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Dear Brethren,

Its been my experience that Eastern Catholics have sometimes accomodated some Latin devotions. My family typically observes the stations of the Cross every Great Friday (between our own Church's liturgies). The publication we use for the prayers, I'm not very thrilled about. We recently picked up the Monastery Icons "King of Glory" Icon with the fourteen stations around it -in Byzantine style. We thought it would be wonderful if we could find a Byzantine version of the prayers of the Stations to pray with our new Icon. Any suggestions?

Thank you,
Wm. Ghazar

Dear Ghazar,

Christ is risen!

Yes, unfortunately, Eastern Catholics have adopted Latinizations, Stations of the Cross being one of them. There is nothing WRONG with Stations of the Cross, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's a devotion that is foreign to the East. As such, I don't think there is a "Byzantine" version of the prayers.

By the way, I've heard some disturbing things about Monestary Icons, so if I were you I'd have that icon blessed if you haven't done so already.

God bless,

Karen

Dear Karen,

My post was not meant as a judgement on Latinizations but a request to help us with our own. My wife is Catholic, so I feel perfectly justified in this endeavor. Besides, all pilgrims go to the Holy Land to walk in our Lord's steps, do we not? As for monastery icons, I'm aware of the claims against them and still choose to use their merchandise. I buy icons with traditional themes which leave little room for corruption. Getting them blessed is something we Armenians do to our Holy Images, including the Precious and Life-giving Cross. If there isn't a Byzantine version, I have to believe that there is a version of the Stations more user-friendly to Eastern Christian sensibilities. Hopefully someone can help me with this. Thanks for your help.

Dear Ghazar,

Christ is risen!

Of course my post wasn't meant as a judgement against Stations of the Cross. I just meant that it's a foreign devotion to the East, and that you're probably going to have a hard time finding an "Eastern" version of it.

I'm glad that you're so diligent about having icons blessed... do you do the 40 days on the altar thing too?

God bless,

Karen

Dear Ghazar,

I love the Monastery Icons. I have around 8 of them and purchased a few more as gifts in the past. I recently was able to get the Life of Christ and the Life of the Theotokos at a wonderful deal through their mailing list special offer(these were the larger size ones [actually the smallest cathedral size] that still have the "Glossy" matte on them and causes problems with the glare produced from candles reflecting off the finish. Exactly like the one you purchased of the Stations of the Cross except with the 12 major Feasts.

If I come across something regarding a Byzantine equivalent of the Stations of the Cross, I will let you know. The only thing I am currently aware of is the 12 gospel readings, but they do not completely correspond to the "Way".

I am thinking our esteemed Dear Dr. Alex might be able to provide something in the nature.

In Christ,

Michael

Thanks, Michael.

I was thinking of him too.

Actually I also purchased the two you mentioned. They are wonderful ways to meditate upon the earthly life of our Lord and His Immaculate Mother. Thanks for your reply.

JPII used meditations written by numerous people for the Stations of the Cross at which he presided each Good Friday. Among the authors were the French Orthodox theologian Olivier Clement, and Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. In 1997, the text was provided by the Armenian Apostolic leader, Karekin I. I have not yet been able to find the text from any of these sources.

Found Clement on the vatican website [vatican.va] , searching in French. [vatican.va] .

Here [vatican.va] is a list of recent authors; the mediations of JPII and BXVI, in English, are here [vatican.va] and here. [vatican.va]

Dear Ghazar,

Actually, forms of the Stations of the Cross have been used by Orthodox Saints, especially in the Kyivan Baroque era who adopted them from France.

I have a Ukrainian ORTHODOX text for stations of the Cross.

They basically start with the Byzantine (or any Eastern) introduction to a service, including Psalm 50 and the Creed.

They then just have a meditation at each station with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be ending with a Glory to Your Passion, O Lord, Glory to Your long-suffering!

It then ends with the same close as any other Eastern service.

And they add the Resurrection as the 15th station.

St Tikhon of Zadonsk actually had life-size iconic representations of a stations of the Cross in his cell - the only icons he had there.

Alex

Dear Ghazar,
I happen to have a copy of the Way of the Cross by the Patriarch Bartholomew I (in French) that was used in 1997 at the Coliseum with John Paul II presiding. It is different from the "usual" stations with the first station as Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene, 2nd-Jesus betrayed by Judas and arrested, 3rd-Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin, 4th-Jesus is denied by Peter, 5th-Jesus is judged by Pilate, 6th-Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns, 7th-Jesus takes up His cross, 8th-Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene, 9th-Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem, 10th-Jesus crucified, 11th-Jesus promises His kingdom to the good thief, 12th- Jesus on the Cross, His Mother and the disciple, 13th-Jesus dies on the Cross, 14th-Jesus is placed in the tomb.
If you are interested(it is in French) you could PM me and I could send you a copy.
IN the joy of our Risen Lord and Saviour,
Marie

Dear Ghazar,

When I have some more time, I will translate the Byzantine Stations of the Cross I have and post it here.

Alex

Dear Friends of Christ,

Thank you all, very much for your help. Especially Djs' info and Alex's offer of translation. I have recently been contacted by Dave Chtec who is sending me a Byzantine Stations created by his father (who happens to be an Orthodox). I understand that it is composed mostly of prayers taken from the Great Week services. Sounds very interesting.

I am also interested in Alex's translation of the Ukrainian Stations, when he finishes it. I would also like to read the Ecumenical Patriarch's and my own beloved Patriarch's (Karekeen I -may God grant him rest) reflections on the Stations. Let me know if anyone finds these in English. The links aren't working for me.

Karen: I'm not familiar with the 40 days on the altar tradition you refer to.

Marie: Thanks for your offer but, alas, I don't know enough French to benefit from the booklet you mentioned. But thanks for your generous offer.

Thank you all,
Wm. Ghazar