Stations of the Cross

          The Stations of the Cross represent Jesus' painful journey to His crucifixion At Ta Pinu Marian Centre, a symbolic path was marked out around the hill, starting  near the Monument of Our Lady and ending near the chapel.

          On the 26th February 1996, a road was constructed to house the fourteen stations of the cross. Fourteen olive trees were planted to represent the Stations of the Cross. The first pilgrimage of the Way of the Cross was held on the Easter Vigil Saturday, 6th April 1996. Three years past and fourteen wooden crosses were made to be places at every Station in front of every olive tree. For this occasion a special celebration was held. On Sunday 7th March 1999, His Lordship, Bishop Joe Grech blessed the 14 wooden crosses and then led the pilgrimage of an estimated 2500 people up the hill, Every cross was carried in a formal procession and every cross was placed at every Station. It was a very touching and emotional ceremony reflecting the Crucifixion of Our Lord.    

          Part of Monsignor Benedict Camilleri's vision for Ta Pinu Marian Centre included a Stations of the Cross, replicating the Way of the Cross at Ta Pinu Shrine in Gozo, Malta. A few months after the wooden crosses were put in place, 43 life-size concrete statues depicting Jesus' crucifixion were ordered from Vietnam. In order to make the statues as real as possible, photos of the Stations of the Cross in Gozo were sent to Vietnam to ensure a precise reproduction. Each statue was funded by different individuals. The first set of statues, weighing 1500 kilograms, were unloaded at Bacchus Marsh on Wednesday 28 July 1999. Over the next sixteen months, the remaining thirteen stations were delivered to the site. The last set of statues were unloaded on 17th November 2000. The project was a laborious task for all people involved, but was well worth it because it was Monsignor Benedict Camilleri's wish to have the project completed by the end of the year 2000 to coincide with the Vatican's Jubilee celebrations.

          On Saturday 2nd December 2000, at 2:00pm, Archbishop George Pell lead the congregation along the Way of the Cross, blessing each Station. This ceremony was concluded with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.         

The 14 Stations of the Cross at Ta Pinu Marian Centre

	Station I Jesus institutes of the Holy Eucharist and the Priesthood
Station II Jesus prays to his Father and his sweat becomes like drops of blood
	Station III Judas betrays Jesus
Station IV Pilate condemns Jesus to death on the Cross
	Station V Jesus meets his afflicted mother
Station VI Jesus falls under the weight of the Cross
	Station VII Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
Station VII Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the Cross
	Station IX Jesus is stripped of his cloth
Station X Jesus nailed to the Cross
	Station XI Jesus dies on the Cross
Station XII The body of Jesus is taken down from the Cross
	Station XIII Jesus is laid in the tomb
Station XIV The Resurrection of Jesus

 This page was last updated in January 2009   

  © 2009 Christopher DeBrincat