The Way of the Cross

As interpreted by Jonathan Clarke 1999

It is not often that one is invited to touch as well as view a set of sculptures, but this is what we were invited to do when on a visit to Southwell Minster Cathedral, Nottinghamshire.

These 14 Stations of the Cross are to be found in the North ‘transept’. Whilst the order of the stations is traditional this interpretation is different.

After Jesus has been taken before the Tribunal and condemned to be crucified (in the first group) a cross was put on his shoulders [2]. The size of the cross is about twice the size of a man (ie. it is thought to have been about twelve feet in length). It is a long way to Calvary.

If one stops and looks ahead along the line of sculptures to the ‘distant’ cross on the hill it becomes apparent that closer to the hill the cross has ‘grown’.

If we recall that before the cross had been placed on his shoulder Jesus had been flogged by the Roman soldiers, using a cat o’ nine tails’ ie. tortured, and had endured the late night Tribunal, is it surprising that he stumbled[3,7,9,] ? When we think of the mental anguish through which Christ was going as he continues on his way to Calvary, is it surprising that the cross seems to get heavier and heavier, larger and larger?

When one touches the figures which are in the crowd one finds that the backs of some of the bystanders are smooth ie. ‘soft and gentle’ whilst others have shoulders which are rough ie. hard and angry. At every station the size of the cross seems larger, reminding us of the increasing physical and mental burden carried by Jesus.

At Stations 11 and 12 depicting Jesus’ Crucifixion and death the huge size of the cross reflects the enormous burdens of mental anguish in the mind of Christ.

From there ‘downhill’ to where the body of Christ is taken down from the cross and where he is no longer suffering physically, (his spirit has left this world,) the cross is portrayed the same size as when Jesus started to walk ‘The Way of The Cross’. Finally at Station 14 the body is laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea and the stone is rolled into place. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting opposite, watching and waiting.

As is apparent I found this set of sculptures most moving.

Margaret Symonds