Wikipedia's first sentence called it “usually a series of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes”. Today it says “any series of fourteen images depicting jesus christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Series of artistic representations”. It now reads “Series of images”.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross ; in Latin, Via Crucis or Via Dolorosa ) refers to the depiction of the final days (or Passion ) of Jesus , and the Roman Catholic and Anglican devotion commemorating the Passion.1The tradition also exists liturgically in confessional Lutheranism but is only done on Good Friday . The Stations themselves are usually a series of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes: Christ is condemned to death The cross is laid upon him His first fall He meets His Blessed Mother Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross Christ's face is wiped by Veronica His second fall He meets the women of Jerusalem His third fall He is stripped of His garments His crucifixion His death on the cross His body is taken down from the cross His body is laid in the tomb The Stone of the Anointing, believed to be the place where Jesus' body was prepared for burial. Some trace the history of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary visiting the locations of the Passion in Jerusalem , but most trace the beginning of the specific devotion to Saint Francis of Assisi , or at least to the Franciscan tradition. Originally, it was specifically connected to visiting the actual sites in Jerusalem, where Jesus suffered and died. As such a pilgrimage was impossible for many, the stations were erected in the local churches as a way of bringing Jerusalem to the people. The number and names of the stations changed radically at various times in the history of the devotion, though the current list of fourteen stations is now almost universal. Pope John Paul II led an annual public prayer of the Stations of the Cross at the Roman Colosseum on Good Friday . Originally, the Pope himself carried the cross from station to station, but in his last years, he presided over the celebration from a stage on the Palatine Hill , while others carried the cross. Just days prior to his death in 2005 , Pope John Paul II observed the Stations of the Cross from his private chapel in the Vatican . Each year a different person is invited to write the meditation texts for the Stations. Past composers of the Papal Stations include several non-Catholics. In many years, the Stations meditated have not corresponded to the traditional list given above, which led some to speculate that the Pope would change the list. However, the Holy Father himself wrote the texts for the Jubilee year 2000 and used the traditional Stations. Prayer of the Stations of the Cross is connected with a plenary indulgence according to the normal conditions of the Church. To achieve the indulgence, the person praying must walk from station to station, meditating on the Passion . There is no requirement that this meditation be of a certain duration, use specific prayers, or indeed, that the meditation correspond to the stations that are depicted. A validly erected set of the Stations of the Cross should be blessed by a Franciscan , and should include a wooden cross at each station. (Images are optional.) The same indulgence is available to those unable to visit the stations by meditating for 30 minutes on the Passion. The celebration of the Stations of the Cross is especially common on the Fridays of Lent , and especially Good Friday . Community celebrations are usually accompanied by various songs and prayers. Particularly common as musical accompaniment is the sequence Stabat Mater Dolorosa .At the end of each station, the Adoramus Te is sometimes sung. Many advocate today the addition of a 15th station, depicting Christ's Resurrection , so as not to end the devotion on a negative note. Others have begun the practice of the Via Lucis in Eastertide to meditate on the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord.2
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The opening as it stood in 2010 23 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
The 12th Station of the Cross - Jesus dies on the Cross.This particular station is found in St.Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross ; in Latin , Via Crucis ; also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows , or simply, The Way ) refers to the depiction of the final hours (or Passion ) of Jesus , and the devotion commemorating the Passion.The tradition as chapel devotion began with St.Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval period.It is less often observed in the Anglican and Lutheran churches.It may be done at any time, but is most commonly done during the Season of Lent , especially on Good Friday and on Friday evenings during Lent.
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The opening as it stood in 2015 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
The 12th Station of the Cross – Jesus dies on the Cross. Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross ; in Latin , Via Crucis ) refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and also to the prayers Christians say when contemplating those images.Often a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order around a church nave or along a path, and the faithful travel from image to image, in order, stopping at each "station" to say the selected prayers and reflections.This will be done individually or in groups.Occasionally the faithful might say the Stations of the Cross without there being any image, such as when the Pope leads the Stations of the Cross around the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday .This practice is common in Roman Catholic , as well as in a number of Anglican , Lutheran and Methodist churches.The style and form of the stations can vary widely and often reflect the artistic sensibility and spirituality of the time, place and culture of their creation.The stations can consist of small plaques with reliefs or paintings, or of simple crosses with a numeral in the centre.The Stations of the Cross are also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows , or simply, The Way .In Jerusalem, the Via Dolorosa is believed to be the actual path that Jesus walked, and the stations there, the actual places the events occurred.The tradition of moving around the Stations to commemorate the Passion of Christ began with St. Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval period. It is most commonly done during Lent , especially on Good Friday , but it also done on other days as well, especially Wednesdays and Fridays.This tradition began most prominently with St.Francis of Assisi (1182 – 1226) and spread to other churches in the medieval period.It is also observed by a growing number of Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans.It is most commonly done during Lent, especially on Good Friday.Christians in the Twenty-First Century .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 665359670.
The opening as it stood in 2020 10 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Series of artistic representations, depicting Jesus Christ carrying the Cross to his crucifixion For other uses, see Stations of the Cross (disambiguation) . The 12th Station of the Cross: Jesus dies on the Cross – St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa) The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross , also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis , refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers .The stations grew out of imitations of Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary .The object of the stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ .It has become one of the most popular devotions and the stations can be found in many Western Christian churches, including Anglican , Lutheran , Methodist , and Roman Catholic . Commonly, a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order along a path and the faithful travel from image to image, in order, stopping at each station to say the selected prayers and reflections. This will be done individually or in a procession most commonly during Lent , especially on Good Friday , in a spirit of reparation for the sufferings and insults that Jesus endured during his passion.The style, form, and placement of the stations vary widely.The typical stations are small plaques with reliefs or paintings placed around a church nave .Modern minimalist stations can be simple crosses with a numeral in the centre. Occasionally the faithful might say the stations of the cross without there being any image, such as when the pope leads the stations of the cross around the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday. Church of England. 236 . Christians in the Twenty-First Century .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 965098333.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Series of artistic representations, depicting Jesus Christ carrying the Cross to his crucifixion For other uses, see Stations of the Cross (disambiguation) . The 12th Station of the Cross: Jesus dies on the Cross – St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa) The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross , also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis , refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers . The stations grew out of imitations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem , which is a traditional processional route symbolising the path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary . The objective of the stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ . It has become one of the most popular devotions and the stations can be found in many Western Christian churches, including those in the Roman Catholic , Lutheran , Anglican , and Methodist traditions.Commonly, a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order along a path, along which worshippers—individually or in a procession—move in order, stopping at each station to say prayers and engage in reflections associated with that station.These devotions are most common during Lent , especially on Good Friday , and reflect a spirit of reparation for the sufferings and insults that Jesus endured during his passion.As a physical devotion involving standing, kneeling and genuflections, the Stations of the Cross are tied with the Christian themes of repentance and mortification of the flesh . The style, form, and placement of the stations vary widely. The typical stations are small plaques with reliefs or paintings placed around a church nave . Modern minimalist stations can be simple crosses with a numeral in the centre. Occasionally the faithful might say the stations of the cross without there being any image, such as when the pope leads the stations of the cross around the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday. It has become standard for Catholic churches in the United States to mark the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.In addition to Catholics, some Protestant churches, especially those belonging to the Episcopal [i.e., Anglican] or Lutheran denominations, also commemorate the Stations of the Cross as of their Lenten activities.Sermons and Notes of Sermons . Christians in the Twenty-First Century .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1171382352.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion For other uses, see Stations of the Cross (disambiguation) . The 12th Station of the Cross: Jesus dies on the Cross – St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa) The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross , also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis or the Via Dolorosa , are a series of fourteen images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers , These stations are derived from the imitations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem which is a traditional processional route symbolizing the path Jesus walked from Lions' Gate to Mount Calvary . The objective of the stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ . It has become one of the most popular devotions and the stations can be found in many Western Christian churches, including those in the Roman Catholic , Lutheran , Anglican , and Methodist traditions. Commonly, a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order along a path, along which worshippers—individually or in a procession—move in order, stopping at each station to say prayers and engage in reflections associated with that station. These devotions are most common during Lent , especially on Good Friday , and reflect a spirit of reparation for the sufferings and insults that Jesus endured during his passion. As a physical devotion involving standing, kneeling and genuflections, the Stations of the Cross are tied with the Christian themes of repentance and mortification of the flesh . The style, form, and placement of the stations vary widely. The typical stations are small plaques with reliefs or paintings placed around a church nave . Modern minimalist stations can be simple crosses with a numeral in the centre. Occasionally, the faithful might say the stations of the cross without there being any image, such as when the pope leads the stations of the cross around the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday. It has become standard for Catholic churches in the United States to mark the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. In addition to Catholics, some Protestant churches, especially those belonging to the Episcopal [i.e., Anglican] or Lutheran denominations, also commemorate the Stations of the Cross as of their Lenten activities. Sermons and Notes of Sermons . Christians in the Twenty-First Century .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1298300664. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “usually a series of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes”. Today it says “any series of fourteen images depicting jesus christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Series of artistic representations”. It now reads “Series of images”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
usually a series of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes
Now
any series of fourteen images depicting jesus christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
