Via Crucis on Sundays of Lent
Date: April 12, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: What is the position of the universal Church or the Dicastery for Divine Worship on this pastoral experience: Is it good to have Stations of the Cross on Sundays during Lent? If so, why? — P.O., Humboldt, Saskatchewan
Answer: The Way of the Cross, or Via Crucis, is a kind of spiritual pilgrimage to accompany Christ as he moves through his passion.
Although traditionally they begin with Christ’s condemnation by Pilate, these are not mandated by law, and many other versions have been proposed and used. Popes have used several times a series of biblically based stations beginning with the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. In some places the custom has also arisen of adding a Fifteenth Station meditating on the Resurrection.
There are two principal ecclesial documents relating to the external form of the Way of the Cross. One is the Enchiridion of Indulgences, No. 63, which determines the minimum requirements for obtaining a plenary indulgence related to this practice.
Thus, to obtain this indulgence the exercise must be fulfilled before legitimately erected stations. For the legitimate erection of the Via Crucis, 14 crosses are needed, to which may be added images or sculptures that represent the station.
The pious exercise consists of 14 pious readings to which are added some vocal prayers. All that is required is a meditation on the Lord's passion and death without having to make a particular consideration of each station.
It is necessary to move from one station to the next. But if the stations are done in a large group where moving is difficult, it is sufficient for at least the guide to move from station to station.
The faithful who are legitimately impeded from making the stations may gain the same indulgence by dedicating about 15 minutes to meditating and spiritual reading on the Passion.
Because of this, a group could make a legitimate Way of the Cross outside even without having legitimately erected crosses, provided that the exercise lasted more than 15 minutes.
The other document, which is more developed, is the 2001 Directory for Popular Piety and the Liturgy from the Congregation for Divine Worship. It has the following to say regarding the Via Crucis:
“131. Of all the pious exercises connected with the veneration of the Cross, none is more popular among the faithful than the Via Crucis. Through this pious exercise, the faithful movingly follow the final earthly journey of Christ: from the Mount of Olives, where the Lord, 'in a small estate called Gethsemane' (Mk 14, 32), was taken by anguish (cf. Lk 22, 44), to Calvary where he was crucified between two thieves (cf. Lk 23, 33), to the garden where he was placed in freshly hewn tomb (John 19, 40-42).
“The love of the Christian faithful for this devotion is amply attested by the numerous Via Crucis erected in so many churches, shrines, cloisters, in the countryside, and on mountain pathways where the various stations are very evocative.
“132. The Via Crucis is a synthesis of various devotions that have arisen since the high middle ages: the pilgrimage to the Holy Land during which the faithful devoutly visit the places associated with the Lord's Passion; devotion to the three falls of Christ under the weight of the Cross; devotion to 'the dolorous journey of Christ' which consisted in processing from one church to another in memory of Christ's Passion; devotion to the stations of Christ, those places where Christ stopped on his journey to Calvary because obliged to do so by his executioners or exhausted by fatigue, or because moved by compassion to dialogue with those who were present at his Passion.
“In its present form, the Via Crucis, widely promoted by St. Leonardo da Porto Maurizio (+1751), was approved by the Apostolic See and indulgenced, consists of fourteen stations since the middle of seventeenth century.
“133. The Via Crucis is a journey made in the Holy Spirit, that divine fire which burned in the heart of Jesus (cf. Lk 12, 49-50) and brought him to Calvary. This is a journey well esteemed by the Church since it has retained a living memory of the words and gestures of the final earthly days of her Spouse and Lord.
“In the Via Crucis, various strands of Christian piety coalesce: the idea of life being a journey or pilgrimage; as a passage from earthly exile to our true home in Heaven; the deep desire to be conformed to the Passion of Christ; the demands of following Christ, which imply that his disciples must follow behind the Master, daily carrying their own crosses (cf Lk 9, 23).
“The Via Crucis is a particularly apt pious exercise for Lent.
“134. The following may prove useful suggestions for a fruitful celebration of the Via Crucis:
“-- the traditional form of the Via Crucis, with its fourteen stations, is to be retained as the typical form of this pious exercise; from time to time, however, as the occasion warrants, one or other of the traditional stations might possibly be substituted with a reflection on some other aspects of the Gospel account of the journey to Calvary which are traditionally included in the Stations of the Cross;
“-- alternative forms of the Via Crucis have been approved by Apostolic See or publicly used by the Roman Pontiff: these can be regarded as genuine forms of the devotion and may be used as occasion might warrant;
“-- the Via Crucis is a pious devotion connected with the Passion of Christ; it should conclude, however, in such fashion as to leave the faithful with a sense of expectation of the resurrection in faith and hope; following the example of the Via Crucis in Jerusalem which ends with a station at the Anastasis, the celebration could end with a commemoration of the Lord's resurrection.
“135. Innumerable texts exist for the celebration of the Via Crucis. Many of them were compiled by pastors who were sincerely interested in this pious exercise and convinced of its spiritual effectiveness. Texts have also been provided by lay authors who were known for their exemplary piety, holiness of life, doctrine and literary qualities.
“Bearing in mind whatever instructions might have been established by the bishops in the matter, the choice of texts for the Via Crucis should take account of the condition of those participating in its celebration and the wise pastoral principle of integrating renewal and continuity. It is always preferable to choose texts resonant with the biblical narrative and written in a clear simple style.
“The Via Crucis in which hymns, silence, procession and reflective pauses are wisely integrated in a balanced manner, contribute significantly to obtaining the spiritual fruits of the pious exercise.”
In the light of the above, there does not seem to be any official discouragement to celebrating the Way of the Cross on a Sunday of Lent, whether in community or privately.
At the same time, it is a widespread and indeed almost universal custom to convoke the community for the Via Crucis on the Fridays of Lent rather than on other days.
It could happen that due to a parish’s isolation, or the scarcity of ministers, Sunday is the only available day, and the pastors desire to offer this pious exercise during the Lenten season.
Although it might seem to some that it is a contradiction to recall the Passion on the day dedicated to the resurrection, we could reflect that the Mass embraces the totality of the Paschal Mystery and not just the Lord’s resurrection. We are also dealing with a pious exercise whose aim is to foment contemplation and prayer in preparation for the Easter celebration.
That said, if a public Via Crucis were to be celebrated on a Sunday for pastoral reasons, it is probably a good idea to add the contemplation of the resurrection as a conclusive Fifteenth Station.
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