After being scourged, mocked, and crowned with thorns, Jesus is forced to carry His cross through the streets of Jerusalem toward the place of His crucifixion. The journey from Pilate’s court to Golgotha, known as the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrow), is long and agonizing. His body, already weakened by torture, struggles under the heavy weight of the wood. The crowds jeer, the soldiers press Him forward, and with each painful step, He inches closer to His death.

After Jesus was scourged, He was handed over to the Roman soldiers, who took Him into the praetorium and unleashed a new form of cruelty upon Him. They mocked His claim to kingship by dressing Him in a scarlet robe, placing a reed in His hand as a scepter, and pressing a twisted crown of thorns onto His head. Then, with jeering voices, they knelt before Him in mockery, striking Him and spitting upon Him.

The Scourging at the Pillar is a brutal episode in Christ’s Passion. After being falsely accused and unjustly condemned, Jesus is handed over by Pontius Pilate to be scourged—a cruel Roman punishment meant to weaken prisoners before execution. The Gospel of John describes this moment succinctly: "Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged." (John 19:1). Yet, within these few words lies a depth of suffering beyond comprehension.

The Agony in the Garden marks the beginning of Jesus' Passion. After celebrating the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus leads Peter, James, and John to Gethsemane, a secluded olive grove just outside Jerusalem. He urges them to stay awake and pray while He withdraws a short distance to commune with the Father.

Contemplating Christ with Mary The Rosary is a profound and transformative prayer that allows us to journey through the life, Passion, and glory of Jesus Christ. St. John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, describes the Rosary as a deeply Christocentric prayer. Though it is often thought of as a Marian devotion, at its heart, it is a means of encountering Christ. In its simplicity, the Rosary presents the depth of the Gospel message, offering a way to meditate on Christ’s life through the eyes of His mother, Mary.