Praying the Stations of the Cross as a Protestant
A number of years ago, my church home began offering a self-guided walk through the Stations of the Cross. I found it a meaningful experience, and I was glad to discover, when I began attending a new church last year, that they offer a Good Friday tour through the Stations of the Cross. Given this is Good Friday, I may even be at church, praying my way through the Stations, as you read this post.
If you are a Protestant, like me, you might be thinking, Isn’t that a Catholic thing? And yes, historically, it has been embraced most fully by the Catholic Church. But at its heart, the Stations of the Cross is a devotional practice that invites believers to walk—step by step—with Jesus through the final hours of His earthly life. And I believe there’s something profoundly beautiful, profoundly human, in retracing those steps.
Because here’s the truth: the story of the cross is our story too.
What Are the Stations?
The Stations of the Cross are typically a series of 14 reflections or “stations,” each representing a moment from Jesus’ passion—beginning with His condemnation and ending with His burial. Each station calls us to pause, to reflect, to pray.
They are not merely scenes to remember but holy invitations to enter into Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice. They remind us that our Savior didn’t race to Calvary. He walked. Bruised, bleeding, stumbling beneath the weight of the world’s sin—of my sin—He walked that road in love.
Why They Matter to Me
I didn’t discover the Stations until well into my Christian life. But when I did, they captured my heart. Each station became a prayer, a moment of stillness. As I lingered with Jesus in Gethsemane or wept with the women of Jerusalem, my own story began to meet His in new and deeper ways.
I saw my weakness in Peter’s denial. I felt my helplessness in Simon of Cyrene, pressed to carry a burden not his own. I recognized my grief in Mary’s silent vigil. And I found hope in the shadowed tomb, knowing that Resurrection Sunday was coming.
This practice is not about ritual for ritual’s sake. It’s about remembering. It’s about love. It’s about the deep, soul-restoring truth that Jesus endured the cross for us—for you and for me — and He invites us to take up our own crosses and follow Him, even when the road is hard.
Come, Sit with the Savior
Dear friend, if your heart longs to know Jesus more—if you’re weary or wondering, grieving or grateful—come. Walk the road with Him. Sit at His feet. Weep at the cross. Marvel at the love that held Him there.
And when the stone is rolled away and the tomb stands empty on Resurrection Sunday, may you rejoice all the more deeply because you have walked the way of the cross.
In the grip of His grace,
Robin
P.S. Here are the Stations of the Cross and some scriptures to pray as you meditate.
- Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-41)
- Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested (Mark 14:43-46)
- Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71)
- Jesus is denied by Peter (Matthew 26:69-75)
- Jesus is judged by Pilate (Mark 15:1-5, 15)
- Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns (John 19:1-3)
- Jesus takes up his cross (John 19:6, 15-17)
- Jesus is helped by Simon to carry his cross (Mark 15:21)
- Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-31)
- Jesus is crucified (Luke 23:33-34)
- Jesus promises his kingdom to the repentant thief (Luke 23:39-43)
- Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other (John 19:25-27)
- Jesus dies on the cross (Luke 23:44-46)
- Jesus is laid in the tomb (Matthew 27:57-60)
Robin Lee Hatcher
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Thank you for sharing. I have wondered what the Stations of the Cross were. I will keep your list to read and meditate on during Passion Week. Hoping you and your family have a blessed Resurrection Day.
I’m glad it was meaningful for you, Donna. My church did only 12 stations, so different from above. At each of the stations there was the corresponding Scripture to read, a brief meditation, and a prayer.
I was introduced to the stations of the cross over thirty years ago. They are very meaningful to me, too. I think as Protestants we have lost some of the gravity—which leads to the joy—of Holy Week. Our church now does a Tenebrae service on Good Friday. We start and leave in dark and silence. When we arrive at church on Sunday, it will still be dark inside—all the windows covered. Then they remove all those, let the light in, and we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. So glad you shared this for others!
Your Good Friday and Easter morning services sound amazing.
What a wonderful way to spend Good Friday. I’ve never had that opportunity. Thank you for the list of scriptures.
It was lovely, Sunni. Glad I could share.
Beautiful, Robin! Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Betty.