The stone structures sheltering scenes of Christ's final hours of human life are part of a Catholic tradition of devotion called the Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross).  Each of the Stations describes a scene from the passion, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Station rock structures were built about 1940.  However, new sculptures were created by the artist R.D. Robinson and installed April, 1989.  Cast in cultured alabaster, the scenes are meant to speak to people personally as they journey with Christ from station to station.

The invitation, then, is to notice the details, place yourself in the scene, enter into the event, being open to the unique message that is meant for you.

First Station: JESUS CONDEMNED

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

As the altar becomes the stage, something is happening here and it is being frozen in time, frozen up against the backdrop of the planet earth. Something sacred is being revealed, the Divine is present, therefore the artist portrays the figures without shoes for as Moses was told, Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is Holy Ground (Exodus 3: 5).

Christ, with a firm yet gentle look upon his face, is the main focus of the First Station and is shown as the central and the largest figure. This is almost a repeated pattern in each station scene because the focus of what the artist is trying to portray in the sculpture is an historical rendition of what happened to Jesus Christ. The facial expressions of Christ, as well as the other figures in the various station scenes, changes to adapt to the given situations. Christ, however, is in control. He freely chose to allow himself to be taken, abused and put to death. Nothing appears to be happening that he has not said "yes" to, a yes to the Father's will. To further emphasize that Christ is in control, notice that weaponry is practically non-existent save for the whip and the spear as documented by Scripture. Christ, then, is portrayed in Station #1 as being in control, looking directly at you, the viewer, and asking "Who do you say
that I am?"

Also in this scene, Pilate is sitting below the boot of Italy; Christ's head is located in the center of Israel. The Pharisee, with hands held in a prayerful, pious-like manner is attempting to communicate with Pilate. Setting himself up as an authority, the Pharisee is recommending that Christ be put to death. And, Pilate is seen wearing a troubled look upon his face because he believes Jesus innocent as recorded in John's Gospel, Speaking for myself, I find no case against this man (Jn 18: ). Pilate is shown as the only individual on the stage with visible ears for he seemed to have been one who truly was able to listen to Christ and to find no fault in him. Yet, Pilate listens to the Pharisee as he seeks to make a decision over the fate of the man called Christ. He actually wanted to let Jesus go, but after the chief priests and elders excited the crowds into a near riot condition, demanding the crucifixion of Jesus, Pilate washed his hands of responsibility and moved ahead to have Jesus put to death. In the end, Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified (Jn19:16).

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be…….

Second Station: CARRYING THE CROSS

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

By now, Christ, the largest figure central to this scene, has received the Crown of Thorns. They dressed him in royal purple, then wove a crown of thorns and put it on him, and...continually striking Jesus on the head...they genuflected before him and pretended to pay him homage. When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him (Mk 15:17-20).

The scene of Station Two is similar to the first station in that the planet Earth is in the background and three individuals are standing on the altar, the stage. Christ, with his outer robe partially torn away, is seen picking up his cross. His hand is actually holding up the cross without straining. He is in control; all things are held together through Christ. Two other individuals are involved, one is pushing and straining one way on the cross, and the second, with his arm on the other side and his hand clenched into a fist, seems to be half-heartedly involved in the task.

Neither of the persons helping to crucify Christ are dressed as soldiers with implements of destruction (spears, whips, or swords) at their sides even though this is a Roman crucifixion. The Roman soldiers only carried out the demanding cry and plan for Jesus' death. No, the figures bent on Christ's death are dressed as ordinary people, for it was people like you and me who cried out for the taking of his life. And it was for ordinary people like you and me that Jesus came to redeem.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

Third Station: JESUS FALLS

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

Historically representative, the map of the world, as depicted in the background, has the Cross of Christ directly over Israel; Christ has fallen below Rome and is under Israel. Christ, whose hand comes off the stage, moves down to the scroll, the Sacred Scriptures that are being fulfilled. He is the Fulfillment! In times past, God spoke in fragmentary and varied ways to our fathers through the prophets; in this, the final age, He has spoken to us through his Son whom he has made heir of all things and through whom He first created the universe. This Son is the reflection of the Father's glory, the exact representation of the Father's being, and He sustains all things by his powerful word. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty (Hb 1:1-3).

Several things are happening in this scene. This is Christ's first fall, and the cross, which is tilted quite abruptly, looks like it is falling on the soldier's shoulder. The soldier is reacting by moving defensively, by resisting the movement of the cross with a counter force of his elbow, while at the same time attempting to throw a whipping cord blow in Christ's direction.

On the other side of the cross and in the background is what appears to be a Jewish man with his hands held out as through requesting money. Standing with shrugged shoulders and reflecting an uninvolved attitude of, "What can I do?", this man has chosen to distance himself from Christ. Truly, this person is a space apart from Jesus and so represents the truth that a little bit of a gap, unless corrected, is enough to lose a life-giving relationship with the Lord.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

Fourth Station: JESUS AND MOTHER

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

As Christ carries his cross directionally He meets his mother, Mary, and they look intently into each other's eyes. Mary, standing with an arm on Jesus' shoulder, accepts with deep compassion his journey and Christ responds in understanding love to the one who bore, nurtured, and raised him to follow his Father's plan. An older Jewish woman behind Christ, with hand clenched almost as in prayer, expresses a tired, drawn sad look as she identifies with the exchange between Mother and Son. She, because of her own experiences of life's pain, woundedness, and loss, can sympathize in compassion with the situation unfolding before her eyes.

Off to the side and behind a wall a guard is depicted with a written inscription in his hands, "JESUS THE NAZOREAN THE KING OF THE JEWS" (Jn 19:17), and this will eventually be nailed to the cross above the head of Christ. Dealing with artistic symbolism--that of looking at a scene of art and freezing its depiction in time--this wall, like other walls, represents that of making sure that something remains out of one's life, or it depicts that of one being out of relationship with someone or something. The guard behind the wall is looking away from the scene, away from compassion, away from the Cross that Christ carried, now located partially on Rome and partly on Israel. This man is unaware of who he is helping to put to death, he is outside or unaware that It was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings that He endured,...He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all ( Is 53:4-6)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

Fifth Station: SIMON HELPS JESUS

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

As they led him away they laid hold of one Simon the Cyrenean who was coming in from the fields (Lk 23:26)... and they pressed him into service to carry the cross (Mk 15:21).

Christ, crowned with thorns is seen looking upward to God, up to Abba, with one arm on Simon's shoulder. Simon, looking outward is directional, a human instrument selected to strive forward in helping Christ. In reality, Jesus is helping Simon as he grows more aware of the Christ he is journeying with on the Way to Calvary. As they stand on the altar--the stage--their feet, which are almost touching one another, are in contact with the Scriptures; they stand grounded on the Word.

Another figure on the stage is the Pharisee-Sadducee who has his legs crossed and is wearing an impatient, disgusted expression. This look of contempt could easily have been expressed as, "What, this criminal helped by a commoner, let's get on with the crucifixion!" He is removed from the Scriptures, totally oblivious to the fact that he is involved in putting to death the Word of God.

Christ, then, is looking up, Simon forward, and the Pharisee-Sadducee directly outward to you. And to whom do you look to?

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

 
Sixth Station: VERONICA'S LOVE

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

With knee thrust forward, Christ appears to be walking uphill; He is climbing the path that he has been called to walk. The cross he carries looks exceedingly heavy and is centered directly under Israel.

Veronica, with a look of intense sadness, responds to Christ in love as she holds out the cloth to wipe his bleeding, exhausted looking face. The title of this station,
Veronica's Love, reminds us of another scene "of the cloth" where Jesus washes and wipes the feet of his disciples and says, Do you understand what I just did for you? You address me as 'Teacher' and ' Lord,' and fittingly enough, for that is what I am. But if I washed your feet--I who am Teacher and Lord--then you must wash each other's feet. What I just did was to give you an example; as I have done, so you must do....Once you know all these things, blest will you be if you put them into practice (Jn 13:12-17).

Veronica put into practice the act of love by wiping the face of Jesus. This wasn't the first time that Veronica displayed compassion and kindness. No, reaching out in thoughtfulness had become a way of life for her. As St. Therese of Lisieux so often reminds us, "never underestimate the value of the smallest act of kindness done in love." Just as Veronica befriended Jesus before his death, we are called upon to practice small but significant displays of kindness toward others whose paths intercept ours. Your caring outreach may be the last experience of kindness a person receives before his or her death; it may need to last an eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

Seventh Station: JESUS' SECOND FALL

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

This scene reveals three figures on the stage with a large portion of the planet Earth exposed. Christ has fallen and He has reached for strength through the Word, His hand directly on the Scriptures. He is literally hanging onto the Word believing and trusting that no matter what happens to Him, His Abba hears him and is with him as
He walks to Golgatha. All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads: he relied on the Lord; let him deliver him, let him rescue him if he loves him . You have been my guide since I was first formed, my security at my mother's breast. To you I was committed at birth, from my mother's womb you are my God. Be not far from me, for I am in distress; be near, for I have no one to help me (Ps. 2-8).

Two other individuals, strongly formed, with heads wrapped, are looking outward and downward while holding the cross upward. The artist has used "insightful language" throughout the station sculptures; the wrapped heads denotes that the situation is not fully exposed at this point. The crowds and the soldiers really do not know who they are putting to death. The truth is distorted and covered up and only to be revealed in due time.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

Eighth Station: JESUS MEETS WOMEN

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

Momentarily, the cross has been set down and Jesus is seizing a brief reprieve to relate to the three persons as a unit, like three in one, representing the Trinity. All the attention from the women is directed toward the person of Christ. Jesus' left hand is clenched, while his right is extended out to the three. The clenched fist reflects the direction he has said "yes" to, a cruel death on the cross so that others may find life. His decision, made out of the fullness of love and care, beckons that the women understand what it is that is being done for them, and he seeks to share with them the mystery of what he is undertaking. Jesus, aware of the destruction that is to fall upon Jerusalem and its people, reaches out with compassion and speaks to the women with an understanding heart. As always, Jesus focuses on others and their needs. A great crowd of people followed him, including women who beat their breasts and lamented over him. Jesus turned to them and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming when they will say, 'Happy are the sterile, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin saying to the mountains,' Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us' ( Lk 23: 28-30).

Throughout the various station scenes, the viewer will notice that the peoples' heads and faces are a little larger than their bodies and they are very detailed. This was done by the artist in "contemporary Renaissance" style to emphasize that the person is more important than his or her body or the clothes that are worn. Each individual, from conception to death, is to be respected and given their God-given gift of dignity irrespective of their looks or the clothes they wear. Posture, too, is given considerable recognition in each station, for body position and posture often speak a much clearer and stronger language than words.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……

Ninth Station: JESUS' THIRD FALL

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

As Jesus comes closer to receiving the Crown of Glory, the man-made crown of thorns slips off his head as he falls for the third time and he automatically reaches for the security of the Word and contact with Simon.

Throughout the Stations of the Cross, the human person's potential for good and evil is depicted. In the ninth station, Christ is roughly grabbed by the guard while being compassionately supported by Simon with a caring touch. The human person, then, is shown as being capable of displaying loving and compassionate behavior toward others or the opposite, violent and abusive actions that destroy relationships and people. Receiving both abuse from the guard and compassion from Simon, Christ, with his hand on the Holy Scroll, draws strength from his deep faith-filled belief in God's Word.

The need for an individual to be loved, and to love, is crucial for human development. Yet, the deepest need and desire of the human heart is to come to experience the love that is continuously flowing from the Creator to and into His creation. If the gift of God's love is not present in the human heart, a person is, of necessity, in a state of alienation, restlessness, and unfulfillment. Jesus wishes to fill this turbulent void with a relationship that is of God's love, lasting and life-giving, and says, Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light (Matt. 11;28-30).

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be……..

Tenth Station: JESUS IS STRIPPED

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

Christ, largest of the three figures in this scene, and exhibiting a strong look about him--chest and arm wise--is being disrobed, stripped of his clothes but not his dignity. The two guards in a sense are dwarfed by Jesus as the artist continues to emphasize that Christ freely chose to allow the stripping to happen. He was in control from the beginning even if his physical power was drained from him from his scourging and his painful journey to Golgotha. The face of Christ is here portrayed outward; one soldier, less in stature than the other one, exhibits a look of deception. The second guard, appearing to grab at Jesus' body and ripping the garment from the Lord's shoulder, represents the soldier who later on pierces Christ's body with a lance and from his side, according to Scripture...immediately blood and water flowed out (John 19: 34).

Yes, Jesus was stripped of his clothes but not his dignity. The ripping off of Jesus' clothes symbolized what his total life had been, that of emptying himself so that He could become one with the Father. And, being one with the Father, Jesus did not resist his clothes being ripped from his body, for his garments did not portray his true self. Rather, his clothing, like our own, only represents the outer self, layers of which will one day be of no value and will be stripped from our bodies. We, too, are called to come to know our true selves, to remove or cooperate with the Lord in the removal of our outer masks, our false selves that truly prevents us from coming into an honest relationship with our Lord. Jesus, then, invites us to follow him and to come to know his mercy and love as our authentic selves are being discovered. Anyone who loves me will be true to my word, and my Father will love you; we will come to you and make our dwelling place with you (John 14:23).

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be………

Eleventh Station: NAILED TO CROSS

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

With the world clearly shown in the background, much activity can be observed as the three figures in this scene set the stage for Christ's crucifixion. The Pharisee, standing and pointing, gesturing blame, directs one's attention to the hammer welding man about to force the nails through the Lord's feet. Appearing as a very ordinary individual, the man about to pin Jesus' feet to the cross wears the face of the Pharisee. Daily, Jesus is nailed to the cross by very ordinary persons like you and I, for the Pharisee within each of us is quite capable of inflicting blame and pain on our brothers and sisters as we nail them with psychological, mental and/or physical abuse.

Another ordinary person without military uniform or eye contact with the nailer, appears bent on either holding Christ down, positioning Jesus to the cross for nail placement, or in comforting the extremely exhausted Christ. It is left up to the eye of the beholder to discern just who this individual represents in one's own life.

The abused and battered Christ, with near limp hand, continues to be supported by the Sacred Scriptures. Observing the cross, one can see that a portion of it extends beyond the Scroll which represents the Old Testament. Using symbolism and historical documentation, the cross of Christ literally extends through and out of the Old Testament into the New Testament, the prophetic fulfillment of the Word of God.

Following the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to two of his disciples as they made their way to the village of Emmaus. His message to them is a message to us: What little sense you have! How slow you are to believe all that the prophets have announced! Did not the Messiah have to undergo all this so as to enter into his glory? Beginning, then, with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to him (Luke 24: 25-27).

Twelfth Station: JESUS CRUCIFIED

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

When they came to the Skull Place, as it was called, they crucified him... Jesus said, " Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23: 33 34). It was now around midday, and darkness came over the whole land until mid afternoon with an eclipse of the sun. The curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two (Luke 23: 44-45).

Jesus, the largest form in the twelfth station scene, is now physically dead, yet he gazes out with open eyes at the person looking at him, at you and me. Though killed, Jesus lives! Everything around Jesus is centered on him. A soldier, located closest to Christ, is the centurion who stood guard over Jesus. His hand is on the cross and he shares the truth that he has come to recognize and believe: Clearly this is the Son of God! (Matt. 27: 54).

Another soldier, wearing an antagonistic expression upon his face and clutching dice in the hand that touches the Scriptures, represents those who helped to fulfill these prophetic words, When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among them by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him (Matt. 27: 35-37).

Mary, Jesus mother, appearing on the other side of the cross, looks aghast. Standing in disbelief, she looks at Christ's bloodstained clothing piled on the ground and experiences the excruciating pain of a mother's loss of her son. Scenes of her past life with Jesus dart in and out of her mind and she replays again the words of Simeon: This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed--and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword--so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare (Luke 2: 34-35).

 

Thirteenth Station: JESUS TAKEN DOWN
We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

Joseph of Arimathea oversees Jesus' mother, Mary, and another older woman, perhaps Mary's sister, wife of Clopas, as they receive the body of Jesus into their arms. Joseph, taking his hand and placing it just on the side of the woman's temple seems to be directing her head, trying to convey the magnitude of what has happened. It's like he is saying, "Look at this, just look at this, will you!" At the same time that she is being impacted by Joseph’s display of incredulity, the older woman's fingers are reaching toward the Scriptures, revealing that even in the midst of a despairing situation, she finds herself strengthened by relying on the Word of God. Because you cling to me, I will deliver you; I will set you on high because you acknowledge my name. You shall call upon me, and I will answer you; I will be with you in distress; I will deliver you and glorify you; with length of days I will gratify you and will show you my salvation (Ps. 91: 14-16).

The Cross of Christ, the large central one--the Cross of Reconciliation--overshadows two lesser crosses that represent all the evil acts of humankind, the murder, abuse, thievery, violence, and all the other dignity stripping practices we engage in. Two criminals--humans who had engaged in sinful acts like us--were crucified with Christ on these crosses. One turned to Christ and sought forgiveness; the other jeered and mocked him. The Cross of Reconciliation invites all of us to come for reconciliation, to be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is in Christ and through his blood that we have been redeemed and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God's favor to us (Eph. 1: 7-8).

Fourteenth Station: ENTOMBED

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

There was a man named Joseph, an upright and holy member of the Sanhedrin, who had not been associated with their plan or their action. He was from Arimathea, a Jewish town, and he looked expectantly for the reign of God. This man approached Pilate with a request for Jesus' body (Luke 23: 50-52). Thereupon Pilate issued an order for its release. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in fresh linen and laid it in his own new tomb which had been hewn from a formation of rock (Matt. 27: 57-60).

The fourteenth station scene, depicted as being inside the tomb, reveals Jesus' body stretched out on an altar upon the altar or stage, that sacred place of sacrificial worship. This will be the only time that you find "an altar upon an altar," Jesus being the bridge between the Old and the New Testaments. The World, as seen through the arched doorway of the tomb, is shown outside or apart from Christ--as in a state of disbelief--as recorded in the Gospel of John, He was in the world, and through him the world was made, yet the world did not know who he was. To his own he came, yet his own did not accept him (John 1: 10-12).

In accordance with the Jewish burial custom, Jesus' body was wrapped in linen cloth, and plans were made by the women followers of Jesus to anoint his body with spices and perfumed oils. Joseph of Arimathea, arms folded and eyes closed, deeply saddened by the cruel execution of Jesus, continues to reverence the Christ. Struggling to believe as Nicodemus did, Joseph ponders Jesus' words ... so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in him. Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life . God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him (John 3: 14-17). Wanting to believe and to understand these words, Joseph turns to God in prayer for the scene before him is bewildering.

Mary, holding a bag of perfumed oils and spices, and looking dazed from the violence that was done to her son, seems to be reflecting on the last words that Jesus spoke to her before he died regarding her relationship with the disciple, John, whom he loved. 'Woman, there is your son.' In turn he said to the disciple, 'There is your mother' (John 19: 26-27). This message from her Son's dying lips, like so many of the words that he had spoken during the three years of his public ministry, were impressed upon Mary for she knew that the depth of meaning would come forth as time was lived. With her eyes open, as if she is turning to look at you, she appears to be inviting you into a special relationship with her. Her invitation for you is to become her son, her daughter, and to accept the mother's love that she has for you, Christ-filled as it is.

Fifteenth Station: THE RESURRECTION

We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You.
Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed The World.

In past 'Way of the Cross' tradition, the fourteenth station was usually the last one. In contemporary times, a fifteenth station or the Resurrection scene is often shown or emphasized. Without the Resurrection, without new life, the journey to Galgatha would appear hopeless.

Five figures are shown in the fifteenth station scene. Christ, alive and well, is doing what he loves doing the most, that of relating to the others with the fullness of his presence. Three persons are very taken by the Risen Lord and they are reflecting this by their actions. One person, reaching out to touch Christ, appears to be satisfying his doubt just as Jesus' disciple, Thomas, was called to do. Two others have fallen to their knees, overwhelmed to see the resurrected Christ after having witnessed his agonizing journey to Galgatha and his cruel death on the cross just a few hours prior to this encounter. Discovering that the tomb was empty the...women hurried away ...half-overjoyed, half-fearful, and ran to carry the good news to his disciples. Suddenly, without warning, Jesus stood before them and said, 'Peace!' The women came up and embraced his feet and did him homage. At this Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid, go and carry the Good News to my brothers and sisters... (Matt. 28: 8-10).

The individual, most distant from Christ and behind a wall, looks familiar--for he represents the person who nailed Jesus to the Cross--actually each of us. Downcast, confused, and separated from Christ, this individual still refuses to believe in the Risen Lord. Respecting each person totally, yet wanting all to believe in Him, Jesus' words to Thomas are meant for us, Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!
(John 20: 27).

And along with this admonition, Jesus invites us to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to spread the Good News. Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth; go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them in the name 'of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.' Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world! ( Matt. 28: 18-20).

THE STORY BEHIND THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS SCULPTURE

From the earliest of times, humans have set aside unique places of spiritual significance to help them open up to the presence of God. The Shrine of St. Therese, a special place of refuge and retreat, is such a place. Located on Shrine Island and surrounding the Shrine Chapel are the Stations of the Cross, a devotion beloved to most Catholics and becoming ever-increasingly popular with non-Catholics who understand the depth of meaning in the Stations of the Cross or sometimes known as "the Way of Sorrows."

The origin of this form of devotion can be traced back to the early days of the Church. The faithful naturally venerated the chief scenes of our Lord's sufferings and death and traveled great distances to visit the places made sacred by the Passion of Christ.

Following the conquest of Palestine by the Mohammedans, great difficulty was experienced by Christians in visiting the sacred sites. So it was that the Church in various localities devised the form of devotion known as the "Way of the Cross," or the "Stations of the Cross."

Inspired artists, sculptors and painters then set to work to visualize the moving incidents along the Way of Sorrows. Such representations were often placed along roads leading to the churches, or in the grounds surrounding them. In this way, the people could make devout pilgrimages to commemorate certain events in the last hours of Christ's earthly life.

Still later, similar representations were set in the walls of the churches so that these devotions might more easily be continued. The number of traditional stations, which at first varied widely, finally became fixed at fourteen. Contemporary Christians often conclude with a focus on the Resurrection as a fifteenth station. Of these, nine are based directly on events recorded in the Gospels. The remaining six (numbers 3,4,6,7,9, and 13) are based on inferences from the Gospel accounts or from spiritual roots of tradition. (Note: During the Holy Year of 1975, Pope Paul VI approved a new series of Stations based on the Gospel. These Stations begin with the Last Supper and conclude with the Resurrection).

Surrounding the Shrine of St. Therese chapel and built in the same style as the Chapel walls--mortar and beach stone--are fifteen Station of the Cross structures. Fourteen of these formations were constructed under the supervision of Doc Holden, the stone mason who orchestrated the construction of the Shrine Chapel, and the fifteenth form was completed by Greg Mallinger, a local Juneau stone mason, and his family in 1992.

Initially, in the 1940's, each of the Station forms contained a picture protected by glass of one of the scenes of Christ's journey to crucifixion. The damp climate penetrated these images and in 1966, a plaster cast set of figures were set in place. It was at this time that a corpus of Christ was placed on the 16 foot concrete cross that had been erected on the rise to the west of the Chapel. Again, the salt water, damp climate, and some vandalism began to take its toll of the cast station material.

In 1986, a young junior high school student, J.J. Sweigart, was thoroughly enjoying the artistic instructions of R.D. Robinson, a local Juneau artist who was participating in the Juneau Public School District's "Artist in Residence" program. One day while working on classroom art, Sweigart approached Robinson about repairing the damaged station sculpture at the Shrine, for some of the station scenes were broken or missing.

Not forgetting the young student's comments, Robinson visited Shrine Island and after seeing the poor condition of the sculptures he decided that he would not attempt to try to refurbish the deteriorated works, but that he would offer an alternative. His proposal would consist not of repairing, but of redoing the entire set of sculptures, no small undertaking indeed. After putting together a portfolio of his past work and a plan for 14 new station scenes, Robinson met with the Shrine Committee and shared his ideas.

Realizing that the sculptures needed considerable attention, and yet fully aware of the very limited Shrine budget which was earmarked for leaking roofs and facility repairs, the members of the committee endorsed Robinson's idea only if donors for the project could be found. After placing a couple of phone calls and sitting down at table with the prospective contributors, two anonymous donors funded the complete plan at a price that was slightly less than $40,000. (Note: The donors were revealed only after their deaths, the late Vera Carrigan died in 1991 and the late Mary Toner in 1993.) The signing of the contract took place in December of 1986 and Robinson began working on the sculptures project which was spread over the next two and a half years.

In reminiscing about this accomplishment, Robinson called the project one of the "most intricately detailed sculpturing" works he’d ever done. His goal for this extensive project was to achieve a three-dimensional effect that would make viewers feel as through they could reach around each image. To add to that effect, R.D. created facial expressions that present the figures as though they are making eye contact with each other and with their viewers, you, the audience.

Sharing how he had visited the Holy Land, researched the Scriptures for a Biblical basis for the passion of Jesus before designing each setting, and studying in depth the anatomy of the human person so that the intricate details could be included in the sculptures, Robinson related that, "It was a challenge to do the pieces since the scenes are so very relentless. There is a great deal of facial detail in each scene, with Christ in agony in so many. It is a monumental challenge to sculpt sadness, contempt, all the wounds, and just a host of human emotions in sculpture."