
In the Middle Ages, the Franciscan friars encouraged every church to make it possible for all parishioners to combine a spiritual pilgrimage to Jerusalem and a spiritual pilgrimage to Rome by putting up 14 pictures or crosses representing the 14 "station churches" of Rome.
Human life is a pilgrimage, our true homeland is in heaven. May the coming Holy Week help prepare us for eternity.
Fr. Bob
[Here is one version of the history of the Stations: LINK]