Via Lucis Stations Booklet Now Out in Afrikaans

by Erin Carelse · April 11, 2018

The Via Lucis (Way of Light), consisting of the 14 Stations of the Resurrection, is now available in an Afrikaans edition.

The easy-to-use booklet for praying the devotion has been available in Sesotho, siSwati, isiZulu and English, with 3000 copies distributed by the Salesians last year.

Sr Edith Raidt, Val Drift and Salesian seminarian Michael Dean-Jackson produced the Afrikaans translation.

“Each season of Lent we remind ourselves of the suffering and death of Jesus by walking the Stations of the Cross. Then Easter comes and we are left without a complementary devotion to continue our walk with Jesus after his resurrection,” said Fr Francois Dufour, Salesian provincial in Southern Africa.

This gap has been filled with the Way of Light: the 14 Stations of the Resurrection which capture the moments of Christ’s life beyond his crucifixion; from the empty tomb to Pentecost.

Last year The Southern Cross ran an illustrated series of the Via Lucis which is also available on www.scross.co.za/category/via-lucis/

An Easter People

“It is the ideal devotion for the Easter season, and it also helps to promote the fact that we are to be an Easter people, not just Good Friday people,” Fr Dufour said.

This devotion appeals particularly to young people and is very relevant for confirmation candidates making their journey from the Easter of their baptism to the Pentecost of their confirmation, he said.

“Catholics are familiar with the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), which is displayed in practically every Catholic church, but there are still very few Stations of the Resurrection to contemplate in our churches,” Fr Dufour said.

“There is no reason why we cannot create them and, hopefully, every new church from now on will plan space for all 28 stations.”

The Vatican Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy (2001) has endorsed the Via Lucis: “The Via Lucis, when celebrated in fidelity to the Gospel text, can effectively convey a living understanding to the faithful of the second moment of the Paschal event, namely the Lord’s Resurrection.”

The Afrikaans edition of the Way of Light Devotion is available from the Salesian provincial headquarters at R15 a copy, with discounts for bulk orders.

For orders, contact Gail at 011 680 1680 during office hours, or e-mail . The text and pictures can also be downloaded for free from the Salesians website at www.salesians.org.za