The Via Dolorosa, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world. On this path, which attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year, you can walk in Jesus’ last path of sorrow, from his place of trial all the way to his tomb. The short, 600 meter/2,000 feet, is a powerful spiritual journey for pilgrims, who can identify with Jesus’ suffering in all 14 stations along the way. Here is our guide for visiting the Via Dolorosa, with the story of all 14 stations on the path.
Via Dolorosa stations
1. The place of the trial
The Roman commissioner, Pontius Pilate, trialed Jesus at the request of the Jews because he proclaimed himself as the Messiah and King of the Jews. He did so in the praetorium, which was in the citadel of Antonia built by Herod. Today, in this location, you will find the Al-Omaria school for Arab children, housed in a Mamluk madrasa from the 14th century.
2. The Church of the Condemnation and the Monastery of the Flagellation
To the east of us is the Monastery of the Flagellation, where Jesus was flogged by the Roman soldiers. The church was built in 1927-1929 by the Italian architect Antonio Berluzzi, and on its front we will notice three stained glass windows, depicting Bar Abba – the name of the criminal who was released in place of Jesus, the flogging ceremony, and the Roman commissioner Pontius Pilate washing his hands of sin.
3. The first fall
The station is located in the Muslim quarter, at the intersection next to the Austrian hospice. Jesus will fall twice more along the way, with his falls having a topographical logic: one at the end of a descent and two more at the end of an ascent. At this location stands an Armenian chapel that used to be an Ottoman bathhouse. Inside the chapel is a painting in which you can see Jesus collapse under the cross while the angels mourn his fate.
4. Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
The place where Mary watched her son when he was carrying the cross. The place is marked by the Armenian Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, where you can see a mosaic from the Byzantine period with a painting of a pair of sandals, which mark the exact place where Mary was standing on the Via Dolorosa.
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross
We don’t know who Simeon is, but standing here, it is easy to spot a hollow in the wall which, according to tradition, was created by the handprint of the exhausted Jesus leaning against this wall.
6, St. Veronica’s veil
Here, according to tradition, was the home of a girl named Veronica, who went out to meet Jesus with a veil in her hand. As he passed, Veronica wiped his sweaty face with her veil, and thus the image of his face was imprinted on the piece of cloth. Tradition tells of the emperor Tiberius who was seriously ill. In his distress, he invited Veronica to see him in Rome and was healed immediately after looking at the veil. According to this tradition, the veil remained in Rome, where it is kept to this day, in the basements of St. Peter’s Church in the Vatican City.
7. Jesus’ second fall
In this place stands a gate in the city wall. Through the gate, Jesus was taken out of the city and led to the place of crucifixion. Nowadays, this part of Jerusalem is inside the Jerusalem Wall. At the entrance to this station, you’ll notice a fragment of a column, which is a remnant of the magnificent Cardo columns placed by the Romans on the main street.
8. Monastery of St. Charalambos
When Jesus passed by this point, he met in front of him a group of the women of Jerusalem lamenting and crying over his fate. In response, Jesus turns to them and says that it is not for them to weep, but for the bitter future and fate expected for them and their children, along with the rest of the townspeople.
9. Jesus’ third fall
The place of the third fall of Jesus is right next to the entrance to the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and is marked by a Roman pillar.
Via Dolorosa sites in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
10. Jesus is stripped
Up the stairs in front of us, we can see a window decoration dedicated to the distribution of Christ’s clothes. In the New Testament it is said that as soon as they arrived at the place of the crucifixion, the Roman soldiers stripped him of his clothes, which they divided among themselves according to the results of a lottery they held before.
11. Jesus is nailed to the cross
This station is inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Golgotha Hill in the right chapel and is in the possession of the Franciscans. Here, you can see a mosaic depicting the scene, with Mary, and Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ feet.
12. The crucifixion
The crucifixion of Jesus took place On Golgotha Hill in the left chapel, which is in the possession of the Greek-Orthodox church. Here, you’ll see the original rock of Golgotha. According to tradition, the death of Jesus had caused a huge earthquake.
13. The Cavalry
We will go back down to the entrance level of the church, where you will see a pink rectangular stone. This is the Cavalry, where the body of Jesus was placed after he was taken down from the cross. Here, his body was prepared with oils and shrouds for the burial ceremony.
14. Jesus’ tomb
There are two chapels at the station: at the entrance – the chapel of the angel announcing that Jesus rose from the dead, followed by the chapel of the tomb itself. The tomb is the highest point of the visit of many pilgrims who come to the Via Dolorosa.
