+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Grant, we beseech thee Almighty God, that we may now in spirit follow our Lord along the Way of Sorrows; and, seeing His sufferings for us, may be so filled with contrition and repentance, and increased in true faith, hope and love, that we may be ready to meet with quiet confidence all sufferings and humiliations of this our earthly pilgrimage; and finally, by thy mercy, may obtain life everlasting: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

V. Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Christ, have mercy upon us.
V. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

V. We will glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. In whom is our salvation, our life and resurrection.

Act of Contrition

O God, we love thee with our whole hearts and above all things and are heartily sorry that we have offended thee. May we never offend thee any more. O may we love thee without ceasing, and make it our delight to do in all things thy most holy will.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Trisagion
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.

First Station +

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Jesus is Condemned to Death

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

When the morning is come, the chief priests and elders of the people take counsel against Jesus to put Him to death. And binding Him, they take Him away and deliver Him to Pilate, the governor. Pilate knows Him to be innocent, but that he may retain the favor of men, he condemns Jesus to the death of the Cross, and delivers Him to them to be crucified. (Matthew 27:1)

V. God spared not His own Son:
R. But delivered Him up for us all.

Let us pray: O Innocent Jesus, who didst accept the sentence of death for us because of our sins; make us to remember that our sins and evil words and thoughts are the false witnesses which condemned thee to death. O may we never again offend thee for fear of men, but rather bear the condemnation of the whole world than be condemned by thee in the Day of Judgment. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Second Station +

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Jesus receives the Cross

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

They take Jesus and lead Him away. And He, bearing His Cross, goes forth into a place called The Place of the Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.

Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.

(John 19:16, Isaiah 53:4)

V. The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
R. For the transgressions of my people was he stricken.

Let us pray.

O Lord, Jesus Christ, who hast said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light;" grant that, as thou didst bear thy Cross willingly for love of us, so we may bear our crosses for love of thee; and give us grace not to make thy Cross heavier by new sins; but save us by thy Cross and Passion. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Third Station +

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Jesus falls the first time

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Behold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him...He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth.

And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Isaiah 42:1, Philippians 2:9)

V. Surely He hath borne our griefs.
R. And hath carried our sorrows.

Let us pray:

O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright; grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Fourth Station +

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Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

What thing shall I liken to thee, O Daughter of Jerusalem; what shall I equal to thee that I may comfort thee, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee? Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

(Lam. 2:13, Jer. 31:16, Matthew 5:4)

V. A sword shall pierce through thy own soul.
R. That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Let us pray:

O God, who willed that in the passion of thy Son a sword of grief should pierce the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary his mother: Mercifully grant that thy Church, having shared with her in His passion, may be made worthy to share in the joys of his resurrection; who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Fifth Station +

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The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

And they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country; and on him they laid the Cross that he might bear it after Jesus. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

(Luke 23:26, Matt 16:24, Matt 11:29)

V. Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after Me
R. Cannot be my disciple.

Let us pray:

O God, whose blessed Son did overcome death for our salvation: mercifully grant that we, who have His glorious Passion in remembrance, may take up our cross daily and follow Him; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Sixth Station +

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Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

When we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed Him not. His visage was so marred, more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men. Yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:3, 52:14, 53:4)

V. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts:
R. Show us the light of thy countenance, and we shall be saved.

Let us pray:

O God, who before the passion of thine only-begotten Son didst reveal his glory upon the holy mount: Grant unto us thy servants, that in faith beholding the light of his countenance, we may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Seventh Station +

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Jesus Falls the Second Time

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:4, 6-7, 10-11)

V. But I am a worm and no man:
R. A reproach of men and despised of the people.

Let us pray:

O God, whose only-begotten Son did by his longsuffering tread under foot the pride of the enemy of mankind; grant us, we pray thee, so rightly to call to mind the sufferings which he of his great goodness bore for our sakes; that after his example we may patiently endure all our troubles and adversities. Through the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Eighth Station +

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Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning unto them said, ÒDaughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.Ó

I will turn their mourning into joy, and I will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. (Luke 23:27, Jeremiah 31:13)

V. They that sow in tears:
R. Shall reap in joy.

Let us pray:

Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Ninth Station +

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Jesus Falls the Third Time

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He hath led me and brought me into darkness, but not into the light. He hath set me in dark places as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: He hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, He shutteth out my prayer. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath covered me with ashes. And I said, "My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:" remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. (Lamentations 3:1-2, 6-7, 8, 15-19)

V. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter
R. And as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.

Let us pray:

Keep, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy; and, because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Tenth Station +

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Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip and shake the head saying, "He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him if He delight in Him."

And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink it. And they parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.

(Ps. 22:7-8, Matthew 27:33-35)

V. They parted my garments among them
R. And upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Let us pray:

O Lord God, whose blessed Son, our Savior, gave his back to the smiters and hid not his face from shame and spitting: Grant us grace to take joyfully the sufferings of the present time, in full assurance of the glory that shall be revealed; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Eleventh Station +

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Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken.

He was numbered with the transgressors: and He bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

(Luke 32:33, Isaiah 53:8,12)

V. They pierced my hands and my feet
R. I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me.

Let us pray:

O God, who by the passion of thy blessed Son hast made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life and peace: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of the same, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Twelfth Station +

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Jesus Dies on the Cross

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, "Woman, behold thy son!" Then saith He to the disciple, "Behold thy mother." And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." and having said thus, He gave up the ghost. (John 19:25-27 Luke 23:44-46)

V. Christ for our sake became obedient unto death:
R. Even the death of the Cross.

Let us pray:

Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hath sent thy Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the Cross, that all mankind should follow the example of His great humility; mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of His patience and also be made partakers of His resurrection. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Thirteenth Station +

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Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

V. We adore thee, O Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the Body to be delivered.

And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.

Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.

Matt 27:57-58, Isaiah 53:9, Lamentations 1:12

V. She weepeth sore in the night and her tears are on her cheeks:
R. And she hath none to comfort her.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death didst take away the sting of death: Grant to us, thy servants, so to follow in faith where thou hast led the way, that we may at length peacefully fall asleep in thee and awaken in thy likeness; through thy mercy, who livest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Fourteenth Station +

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Jesus is laid in the Sepulcher

We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee:
Because by thy holy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in linen and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone wherein never man before was laid. And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee followed after and beheld the sepulcher and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

Matthew 27:59, Luke 23: 50-56

V. Thou wilt not abandon me to the grave:
R. Nor let thy holy One see corruption.

Let us pray.

Grant, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy Blessed Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, so we may be buried with Him by dying daily to sin; that through the grave and gate of death, we may pass with Him to our joyful resurrection; for the merit of Him who died, and was buried and rose again for us, the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of contrition, etc.

Concluding Prayers before the Altar

By thine agony and bloody sweat
Good Lord, deliver us.
By thy Cross and Passion
Good Lord, deliver us.
By thy precious death and burial
Good Lord, deliver us.
By thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension
Good Lord, deliver us.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the Cross; Who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Unto the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity; Unto the crucified Humanity of Jesus Christ the Lord; Unto the fruitful virginity of the most blessed and glorious Ever Virgin Mary; And unto the whole company of Saints: Be never-ending praise, honor, power and glory from every creature. And unto us the remission of all sins, Throughout all ages, world without end.

Amen.