Via Crucis: An App for the Stations of the Cross

Via Crucis (Meditations on the Way of the Cross by St. Francis of Assisi)

Developer: Valent Richie
Platform: iOS 6.0 or higher
Cost: $.99

I am already turning my thoughts toward Lent and what I’m going to do to observe Lent more thoughtfully this year. In years past, I have added hours to the Liturgy of the Hours that I pray each day, but the Via Crucis app, by Valent Richie, adds a new prayer tool to my arsenal that is not only easy-to-use but also thought-provoking.

The Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), also known as The Stations of the Cross, is a devotion that traces Jesus’ steps from his sentencing to death to his burial in the tomb. Each station recalls a specific event within the Passion to meditate upon so that we can see at close quarters what Jesus went through for each one of us.

Based on “Meditations on the Way of the Cross” by St. Francis of Assisi, this app uses masterworks of art from different time periods to focus the user’s attention on the Passion and Death of Our Lord. The meditations themselves are more in depth than most of the meditations that are used in Parish settings and challenge the user to think about their own part on Christ suffering. It’s a little uncomfortable, but it probably should be.

The artwork that Valent has chosen is beautiful, too. Even if you can’t manage the focus to do all the prayers and meditation, paging through the artwork is also a lovely way to commemorate Jesus’ sacrifice for us, as well. To get a better look at the painting, you can tap it once to go to full screen, then swipe it away to go back to the meditation.

Valent Richie’s apps are among my favorites because they are easy to use and he thinks of things like adjustable fonts. After squinting at my iPhone for a few stations, I discovered that I only needed to click the magnifying glass and suddenly, I’d be able to read the prayers comfortably.

The other nice thing about this app is the ability to pick it back up where ever you left off or to start at the beginning. This makes it nice for people who are doing the Via Crucis on their own or with their parish or prayer communities.

I recommend this app for anyone who wants to get a little closer to the Passion this Lent.

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