Overview

In 1959 the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto commissioned Donald De Lue, a New York sculptor, to design and create the chapel’s 14 Stations of the Cross. Each Station is 36”x 30” in size and carved in rose marble. De Lue sculpted each one to include a woman in either the foreground or background of the design.

Stations of the Cross History

The Stations of the Cross, also called the Way of the Cross, can be traced back to the 3rd century when believers were first able to safely travel to Jerusalem on spiritual pilgrimages. Those visiting eventually began to travel a fixed route, and stops along the way were developed to memorialize the significant events which took place as Jesus made his way to Calvary. Each station corresponds to a scene from Christ’s final hours as he made his way along the Via Dolorosa, culminating in his crucifixion and subsequent interment in the tomb.

Over the years re-creations of what the pilgrims had experienced began to emerge in Europe. Following the Crusades (1095-1270), pilgrimages to the Holy Land were too dangerous and as a result these re-creations became a popular substitute for the pilgrimage experience.

• Custody of the Holy Sites was given to the Franciscans in the 1300’s and devotion to the Way of the Cross within the church began in earnest
• In the mid-18th century the Stations were allowed inside church buildings and eventually, fixed at 14 individual stations, they then became a familiar feature in all Catholic churches
• Some Protestant denominations, especially those belonging to the Episcopal or Lutheran denominations, have made the Stations of the Cross part of their liturgical practices
• Many Protestant churches are rediscovering the significance of the Stations and as a result this ancient form of Christian devotion is increasingly used in worship services, particularly on Good Friday or in combination with a Holy Week service

The pilgrimage is traditionally conducted alone, making one’s way from one station to another while meditating and saying prayers, or by having an officiant move from one station to the other while those participating follow through responsive prayer. The Stations of the Cross have been and remain a powerful means of worship and spiritual devotion to Christians around the world.