HOLY Week, which began on Palm Sunday, traces, according to Catholics, the final days of Jesus, from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his Resurrection, forming the foundation of Christian faith.
These days represent supreme sacrifice, the institution of the Eucharist, and victory over sin and death, offering a journey from suffering to hope, culminating in the Resurrection on Sunday, the Gregorian Easter.
One of the experiences many Catholics, 79 percent of the country’s population of nearly 118 million, have during the Holy Week is the “journey to Calvary” – also called “Way of the Cross” or the Via Crucis – a central, prayerful meditation on Jesus’ Passion, especially during Lent and on Good Friday.
The 14 Stations of the Cross are a profound devotion within Christianity, primarily in Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions, that mark the final hours of Jesus Christ’s life, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his entombment.
It is a meditative, spiritual pilgrimage that brings the scenes of the Passion into the modern lives of believers, serving as a powerful, 14-step reflection among devotees from as far north as Batanes to the Christian towns in Muslim-inhabited Mindanao.
Originating from early Christian pilgrims visiting Jerusalem, the Stations allow worshippers to walk the “Way of Sorrows” mentally and prayerfully, even if they cannot travel to the Holy Land.
According to Bible scholars, the spiritual journey allows believers to step beyond being spectators and become companions in Jesus’ passion, making his sacrifice deeply personal – and reflect on his falls and his exhaustion which highlight his human nature, offering comfort to those facing their own “crosses” of pain, loneliness, or injustice.
It also marks a time of repentance, with the devotion a stark reminder of the cost of redemption, encouraging repentance for sins.
It teaches love, perseverance, patience, and humility, as followers learn to carry their own burdens in union with Christ.
Some may ask whether going through the journey is that important.
Ecclesiastics say the Stations of the Cross are considered a vital spiritual practice for many believers, particularly during Holy Week and Lent because the journey allows Christians to encounter the living Jesus and enter the mystery of his Passion, seen as the center of salvation.
It also provides a structure for meditating on personal sins, gratitude for mercy, and the need to “take up your cross daily.”
For many, it is an essential community practice, particularly when done in a procession, connecting them with local church traditions and the universal Church.
Today, in the digital age, there is a 15th station – the Resurrection on Sunday – which is sometimes included to complete the narrative of salvation.
