During Lent, you’ll find a series of 14 paintings in the Nave, depicting key moments from the end of Jesus’ life—from his condemnation to his burial. These paintings were created to accompany the devotion known as the “Way of the Cross” or “Stations of the Cross,” a cherished tradition, often observed on Fridays throughout Lent.
About the Stations of the Cross Art:
Anne Lilley Hammond, a member of the St. Stephen’s choir, painted the set of fourteen stations, exhibited for the first time during Lent, 1992. In her artist statement she said: “It was a privilege and as close to a religious act as anything I have done in my life, to paint these stations of the cross for St. Stephen’s. As I worked on them I was “made aware” of the light, for example, and I “felt” it grow darker as the journey progressed. When I painted Jesus falling the third time, I “felt” that he was going uphill, for example. This is hard to describe, but I felt present as a witness and these paintings are my best attempt to bear witness to that day when Jesus went to his crucifixion.”
We are grateful to our Rosary Group for sharing this information with us. They have created a guide for praying the Way of the Cross, featuring prayers and devotions for each station. We’ll share more about this in our next E-Star.