Fourteenth Station: Jesus is buried in the tomb” (Outlines of the Catholic Faith, Nihil Obstat: George J. Ziskovsky, Censor Deputatus, Imprimatur: John R. Roach, D.D. Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 1980).

These 14 stations of the cross are supposed to recall the most “prominent events” that took place as our Lord traveled to Calvary. The only problem is, that several of these “events” NEVER took place! To get an accurate Biblical account of what really happened, let us quote all four gospels concerning this subject and see just exactly what transpired.

“And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (Matt.27:31-33)

“And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” (Mk.15:20-23)

“And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” (Lk.23:25-33)

“Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.” (Jn.19:16 –18)

Let’s go back now and compare the “Stations of the Cross” with the word of God and see how many times Rome has perverted the truth concerning the “events” that took place. The first “station” is accurate...Jesus was condemned to death. The second “station” says Jesus carries his cross alone, but Matthew says:

“And AS THEY CAME OUT, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.”

Three of the gospels confirm that Simon was compelled to carry the cross as soon as they came out. John is silent on when.

The third “station” claims that Jesus fell, and not just the third “station” but also the seventh and ninth, making Jesus fall three times. This did not happen! There is no record that Jesus ever fell. I cannot tell our readers how often I’ve been told by well-meaning Catholics not to take my failures in life to hard, “After all, Jesus even fell three times”. Today I can honestly say to a Catholic…“Where do you find that in the scripture?” You’d be surprised how many Catholics are not aware of that fact! My dear Catholic friends, it was not Jesus who fell at Calvary...it was Satan.

At the fourth "station", we are to meditate on how Jesus meets his “afflicted mother”. Again, the Bible does not record any such meeting taking place.

The fifth “station” is out of place as shown earlier. In the sixth station, Rome makes a very unusual claim. She claims that a woman named Veronica wiped the face of Jesus, and in return, He rewarded her by leaving an imprint of His face on the cloth. Of course, according to scripture, this never happened either. So where did this fantastic story come from? The Catholic People’s Encyclopedia, Vol.3, 1052:

“VERONICA, SAINT. According to tradition, the woman who is said to have wiped the face of Christ while he carried his cross to Calvary, was called Veronica. The same name is sometimes given to the woman whom our Lord cured (the event is described in chapter 5 of St. Mark's Gospel). IN NEITHER CASE IS THE TRADITION SUPPORTED BY HISTORICAL EVIDENCE, and neither is mentioned in the Roman Martyrology or list of saints” (Emphasis mine).

Knowing there is no “historical evidence”, Rome goes to great lengths to keep this fable of a “Saint” believed by the people. The Catholic People’s Encyclopedia, Vol 2, page 540 says:

“The ‘Holy Face’ or Veronica: The veil with which (according to a tradition which forms the subject of the Sixth Station of the Cross) a pious woman wiped the face of Jesus on his way to Calvary, and on which remained the imprint of his suffering face. It is kept in St. Peter's and is the third of the great relics. It is publicly venerated on the last four days in Holy Week, on Easter Sunday, and on the occasion of the closing of the Holy Door in jubilee years. The name ‘Veronica‘ may be a combination of Latin vera (true) and Greek eikon (picture), and then have been mistakenly thought to be the name of the woman whose veil it was. There is another ‘Veronica’ in the Lateran Basilica; IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHICH, IF EITHER, OF THESE TWO RELICS IS AUTHENTIC. There are many replicas in existence. St. Teresa of Lisieux is often portrayed with a veil of Veronica because she had a great devotion to the Holy Face and added ‘and of the Holy Face’ to her name of Teresa of the Infant Jesus’ (Emphasis mine).

Keeping in mind that they admit there is no historical background for this fable, yet they ask that we stand before this image and pray:

“My tender Jesus, Who didst deign to print Thy sacred face upon the cloth with which Veronica wiped the sweat from off Thy brow, print in my soul deep, I pray Thee, the lasting memory of Thy bitter pains. Our Father...Hail Mary...Glory be to the Father.…”

On to the seventh “station” which again, did not happen.

The eighth “station” is accurate, although I can honestly say that in 30 years of personal experience, I never knew what Jesus said back. The common prayer said (not necessary to say this prayer, but it is recommended):

“My Jesus, Who didst comfort the pious women of Jerusalem who wept to see Thee bruised and torn, comfort my soul with Thy tender pity, for in Thy pity lies my trust. May my heart ever answer Thine. Our Father...Hail Mary...Glory be to the Father....”

But did Jesus comfort them? Did not He warn them instead? Let’s look again at what Jesus told the weeping woman of Jerusalem:

“But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?”

The ninth “station” never happened, but the tenth through the fourteenth “stations” did take place. So we have out of fourteen “stations” five of them are out and out lies, and two of them are out of context. It is recommended that one pray the following prayer before walking through the “stations of the cross”:

“My heavenly Mother, Mary, in union with Thee I am about to go along the Sorrowful Way where Thou hast walked so many times. Is it possible that my heart should not be enkindled when I think of the tears which Thou hast shed on remembering the sufferings of Jesus and when I realise the ardent love that inflamed Thy Heart for God and for all Thy children. O Mother of Love, I give myself to Thee that I may share the sentiments of Thy Heart. Suffer not that I should remain without feeling on seeing the many sufferings and insults borne for me. Change my heart. or rather give me Thine, that with Thee and through Thee I may have true compassion on Jesus suffering so much for me, that I may repent of my sins and henceforth love Him more generously. I beg Thee, O Mother, to apply the indulgences which I wish to gain, to the soul of...and especially to the most forgotten souls.” (http://www.catholic.org/prayer/station.html)

The above prayer “TO MARY” is just one more example of Rome’s blasphemous usurping of the office of the Holy Spirit. It is not up to Mary to “change my heart”, only God can create a clean heart in a man.

As with all the writings of Catholicism, we find part truths and part lies, fables intricately entwined with truth, yet 1 John 2:21 clearly says:

“I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that NO LIE IS OF THE TRUTH.” (Emphasis mine)

by Rebecca A. Sexton