
(Church of the Flagellation- 20/9/2010;
photo by Berthold Werner)
I have produced my own Stations of the Cross– fourteen in number,
which is traditional. However, I have omitted the three ‘stumblings’
and Veronica. I think I follow recent Roman Catholic editing on
some of this.
The Atonement is my focus and so I have not made the last Station
into a Resurrection. I think that would be more of a Via Lucis.
( I am not a Roman Catholic, so feel that I can be more independent in
my artistic endeavour.) I don’t start with Gethsemane, or The Last
Supper, or Judas’ betrayal, or Peter’s denial. My idea was to concentrate
on 14 episodes in the narrative and I tried to find the quintessence of
the moment by creating 14 lunes, a variation on a poetic form invented
by Robert Kelly, which I have read about. I use 3-5-3 syllables, so my stanzas
are very condensed and intense. ( Kelly uses 5-3-5)
Anyway, see what you think:
I
Then Pilate
delivered Jesus
to the crowd.
II
The soldiers
stripped Him; mocked Him with
a thorn crown.
III
And Simon,
the Cyrenian,
bore His cross.

IV
He walked:
two malefactors
beside Him.
V
O Daughters
of Jerusalem,
weep no more.
VI
He refused
wine, mingled with myrrh,
though thirsty.
VII
Pilate placed
‘King of the Jews’
above Him.
VIII
Chief priests,
scribes and elders mocked
Him: Come down!
IX
His clothing
was divided up,
into lots.
X
Jesus said:
John, take good care of
my mother.
XI
He then drank
vinegar and gall
from a sponge.
XII
His head bowed;
He gave up the ghost.
It’s over.

(Jesus on the cross, St Raphael’s Cathedral,
Dubuque, Iowa. Feb 2006. Jesster 79- Commons Wiki)
XIII
His side, once
speared, issued forth blood
and water.
XIV
Taken down,
Joseph had Him placed
in his tomb.

Like this:
Like Loading...