Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. For Christians, the "Son of God" gave us all freedom from the chains of death by his resurection. In memory of Jesus Christ, Christian pilgrims from all over the world walk the Via Dolorosa in Old Jerusalem, from Antonia, Pontius Pilate's seat of government, to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, built on Golgotha, the "hill of the Skull." The route that it is thought Jesus traveled as He bore his cross is called, "The Via Dolorosa" or "Way of Sorrow." There are fourteen stops on the Via Dolorosa, known as, the "Fourteen Stations Of The Cross." The Fourteen Stations of the Cross in the Old City of Jerusalem are as follow: First Station: (Mt 27:11-24; Mk 15:1-15; Lk 23:1-25; John 18:28-19:16). Under pressure from the High Priests and the crowd, Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion, then washes his hands of the matter. Second Station: After flagellation Jesus is crowned with thorns and clothed in a scarlet robe as a mark of derision, by the soldiers, who along with crowd, mocked Jesus as the "king of the Jews". Jesus then begins his walk to the place of his execution, outside the city gates. Near the Second Station of the Cross is the Convent of the Sisters of Zion, where a flight of steps descends about seven feet below the present street level to a section of paving stones that for years have been shown to visitors as the "stone pavement" or "Lithostratos" mentioned in John 19:13 where Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilate. However, the stone pavement did not exist in Jesus' time. Archaeological studies have shown the pavement to be part of a second century A.D. marketplace dating it over a hundred years after Jesus was crucified. Third Station: Jesus falls down for the first time. Fourth Station: Jesus sees his mother. Fifth Station: (Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26) Simon of Cryene helps Jesus to carry His cross; a gesture symbolizing the Christian conviction, "Thy brother is Christ". Sixth Station: ( A tradition dating from the 14th century. ) Veronica wipes the sweat of blood from Jesus' face. Seventh Station: Jesus falls down a second time. Eighth Station: (Lk 23:27-31). Jesus gives advice to the women of Jerusalem. "Do not cry for Me, cry rather for yourselves and your children." Ninth Station: Jesus falls down a third time. Tenth Station: (Mt 27: 35.) Jesus is striped of his clothes. Then Jesus speaks to his father as was said in Psalms - "You wanted neither sacrifice nor obligation, you gave me one body, you did not agree on either holocaust or sacrifice, so I said, 'Here I am I come...'in order that thy will be done O lord." Eleventh Station: Jesus is placed on the cross. Twelfth Station: (Mk 15:34) Jesus then freely gives up his life. Jesus cried out: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?". Then "Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up his ghost". Thirteenth Station: Jesus, is brought down from the cross and placed in his mother's arms. Fourteenth Station: (Mk 15:46) Jesus is then placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea, Then the tomb was closed with a stone rolled across the opening, and Roman soldiers were ordered to guard the tomb. (Mt 27: 57. 60. 64.) For many of the Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem, the most important and meaningful thing they will do, while in the city, is to walk the "Via Dolorosa." A weekly procession along the "Via Dolorosa" is led by Franciscans. It starts at 3:00 pm on Fridays, which is about the same time and day of the original events. The procession begins at the Pilgrims' Reception Center, about 1,000 feet inside of the Lions' Gate in the Muslim Quarter. A most popular time to follow the "Via Dolorosa" is during Holy Week, when thousands of pilgrims, led by Franciscans, follow the route to the crucifixion. After all of this is said; very strong evidence shows that the streets of the Via Dolorosa were never traversed by Jesus. The roads of the Old City of Jerusalem follow the line (but at a level some ten to fifteen feet higher) of the ancient town built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian after 135 AD – a century too late for any Christian Messiah to have actually walked on the Via Dolorosa. This statement does not even imply that the events in Christs ministry did not happen. They just did not happen on the Via Dolorosa. When pressed, even the tour guides will admit so. Several of the events that are said to have happened on the Via Dolorosa also are not mentioned at all in the Bible. They are said to have happened by tradition, such as at Station Six. We have placed Bible references at the stations where the events are described in the Bible. Any informed Christian could easilly agree though, that while the Via Dolorosa and its fourteen stations are not historically correct; they are highly symbolic of the undeniable truth. As we left the area we went to "The Church Of All Nations", which is located in Gethsemane. We have included a few photos of that place on this page.
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| Walking The Via Dolorosa | Walking The Via Dolorosa |
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| Walking The Via Dolorosa | Walking The Via Dolorosa |
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| Second Station Of The Cross Ecce Homo Arch, Where Pilot Presented Jesus To The Crowd | |
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| Second Station Of The Cross Ecce Homo Arch, Where Pilot Presented Jesus To The Crowd | Ancient Roman Games At Station Two |
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| Convent Of The Sisters Of Zion Floor That Christ Walked | Convent Of The Sisters Of Zion Floor That Christ Walked |
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| Into The Arab Market The Souk | Into The Arab Market The Souk |
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| The Arab Market The Souk | The Arab Market The Souk |
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| The Arab Market The Souk | The Arab Market The Souk |
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| Fourth Station Of The Cross | Fourth Station Of The Cross |
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| Fifth Station of The Cross | The Arab Market The Souk Off Of Via Dolorosa Market |
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| Eighth Station Of The Cross | Eighth Station Of The Cross |
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| Entrance To The Greek Orthodox Patriachate With The Ninth Station Of The Cross Painted On A Pillar To The Left | Ninth Station Of The Cross Painted On A Pillar |
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| Ethiopian Monastery Built On The Roof Of The Church Of Holy Sepulchre The Bell - Tower Is The Lutheran Church Of The Redeemer | Ethiopian Monastery Built On The Roof Of The Church Of Holy Sepulchre The Bell - Tower Is The Lutheran Church Of The Redeemer |
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| Church of Holy Sepulchre | Church of Holy Sepulchre |
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| Stone Of Anointing (Unction) Mozaic | Stone Of Anointing (Unction) Mozaic |
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| Stone Of Anointing (Unction) Mozaic | Stone Of Anointing (Unction) Mozaic |
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| Stone Of Anointing (Unction) | Church of Holy Sepulchre |
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| Church of Holy Sepulchre | Church of Holy Sepulchre |
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| The Church Of All Nations Located In Gethsemane | The Church Of All Nations Located In Gethsemane |
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| The Church Of All Nations Located In Gethsemane Maria Magdalena Church In Background | Mount Of Olives Maria Magdalena Church |
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