Via Dolorosa

The Via Dolorosa (Latin for the Way of Suffering or Way of Grief) is a street in the Muslim Quarter of Old Jerusalem that many believe was the path that Jesus walked to his crucifixion. It runs from the Antonia Fortress (see next post) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (more on it later).

The Via Dolorosa is a popular site for pilgrims to walk, following in the supposed footsteps of Jesus. There are 14 places of significance, called Stations, along the way. Pilgrims will usually stop and pray at each station.

We did not walk the Via Dolorosa, but just passed through a small section of it while visiting other spots in the old city.

The 1st Station is the Antonia Fortress (see next post). It also has a souvenir shop.

Station 2 is at the Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) Convent. It is where Pontius Pilate supposedly gave his Ecce Homo speech, bound Christ, placed the crown of thorns on his head, and gave him his cross to carry. The archway was part of a larger gateway built by Emperor Hadrian (see the aqueduct in the 2nd post - Caesarea Maritima).

Station # 2

There is also a souvenir shop at Station # 2.

The stones of the Via Dolorosa

An alley of the Via Dolorosa

Further up the alley

Station # 3 marks the first of three times that Jesus fell carrying the cross. There is nothing in Scripture that says Jesus fell, but the assumption is that since he needed help carrying the cross, he must have fallen. The station is located at what is today called the Polish Church. The inscription reads "Armenian Catholic Patriarchate" because the chapel was built by Armenian Catholics in the 19th century. It is called the Polish Church because the chapel was renovated in 1947-48 with a grant from the Polish Army.