Stations in the Street

Welcome to Stations in the Street at Newman University! This series of contemplative images were created by artist Scott Erickson as a way to draw communities deeper into the sufferings of Jesus during the season of Lent. Stations in the Street is being hosted at Newman University by the Steckline Gallery, the Gerber Institute, and Campus Ministry.

The practice of prayerfully accompanying Jesus through his Passion and death, typically called the Stations of the Cross, has a long history in the Catholic Church. In lieu of walking in the very footsteps of Christ to his crucifixion site just outside of Jerusalem (a route called the Via Dolorosa), would-be pilgrims instead developed “imitation” stations along a path to their own churches, where they could stop and meditate upon each suffering that Jesus endured. While this Lenten practice has solidified through the centuries into a formulation of 14 well-known stations, past iterations varied in number and style. Whatever length or form they take, however, the heart of the Stations of the Cross has always been the beautiful images, meditations, and prayers that help the faithful to rend their hearts, return to their loving Savior, and lay down their own afflictions at the foot of the cross--a movement of the heart we hope these very images will inspire.

These Stations are available both in the Steckline Gallery and across Newman’s campus! For the map to guide you through the outdoor stations, see the link below. Scripture and meditations for each station are also available.