The Story of the Cross by Mary Joscelin

This book about the Stations of the Cross for children is available from us.

In most Catholic (and a few Anglican) churches a series of fourteen pictures or carvings can be found around the inside walls. Many churches add a fifteenth picture.

These show traditional stages of Jesus’ journey to his death. They are known as the ‘stations of the cross’.

During Lent, Christians walk around the church to meditate and pray in front of each picture. As they stop in front of each picture in turn, they think about the pain Jesus suffered on their behalf.

Christians believe that Jesus died to take the punishment for all the wrong in the world. The Bible says that everyone who believes in Jesus can go to heaven when they die (John 3 v 16).

The scenes shown on the Stations of The Cross are:

1. Pilate condemns Jesus to death & washes his hands.

2. Jesus is given the cross.

3. Jesus falls under the weight of the cross.

4. Jesus meets his mother, Mary.

5. Simon of Cyrene helps to carry the cross.

6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. *

7. Jesus falls again.

8. Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem.

9. Jesus falls a third time.

10. Jesus is stripped of his clothes.

11. Jesus is nailed to the cross.

12. Jesus dies.

13. Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross.

14. Jesus is buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb.

(15. Jesus is raised from the dead.)

* Up until the 16th C a relic called ‘The Veronica’ (which means ‘true likeness’), was kept in a crystal case in The Vatican. Medieval Christians believed this to be the face of Jesus which had become imprinted onto a cloth when a lady called Veronica had wiped his face while he was carrying his cross. Veronica is not mentioned in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death and she does not appear in the Miracle Maker video which is largely based on Luke’s Gospel.

Eight ‘stations of the cross’ (1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15) are shown at the end of the Miracle Maker video (65.56 mins - onward).

Ask pupils to watch the Roman soldier (who is guarding Jesus) very carefully. Does his opinion of Jesus change?

If possible listen to Bach’s Easter Oratorio. How does the change in the music compare to Mary Magdalene’s feelings over the Easter weekend?