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The Via Dolorosa is the route that Christians believe follows the final footsteps of Jesus on the way to his crucifixion. It’s located in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old City of Jerusalem
Introduction to the Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa starts on Lions’ Gate Street in the Muslim Quarter and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter. It runs for about 600 meters (2,000 feet). It’s marked by nine Stations of the Cross, with the final five stations inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The current route was established in the 18th century.
My first two experiences with the Via Dolorosa were rushed because our guide, Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, said we had too many things to see that day. In fact, he took us down the path in reverse. During some free time at the end of my second trip, I returned to walk the path properly, spending some time at each site we weren’t able to visit. Unfortunately, some of the sites that were closed for the day. That being said, this entry is somewhat incomplete. I’ll do my best to get back to them on a future trip.
Note: This post only covers the Stations of the Cross. All other sites along the route not associated with the Stations of the Cross are covered in separate posts.
1st Station of the Cross – Site of the Antonia Fortress
The 1st Station is located at the Umariya Elementary School, which stood on the site of the Antonia Fortress. Many biblical scholars believe Pontius Pilate carried out his judgement to condemn Jesus to death at the fortress.
When school is out, the shopkeeper at the steps will invite pilgrims to visit the school. From a balcony at the back of the school, there are incredible views of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, with the al-Aqsa Mosque in the background.
2nd Station of the Cross – Monastery of the Flagellation
The Monastery of the Flagellation marks the 2nd Station of the Via Dolorosa. It’s a Franciscan monastery consisting of two churches and a museum. It encloses part of the Lithostrotos, or Gabbatha, where Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion, flogged, and forced to carry the cross.
The land on which the complex now sits was taken over by the Muslims in the late 12th century. It was given to the Franciscans in 1838 by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt (1789-1848).
Church of the Flagellation
Immediately to the right just inside the entrance is the Church of the Flagellation. It was built above the spot where Jesus was flogged by Roman soldiers.
The church was originally built by the Crusaders in the 12th century. When the Ottomans took over in 1516, the church and surrounding buildings were used as stables and later private residences. In 1839, the church was rebuilt by Duke Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria (1808-1888), and a plaque on the building commemorates the event. The current Church of the Flagellation was completed in 1929 by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi (1884-1960) in a 12th century medieval style.
The Church of the Flagellation consists of a single aisle. There are three large stained glass windows depicting Pontius Pilate washing his hands; the flagellation; and the pardoning of Barabbas. The dome was designed to resemble the Crown of Thorns.
Church of the Condemnation
To the left of the entrance is the Church of the Condemnation and the Imposition of the Cross. It marks the spot where Jesus took up the cross after being condemned to death by crucifixion.
The current church was built in 1904 by German architect Wendelin Hinterkeuser (1851-1921). It sits atop the ruins of a medieval chapel.
The Church of the Condemnation is topped with five white domes, each containing stained glass windows. It features original Roman floors, with one slab bearing the marks of an ancient game played by soldiers.
Outside the church is a map of Jerusalem during the time of Christ. Our guide, Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, used the map to explain the entire sequence of events from the arrest of Jesus leading up to the crucifixion.
Terra Sancta Museum
The third part of the complex is the Terra Sancta Museum, which has three sections. They chronicle the artistic, historical, and religious history of the Christian faith and the Via Dolorosa. The archaeological and multimedia sections are at the Monastery of the Flagellation while the historical section is at St. Saviour Monastery in the Christian Quarter.
The multimedia section, which opened in March 2016, covers 2000 years of history in Jerusalem in 15 minutes through digital animation and narration. The multimedia section is housed in a cistern. We didn’t visit this part of the museum.
The archaeological section, which opened in June 2018, displays objects discovered in places mentioned in the Gospels. The objects were discovered by the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (SBF) over several years of archaeological expeditions throughout the Holy Land. Only the New Testament section is open and the other half, which will chronicle important moments in the life of Jesus, is under construction (as of May 2024).
The historical section, which is under construction and expected to open in 2025 or 2026 (as of May 2024), will display gifts from European royalty to the Holy Land.
Visiting the Terra Sancta Museum
The Terra Sancta Museum is open daily. Adult admission is ₪15 (as of May 2024) and only cash is accepted. As of May 2023, only the multimedia and archaeological sections are open to the public. The museum is housed in ancient structures from different periods of history, including a Byzantine cistern, 12th century Crusader rooms, and a 13-14th century Mamluk courtyard. Visit the official website for more info.
Archaeological Section
The collection in the archaeological section starts with several interesting pieces, such as votives and oil lamps, mosaic panels, and funerary steles.
One room includes items used in daily life during the time of Christ. These include glasswares from Capernaum, fishing hooks, buttons and thread, coins, simple tools, and more.
At the back of the same room is a case containing jewelry as well as a stone basin used for purification rituals and ossuaries found at the Mount of Olives.
Continuing to the next room are finds from the Herodium, which was a palace and fortress built by Herod the Great between 23 and 15 BC. It was destroyed by the Romans in 71 AD. The Herodium is located in the West Bank, 12 kilometers (7 ½ miles) south of Jerusalem and 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) southeast of Bethlehem. Items include wooden bowls and plates, coins, ancient seeds, architectural decorations, and more.
The final part of the archaeological section passed through a 12th century Crusader room and a 13-14th century Mamluk courtyard. The Crusader room was probably a warehouse while the courtyard may have been part of a wealthy residence.
My Thoughts on the Terra Sancta Museum
Overall, despite it not being 100% operational, we enjoyed our visit to the Terra Sancta Museum. The displays were very nicely presented and there was plenty of information available. It was also interesting to walk through the ancient structures. I hope to see the rest of the archaeological section on my next visit to Jerusalem. I also look forward to visiting the historical section when it opens.
3rd Station of the Cross – Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate
The 3rd Station is around the next corner to the left. It represents Jesus falling for the first time. The 3rd Station is marked on the entrance to the Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Amman.
4th Station of the Cross – Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Next door is the 4th Station, which represents Jesus’ encounter with the Virgin Mary, is at the the Armenian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. It’s the seat of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate and was built in 1881.
5th Station of the Cross – Chapel of Simon of Cyrene
Turning right at the next corner is the 5th Station, which represents Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus carry the cross. It’s marked on the small Chapel of Simon of Cyrene, which was built in 1895 by the Franciscans.
On the wall of the chapel is a handprint medieval Christians believed to be the handprint of Christ. Tradition says Jesus stumbled near this spot and used his hand to break his fall. The impression has been made deeper and smoother by the hands of pilgrims touching it over the centuries. It used to be on the ground but was moved to the wall for safety purposes.
At this point, the Via Dolorosa becomes more narrow and starts gradually climbing uphill towards the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Shops and restaurants line both sides of the street. There’s also more shade.
6th Station of the Cross – Church of the Holy Face and St. Veronica
The 6th Station is located at the Church of the Holy Face and St. Veronica, which was built by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in 1883. It represents the encounter with St. Veronica, who used her veil to wipe the sweat from the face of Jesus.
The church sits atop the remains of the 12th century Crusader Monastery of St. Cosmas and is generally open Tuesday through Saturday. The site was identified as the 6th Station in the 19th century.
7th Station of the Cross
At the next junction, where a section of the Roman Cardo (north-south road) meets the Decumanus (east-west road) is the 7th Station. It represents Jesus falling for the second time. The station is marked at the entrance to a small Franciscan chapel built in 1875.
8th Station of the Cross
The Via Dolorosa turns west into the Christian Quarter at the next right from the Cardo. A few steps further along is the 8th Station, which is the location where Jesus meets the Pious Women. It sits outside the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Charalambos.
9th Station of the Cross
The 9th Station is at the gates to the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, which is not on the Via Dolorosa. It’s actually on the rooftop of the Chapel of St. Helena, which is a subterranean structure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The 9th Station marks Jesus falling for the third time.
10th through 14th Stations of the Cross – Church of the Holy Sepulchre
As previously mentioned, the 10th through 14th Stations are at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The 10th Station, which is where Christ was stripped of his clothes, is in the Catholic Chapel of the Franks on the courtyard of the church. The 11th, 12th, and 13th Stations, where Christ was nailed to the cross, died, and taken down from the cross, are in the Catholic and Greek Orthodox chapels at Golgotha (Calvary). The 14th Station, where Christ was placed in the tomb, is at the Edicule in the Rotunda.
