allows to be erected in the churches and chapels in other countries, crosses, paintings, or bas-reliefs representing the touching scenes which took place on the real road to Calvary at Jerusalem.
In permitting the erection of these holy Stations, the Roman Pontiffs, who understood all the excellency and all the efficacy of this devotion, deigned also to enrich it with all the Indulgences which they had granted to a real visit to the Holy Land. And thus, according to the Briefs and Constitutions of the Sovereign Pontiffs Innocent XL, Innocent XII., Benedict XIIL, Clement XIL, and Benedict XIV., those who m ake the Stations of the Cross with proper dispositions gain all the Indulgences granted to the faithful who visit in person the Holy Places of Jerusalem, and these Indulgences are applicable to the dead.
Now it is certain that numerous Indulgences, whether plenary or partial, were granted to those who visited the Holy Places of Jerusalem, as may be seen in the Bullarium Terrce Sanctce, so that as regards Indulgences we may say that of all practices of piety the Way of the Cross is the most richly endowed.
Thus this devotion, as well on account of the excellence of its object as by reason of the Indulgences, constitutes a suffrage of the greatest value for the Holy Souls.
We find an incident relating to this subject in the Life of Venerable Mary d'Antigna. [1] For a long time she had the pious custom of making the Stations of the Cross each day for the relief of the souls departed; but later, for motives more apparent than solid, she did it but rarely, and finally omitted it altogether. Our Lord, who had great designs in regard to this pious virgin, and who desired to make her a victim of love for the consolation of the poor souls in Purgatory, vouchsafed to give her a lesson which serves as an instruction to us all. A Religious of the same convent, who had died a short time previously, appeared to
- ↑ Louvet, Le Purgatoire, p. 332.
