Good Friday (full size gallery)
This service was different from the traditional Good Friday service as it was “Stations of the Cross.” The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of Christ’s last day, beginning with His condemnation. We had 20 for the service.
Introduction
1. What are Stations of the Cross
2. Virginia Theological Seminary version
The content of the stations was familiar. However, people typically visit each station as a tour or mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ’s last day. However, inside the church the stations were read by Catherine and Elizabeth with Tucker with the INRI cross
The letters “INRI” are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:19). Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire.
The words were “Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm.” Latin uses “I” instead of the English “J”, and “V” instead of “U” (i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum). The English translation is “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews
The paintings of the 14 stations were in the windows. They were done by Mary Peterman in 2019. The actual text she used was different from tonight’s service which was in the bulletin. There is text in the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services.