The Stations of the Cross began as the practice of pious pilgrims to Jerusalem who would retrace the final journey of Jesus Christ to Calvary. Later, for the many who wanted to pass along the same route, but could not make the trip to Jerusalem, a practice developed that eventually took the form of the 14 stations currently found in almost every Catholic church in the world.

The images of this popular devotion shown here are from St. Anne Church in Philadelphia. Click on each image to view larger. (Photos by Sarah Webb)