The Via Dolorosa, Sandi Patty

In celebration of Resurrection Day when Jesus Christ was raised from the dead!!

pilgrims walk the "Way Of Suffering"

In memory of Jesus Christ, Christian pilgrims from all over the world walk the Via Dolorosa in Old Jerusalem, from Antonia (Pontius Pilate's ruling seat), to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, built on Golgotha (Calvary), the "hill of the skull".

Via Dolorosa is Latin for "Way of Suffering". Traditionally, it is held to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to His crucifixion, but some of the modern traditions (of the Via Dolorosa and the fourteen stations of the cross) is mostly unbiblical.

a view from the air of the chapel of condemnation where Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus to death on a Roman cross

Of the fortress Antonia, for example, where Christ was judged before Pilate and where Herod the Great had his residence, only a few scraps of paving remain. This building, which stood near the northwest corner of the Temple, was the starting point for Jesus' painful walk toward Golgotha (Calvary), which at that time was outside the walls of the city.

The modern Via Dolorosa was created in the 14th century by Franciscan monks when a name was sought for the stretch of road between the fortress Antonia and Golgotha.

The two incidents, according to Scripture, that actually happened on Jesus' way to the Cross are positioned at stations five and eight of the fourteen stations of the Cross - the beginning of the carrying of the Cross by Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21) and the pronouncement of Jesus upon the generation of Jews (Luke 23:27-31). That Jesus fell under the weight of the Cross, before Simon was compelled to carry the Cross, is a logical insertion into the procession. They most likely only carried the crossbar, as the main post would have been to heavy to carry.

Jesus did walk a road of suffering from the Praetorium to the cross. But, Jesus is not a helpless victim, He is a willing Sacrificial Lamb who chose to die in our place.

Most of us are probably familiar with this term Via Dolorosa. thanks to Sandi Patty's song. You can refer back to March 28, 2011, for All To Bring Him Glory, also by Sandi Patty. We are so thankful for this music as it helps us to 'see' more clearly the suffering of the One Who bore our sins that awful day.

Lyrics:
Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day
The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street
But the crowd pressed in to see
A Man condemned to die on Calvary

He was bleeding from a beating,
there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head And He bore with every step
The scorn of those who cried out for His death Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King, But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me. Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

Por la Via Dolorosa, triste dia en Jerusalem

Los saldados le abrian paso a Jesus

Mas la gente se acercaba Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz

Por la Via Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor
Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Senor Y fue
El quien quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mi Por la Via Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir
The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men
Made its way through the heart of Jerusalem.

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me

Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

Supporting Scriptures:
"The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own

clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him." Mark 15: 16-20

"A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get." Mark 15: 21-24

"For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you." 2 Cor. 13: 4

"Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha)." John 19: 17

"And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. " Luke 23: 1-4

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit," 1 Peter 3: 18