Moodubelle: For the first time, devotion of outdoor Way of the Cross observed at Kuntalnagar

By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 11 March 2012: For the first time in the Udupi Deanery, the devotion of the outdoor Way of the Cross attended by the Episcopal Vicar, Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Dean of Udupi Deanery, Rev. Fr. Frederick Mascarenhas and priests and people from the churches within the deanery including Moodubelle, Udupi, Manipal, Perampalli, Katapadi, Yermal, Kalmadi, Udyavara, Kuntalnagar and Pamboor on Sunday, March 11, 2012 from 5pm to 6pm was a great spiritual experience for the Christians during the season of Lent.

 

The outdoor Stations of the Cross constructed in the premises of St. Antony’s Church, Kuntalnagar under the leadership of Fr. Jerome Monteiro and support from the parishioners in the background of green and serene natural setting which were blessed and inaugurated by Rev. Dr. Aloysius P. D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore a week ago on Sunday, March 4, 2012 witnessed the first Deanery level Way of the Cross on this Sunday.

 

At the outset, Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, after a brief introduction, invoked the opening prayer of the Way of the Cross. Thereafter, Rev. Fr. Frederick Mascarenhas traced the origin and spread of the devotion of the Way of the Cross and also its significance in the spiritual growth of a Christian especially during the season of the Lent. 

 

 

For Roman Catholics throughout the world, the Stations of the Cross are synonymous with Lent, Holy Week and, especially, Good Friday. This devotion is also known as the "Way of the Cross", the "Via Crucis", and the "Via Dolorosa." It commemorates 14 key events on day of Christ’s crucifixion. The majority of these Stations are related to  His final walk through the streets of Jerusalem, carrying the Cross.

 

The Stations originated in medieval Europe when wars prevented Christian pilgrims from visiting the Holy Land. It is believed that nothing that we have before about the fifteenth century can strictly be called a Way of the Cross in the modern sense. Although several travelers who visited the Holy Land during the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries mention a settled route along which pilgrims were conducted. There is nothing in their accounts to identify this with the Way of the Cross, as we understand it. The devotion of the Way of the Cross for which there have been a number of variant routes in Jerusalem, was probably developed by the Franciscans after they were granted administration of the Christian holy places in Jerusalem in 1342.

 

During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Franciscans began to build a series of outdoor Stations in Europe to duplicate their counterparts in the Holy Land. The number of Stations varied between seven and thirty; seven was common. These were usually placed, often in small buildings, along the approach to a church.

 

In 1686, in answer to their petition, Pope Innocent XI granted to the Franciscans the right to erect stations within their churches. In 1731, Pope Clement XII extended to all churches the right to have the stations, provided that a Franciscan father erected them, with the consent of the local bishop. At the same time the number of Stations was fixed at fourteen. In 1857, the bishops of England were allowed to erect the Stations by themselves, without the intervention of a Franciscan priest, and in 1862 this right was extended to bishops throughout the church. 

 

European artists created works depicting scenes of Christ’s journey to Calvary. The faithful installed these sculptures or paintings at intervals along a procession route, inside the parish church or outdoors. Performing the devotion meant walking the entire route, stopping to pray at each Station.

 

Today, images of the Stations are on display in almost all Catholic churches. They serve mainly as a focus for Lenten worship services. But the Stations can also be performed privately, at any time of the year, even at home. Many organizations offer free or inexpensive, illustrated pamphlets for this purpose.

 

 

The hour long open Way of the Cross in Kuntalnagar was conducted with great devotion by Fr. Joel D’Souza (OFM-Cap). Representatives from the parishes of the Udupi Deanery and Pamboor were given the privilege of holding the Cross in front of each Station, Moodubelle being the first and Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes himself held the Cross in front of the first Station. For the last for Stations, Parish Council Members of Kuntalnagar held the Cross.

 

The entire atmosphere in the Kuntalnagar Church premises was filled with devotion as Fr. Joel read out the introduction to each station and readout the prayers. The gentle breeze that was sweeping across the hilltop with the church in the background and the golden coloured skyline in the west just provided the necessary spiritual air. When the devotion reached the Twelfth Station, the sun could be seen just behind the panel depicting the death of Jesus on the Cross.

 

After the end of the hour long Way of the Cross devotion all people entered the church where closing prayer was recited by Fr. Joel D’Souza, followed by vote of thanks by the Vice President of the Parish pastoral Council, Valerian Mathais.

 

The Episcopal Vicar of Udupi, Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes thanked the Parish Priest, Fr. Jerome Monteiro and the parishioners of Kuntalnagar for providing such a spiritual experience to the people of Udupi Deanery and conferred the final blessing.