What does Via Dolorosa mean?

Via Dolorosa comes from the Latin language and where “via” means “route” and “Dolorosa” means “Sorrowful Way”; the most common translation of this word is “Way of Suffering”.

What is the Via Dolorosa meaning

What is Via Dolorosa?

It is a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel, believed to be the path that Jesus walked en route to his crucifixion.

The winding path from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre a distance of about 600 metres is a renowned location of Christian trip.

The current route has been developed considering that the 18th century, replacing different earlier versions.

It is today noted by 9 Stations of the Cross before the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

There have been 14 stations by the late 15th century, and continuing to be 5 stations inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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History of Via Dolorosa

The Via Dolorosa is not one street, yet a route containing segments of numerous roads.

Among the major segments is the contemporary remnant of one of the two major east-west courses (Decumanus Maximus) with the Roman city of Aelia Capitolina, as constructed by Hadrian.

Standard Roman city layout puts the major east-west road through the centre of the city.

But the existence of the Temple Mount along much of the eastern side of the city required Hadrian’s coordinators to add an additional east-west roadway at its north.

Along with the common main north-south roadway (Cardo Maximus) there is a second major north-south road.

The first one headed straight up the western hillside, while the second one was added down the line of the Tyropoeon Valley.

These two cardines converge near the Damascus Gateway, near the Via Dolorosa.

Via Dolorosa Jerusalem station IV

If the Via Dolorosa had continued west in a straight line across both courses, it would have created a triangular block too narrow to build typical buildings.

The decumanus (now the Via Dolorosa) west of the Cardo was created south of its eastern part, developing the suspension in the road what is Via Dolorosa known today.

The initial records of a pilgrimage path corresponding to the Biblical Events days from the Byzantine era. During that time, a Holy

Thursday procession started from the top of the Mount of Olives and stopped in Gethsemane.

Then got in the Old City at the Lions’ Gate, and followed around the present path to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Nonetheless, there were no actual stops during the route along the Via Dolorosa itself.

By the 8th century, however, the route went through the western hillside and starting at Gethsemane.

It continued to the declared Home of Caiaphas on Mount Zion in the first phase.

After that, the route headed to Hagia Sophia (deemed the site of the Praetorium), as well as lastly to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholics of Jerusalem split right into 2 factions, one controlling the churches on the western hill, the other the churches on the eastern hillside.

They each supported the route what is Via Dolorosa today and which took pilgrims past the churches the factions concerned regulated.

One of the factions argues that the Roman guv’s manor (Praetorium) was on Mount Zion (where they had churches).

The other faction says that the place was near the Antonia Fortress (where they had churches).

In the 14th century, Pope Clement VI accomplished some consistency in course with the Bull, “Nuper Carissimae,” developing the Franciscan Guardianship of the Holy Land.

He also charged the friars with “the assistance, guideline, and care of Latin explorers in addition to with the guardianship,  protection and routines of the Catholic temples of the Holy Land.”

What does Via Dolorosa mean

Starting around 1350, Franciscan friars conducted authorities scenic tours of the Via Dolorosa, from the Holy Sepulchre to the House of Pilate opposite the instructions passed by Christ in Bible.

The route was not reversed up until 1517 when the Franciscans began to adhere to the events of Christ’s Passion.

They put the events in order starting with the House of Pontius Pilate and ending with the crucifixion at Golgotha.

From the start of Franciscan administration, the development of the Via Dolorosa was intimately linked to religious practices in Europe.

The Friars Minor were ardent supporters of devotional reflection as a way to gain access to as well as recognize the Passion.

The hrs as well as guides they produced, such as Meditaciones Vite Christi (MVC), were widely distributed in Europe.

Answers to most popular questions:

So, as a recap let’s see together which are the quick and short answers to the following questions

1. What is Via Dolorosa?

Via Dolorosa is a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem, which is believed to be the path that Jesus walked en route to his crucifixion. The path winds along with the Ols City from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of Holy Sepulchre.

2. What does Via Dolorosa mean?

Via Dolorosa means “ the Way of Sorrow” or “ The Way of Suffering” .The name comes from the Latin language where “via” means “route” and “Dolorosa” means “Sorrowful Way”.