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| Via Dolorosa |
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Source:
Earthly Footsteps of the Man of Galilee, p. 252. |
Via Dolorosa
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Intimately connected with those historical and legendary events, that have found
a local habitation within the walls of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, are the
traditions which during the course of centuries have clustered round certain
spots in the narrow, crooked streets that lead from the Turkish Barracks, north
of the Haram esh Sherif, to the church-the stations of the Via Dolorosa. The
course of the Via Dolorosa depends on the site of the Praetorium, or residence
of Pilate, and this has never been satisfactorily ascertained. At one period the
Praetorium was supposed to have stood on the eastern hill, Moriah; at another on
the western, the modern Sion; and it was not till the close of the crusading
period that its present position was assigned to it, and the first station of
the Via Dolorosa was located in the above-mentioned Turkish Barracks . . . .It
is, perhaps, needless to add that the buildings along the Via Dolorosa are
modern, and that the "stations" themselves have been moved from place to place
in the city whenever necessity or convenience required their removal. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 1, pp. 28-29.) |
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Porta Judiciaria |
Source:
Jerusalem, Bethany, and Bethlehem, p.
68. |
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There are fourteen stations in the Via
Dolorosa: 1st, the Turkish barracks; 2d, foot
of the stairs leading to the Judgment Hall;
3d, a broken column near the Austrian hospice,
indicating the place where Christ fell under
the cross; 4th, is situated near the house of
Lazarus, where Christ met His mother; 5th,
near the house of Dives, where Simon of Cyrene
took up the cross; 6th, the house of St.
Veronica; 7th, Porta Jadiciaria, where the Via
Dolorosa crosses the street from the Damascus
gate; 8th, monastery of St. Caralombos, where
Christ addressed the women, "Daughters of
Jerusalem, weep not for me"; 9th, where Christ
fell the third time (in front of the Coptic
convent); l0th, is within the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre indicating the spot where
Christ was undressed; 11th, represents where
He was nailed to the cross; 12th, shows where
the cross was raised; l3th, indicates where He
was taken down from the cross; 14th, is the
sepulchre in which He was buried. (Source:
Earthly Footsteps of the Man of Galilee, p.
252.) |
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Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 1, p.
24. |
The Ecce Homo Arch
The second station is in the street below,
where, at the foot of the Scala Santa, which
led to the Judgment Hall, the cross was laid
upon Christ. A few paces westward the street
is spanned by the Ecce Homo Arch . . . which
marks the spot where Pilate brought Jesus
forth "wearing the crown of thorns and the
purple robe," and presented Him to the
multitude with the memorable words, "Behold
the man!" (John xix. 5). The arch has all the
appearance of a Roman triumphal arch of the
time of Hadrian. It consists of a large
central arch, with a smaller one on the north
side which has been included in and forms the
eastern termination of the Church of the
Convent of the Sisters of Sion. Following the
street downwards to the valley the third
station is reached, a broken column near the
Austrian Hospice which indicates the place
where Christ fell under the cross. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 1, p. 29.) |
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House of Dives |
Source:
Jerusalem, Bethany, and Bethlehem, p.
65. |
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The houses of Dives and Lazarus are the
fourth and fifth stations along the Via
Dolorosa. The fourth, or house of Lazarus, is
where Christ is said to have met His mother.
And the fifth is where Simon of Cyrene took
the cross from Christ, which is the house of
Dives. The Via Dolorosa, and the Resurrection
at the end of it, define the purpose of God in
creating a world subject to trial and conflict
and suffering. During the Passion Week in
Jerusalem pilgrims pass over this way and
meditate upon the sufferings and crucifixion
of our Lord. Each station along the way calls
up some particular incident in the last hours
of Christ; and very few visit Jerusalem--
whatever may be their creed-- but are deeply
moved by the sacred sites which are pointed
out, though they may believe there is nothing
stronger than tradition to establish their
identity. Some people believe everything, and
then there are others who believe nothing. . .
. In all these archaeological studies the main
matter is to accept Christ himself, and to
depend on Him, rather than on mere externals.
(Source:
Earthly Footsteps of the Man of Galilee, p. 253.) |
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See
Church of the Holy
Sepulcher,
Authenticity of the Holy Sepulcher,
History
of the Holy Sepulcher,
Holy Fire Ceremony,
Antonia
Fortress, or
Garden of Gethsemane |
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