From the night of Holy Thursday until Good Friday in the morning it is biblical and Catholic devotion to visit seven churches, a tradition initiated in Rome by San Felipe Neri and has spread throughout the entire world.
The visit to the 7 churches aims to thank Jesus Christ for the gifts of the Eucharist and the priesthood that instituted that holy night.
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The Lord is also accompanied in loneliness and sufferings in the Gethsemaní orchard, the affronts he received in the houses of Anás, Caifás, Herodes, Pilate, in the Calvary are remembered and is accompanied in the silence of the sepulcher.
According to tradition, each church, after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, keeps the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle and erects a monument in a sign of thanks to Jesus for his sacred passion with which he redeemed with love to the world.
The faithful who visit the monuments are invited to also make a repair prayer for the abandonment with which it is frequently left in the tabernacle and the little frequency to the Holy Mass and Communion.
Follow this guide and accompany the Lord:
First Church: Jesus in the garden
Meditation: They would be about 10 at night when Jesus arrived at Gethsemaní’s garden. His soul was filled with sadness, he entered agony to the vision of the sufferings that came over him and the ingratitude of humanity. He prayed for about three hours with tears and blood sweat, whose drops fell on land. Judas arrived here and with a kiss he gave him those who came to apprehend him, although it was rather his love to you who gave him.
Prayer: We pity you, Jesus, and we thank you for what you suffered for our salvation in the prayer of the garden. The betrayal and alevosía hurts with which you were imprisoned. Grant us strength in our sufferings and give us the gift of prayer.
3 Our Father are prayed.
Second Church: Jesus at Anás’s house
Meditation: Jesus, handcuffed as a vulgar moody, interrogated by Anás about his disciples and doctrine, responds with strength and meekness that he asked those who have heard him and who know what he has said and taught. A guardman slapped him that surely made him staggered.
Prayer: Jesus, we pity you; We thank you for the unfair humiliation you suffered when slapped. We ask you to help us speak with truth, serenity and education and respect our interlocutors.
3 Our Father are prayed.
Third Church: At Caifás’s house
Meditation: Here Jesus has to hear how his doctrines are misrepresented. How false testimonies against him adduce. How he is challenged to proclaim that he is the son of God, but without the intention of recognizing him. How Pedro denies knowing him. How they declare him inmate.
Prayer: Jesus, you are the truth and pile up lies to shut up. You said: “The truth will make them free,” but you have to see how the lie enslaves us. You have said: “You are my friends,” and how easily we deny you. In you we are children of God, and what poverty that of our life. We pity you, Jesus, for those betrayals and we ask you the grace of being your brave witnesses, faithful to your love.
3 Our Father are prayed.
Fourth Church: In Pilate’s house
Meditation: Jesus is accused before Pilate de Malhechor, a village of the town, who prohibits paying the tribute to Caesar and proclaiming King. But he also announces that everyone who is really listens to his voice. What they ask is to be sentenced to death.
Prayer: Jesus, we proclaim you Cristo Rey, because you are the only king of truth, life and love. We pity you for the sadness that has to give you the impudence with which they slander you and for the blindness with which they play with the words out of your mouth. We ask you to clean these lips and these hearts with which we receive you, and that our lives give testimony of you.
3 Our Father are prayed.
Fifth Church: In Herod’s house
Meditation: Herod, curious, but without commitment, is glad to see Jesus. Wait to have fun watching him a miracle. Jesus keeps silent before the word with which Herod is flattering him. Having no answer, he despises him, makes fun of him, putting a white robe.
Prayer: Jesus, Wisdom of the Father, now you keep silent. For you the simple and humble have seen the power of God and celebrated it with great joy. Now you are a crotch. We thank you for the lesson you give us, we sympathize with the outrage you receive and ask you for the grace to speak and shut up in a timely manner.
3 Our Father are prayed.
Sixth Church: Again at Pilate’s house
Meditation: Pilate acknowledges that Jesus is neither a ruffle nor has he committed any of those who accuse him. As he wants to leave him free; But claudica before the pressures of the adversaries who have sworn to end Jesus because they find it uncomfortable, their behavior and their teachings collide with their interests. Jesus is sentenced to the death of Cruz, scourge, crowned with thorns.
Prayer: Jesus, we sympathize with the injustices committed in this process to which you were subjected and in which we put our hands. We sympathize with you how many for being faithful to the truth and the cause of God in their children are unfairly treated. We ask you the grace of divine piety to our injustices.
3 Our Father are prayed.
Seventh Church: In the Holy Sepulcher
Meditation: Jesus has died on the cross between unspeakable pain, teasing, contempt and abandoned of God. The mother and friends who have accompanied him in these hard moments have not been able to do anything. Some friends pierce it. Scriptures have been fulfilled. Now to wait the third day. He, the powerful in works and words, has said that he will resurrect.
Prayer: Jesus, we will accompany you in silence these days, waiting for your word germinating in our hearts and with you we will resurrect new men and women in your resurrection. Thank you, Father God, you have always heard your Son and so, winner of his death and ours, you have resurrected him.
3 Our Father are prayed.
More resources to live Holy Week:
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