The path of passion and the Stations of the cross

The path of suffering is traditionally defined as the path that Christ took – carrying the cross – in his last hours from the site of his condemnation to the site of his crucifixion, and when taking this path one takes the same path that was used in the Middle Ages through the Muslim Lane first and then through the Christian Lane in the Old Town.

The first stop

Traditionally the court was based in the fortress of Anatolia, and today the place is occupied by a school, so the first stop on the path of passion starts from the opposite side of the school where there is the Church of condemnation.

The second station: the burden of the cross

The second stop on the way of the cross marks the place where Christ carried the cross. The Church of condemnation, which was built at the beginning of the twentieth century on the site of a medieval church, consists of three rows, and outside this church there was a rock marking the beginning of the famous place where the cross was placed on the shoulders of Christ, who in turn carried the cross to the place of his execution.

The present church was built between 1927 and 1929, designed by the Italian architect Antonio belluzzi, and one of the most interesting is the three stained-glass windows embodying three different views, the first of which is the washing of Pilate's hands from the sin of Christ, the second is the humiliation of Christ and placing a crown of thorns on his head, and the third is the rock of victory and joy released by Barabbas upon his release. Which.

The third station: Christ falls for the first time.

In this place, where Christ was saved for the first time, there is a small church called the Polish Catholic Church because the church was restored in 1948 with a donation from a group of Polish soldiers. There is also an engraved stone at the top of the church.

The fourth station: Christ meets his mother Mary 

Just 25 meters to the south of the third stop is the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate and the Church of Our Lady Mary, and in this place is the fourth stop on the way of the cross, which is where Christ met his mother Mary.

The fifth station: Simhan of Cyrene helps Christ

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At the intersection of the Valley Road and the path of passion is a small Franciscan church built in the XIX century to commemorate the resurrection of Simeon

The cyrenaean carried the cross for Christ. From this point on, the path of suffering ascends in the direction of Calvary.

The sixth station: Veronica wipes the face of Christ with a handkerchief 

The church is owned by Roman Catholics and cared for by nuns belonging to the "Little Sisters of Jesus", it is also believed that St. Veronica used to live in this place, which was acquired by the Roman Catholic Church in 1883.

Seventh station: Christ falls for the second time
On this site, where it is believed that Christ fell for the second time when he left the city through its gate, a small Franciscan church now stands on the spot. 

The eighth station: Christ speaks to the Daughters of Jerusalem

The location of the eighth station where Christ addressed the Daughters of Jerusalem is indicated by the number eight ”VIII“ on the walls of the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. karalambos.

The ninth station: Christ falls for the third time

A column to the left indicates the position of the ninth station of the way of the cross, where Christ fell for the third time, passing through the gate located on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre we reach the Coptic Monastery, which occupies the site of a church dating back to the XII century. There is a door in the south-western part of the roof leading to the Coptic Monastery, from where steps descend through the Church of St. Michel for the Copts to the outer courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The remaining stations are located inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The tenth station, where Christ undressed (visitors can look inside the Catholic Church, which is called the crucifixion church)

The eleventh station where Christ nailed to the cross at a site called Calvary, and there is a Catholic Church called the crucifixion church, Roman soldiers nailed Christ's hands and feet to the cross.

Twelfth station: Christ dies on the cross at the site of the crucifixion, where Christ was crucified, and then died on the cross, there is an altar/ temple for the Greek Orthodox .

The thirteenth and last stop: Christ descends from the cross, while the Virgin Mary stood nearby, and the station is commemorated by an altar / structure of the Franciscans