Lenten Campaign 2025
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Many Catholics feel particularly drawn to meditate on Jesus’ crucifixion during Lent. The Stations of the Cross are a prime example of a popular Lenten devotion that focuses almost entirely on Jesus’ passion and death.
In addition to the Stations of the Cross, Catholics during Lent also focus more intentionally on the moments of Jesus’ crucifixion.
One of the simplest forms of this devotion is gazing upon a crucifix, meditating on the intense agony Jesus suffered for all humanity.
The Directory on Popular Pietydescribes this type of devotion: “They contemplate the crucified Savior, they sense more easily the great suffering which Jesus, the Holy and Innocent One, suffered for the salvation of mankind. They understand his love and the effectiveness of his redemptive sacrifice.”
Over the centuries Catholics have developed a variety of devotions to the crucified Savior and the Directory lists four of the most popular devotions.
1
Ecce Homo
The Directory offers this description: “devotion to the ‘Ecce Homo,’ Christ despised, ‘crowned with thorns and clothed in a purple cloak’ (John 19, 5), and shown to the multitude by Pilate.”
A good example of this devotion can be found in St. “Brother Albert” Chmielowski’s painting with the same name. It reveals, “a maimed man, holding a reed instead of a royal scepter, with a crown of thorns piercing his temples. His eyes are half-closed due to the unbearable pain and suffering.”
It is an image of pure humility, as Jesus is mocked as a “king,” while dripping with blood.
Interestingly, many Eastern Catholics use the same image of Jesus for Holy Week, but the icon is called, “Jesus the Bridegroom.” Jesus’ suffering is meant to recall his great love for humanity and how his suffering gives way to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.
2
Five Wounds of Christ
Another devotionthe Directory lists is “devotion to the five sacred wounds of Christ, especially to the side of Christ from which flowed blood and water for the salvation of mankind (John 19, 34).”
Devotion to the the wounds of Christ arose in the 12th and 13th centuries when Christians began to rediscover the Holy Land and were interested in meditating on the Passion of Jesus. St. Bernard of Clairvaux gave a homily that highlighted the wounds of Christ, which became a principal text in support of this devotion.
Where can the weak find a place of firm security and peace, except in the wounds of the Savior? Indeed, the more secure is my place there the more he can do to help me.
The wounds of Christ were further narrowed down to the “Five Holy Wounds,” which includes the wounds on Jesus’ right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot and side. These were commemorated in the liturgy during the Easter Vigil when the priest placed five grains of incense in the Paschal Candle in honor of the five wounds.
This particular devotion, combined with the first, is a favorite of Pope Francis. He once explained:
In the evening, before going to bed […] I pray five “Our Fathers,” one for each of Jesus’ wounds, because Jesus has cleansed us with his wounds. If I do this, you can do it too, in your home, and say: “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean!” and think about Jesus’ wounds and say an “Our Father” for each of them. Jesus always hears us.
3
Instruments of Jesus’ Passion
The Directory also lists “devotion to the instruments of the Passion, the pillar at which Christ was scourged, the steps of the Praetorium, the crown of thorns, the nails, the lance that pierced Him.”
This particular devotion is especially evident in Rome, where many of these instruments are currently located after St. Helena reportedly found them in the Holy Land.
It is a devotion that again focuses on the elements that led to Jesus’ intense pain that he suffered for humanity. They represent the instruments of Jesus’ love for us all.
4
Holy Shroud
The last devotion that the Directory lists is the Holy Shroud. This typically refers to the Shroud of Turin, a cloth that bears an image of a man who underwent intense torture.
While many debate the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, there still is the fact that Jesus was covered in a large cloth and that cloth likely contained an imprint of his body, covered with blood.
Catholics are reminded by the Directory that “in order to avoid excessive fragmentation in contemplation of the mystery of the Cross, it is always useful to emphasize the whole event of the Passion, as is the case in biblical and patristic tradition.”
Jesus certainly suffered greatly, but the good news is that he rose from the dead, foreshadowing what will happen to all of us at the end of time.
And today we celebrate...