself is performed by kneeling at the several stations in succession, and reciting certain prayers at each. Forms of prayer are prescribed to those who can read. The poor and ignorant recite the Lord's Prayer and Hail, Mary! all being directed to fix their thoughts in grateful memory upon 'the sufferings which each representation describes our Lord as having undergone, in atonement for the sins of mankind.' Many 'indulgences' are granted to those who, having duly repented of their sins, shall piously perform this exercise. One Anglican church at least, that of Frome in Somerset, has sculptured Stations of the Cross.