The original Way of the Cross. This processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem is believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to His crucifixion. It winds from the site of the Antonia Fortress (near the Lions' Gate) through the narrow streets of the Muslim and Christian Quarters to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a distance of about 600 meters. Nine of the 14 stations are marked along the route; the final five are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Every Friday, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land leads a public procession along the Via Dolorosa.

Every Good Friday, the Pope leads the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome, in a televised ceremony watched by millions worldwide. This tradition dates to 1750, when St. Leonard of Port Maurice erected stations in the amphitheater at the invitation of Pope Benedict XIV, who had consecrated the Colosseum to the Passion of Christ and the early Christian martyrs. The stations were removed in 1874 during Italian unification but restored by Pope Pius XI in 1926.

The High Stations (Chemin de Croix) at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes consist of 115 life-size cast iron figures arranged in 15 tableaux along a path that winds up the steep Hill of Espelugues. Created by the sculptor Raffl and erected between 1898 and 1911, the stations are remarkable for their dramatic realism and massive scale. The physically demanding ascent mirrors the spiritual journey of the Way of the Cross, making it one of the most popular devotions at the shrine.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site near Krakow is one of the most extraordinary Stations of the Cross in the world. Built between 1600 and 1632 by Mikolaj Zebrzydowski, the calvary consists of 42 chapels and churches spread across a hilly landscape that was specifically chosen because it resembles the topography of Jerusalem. Over 200,000 pilgrims gather here during Holy Week for the Passion Play procession. Pope St. John Paul II made pilgrimages here throughout his life and called it "one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in the world."

The oldest of the nine Sacri Monti (Sacred Mountains) of Piedmont and Lombardy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1491 by the Franciscan friar Bernardino Caimi, who had been custodian of the Holy Land, Varallo recreates the sacred places of Jerusalem in a series of 45 chapels containing over 800 life-size painted terracotta figures and 4,000 frescoes. It was intended as a "New Jerusalem" for pilgrims unable to travel to the Holy Land.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic church in North America, contains a set of Stations of the Cross in mosaic created by the Venetian artist Rowan LeCompte. The National Shrine hosts one of the largest public Stations of the Cross services in the United States each Good Friday, drawing thousands of pilgrims from across the country.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site features an elaborate monumental stairway of 577 steps ascending 116 meters up the hillside, with chapels at each landing depicting the Stations of the Cross through life-size terracotta figures. Built in the Baroque style between 1784 and 1834, the zigzagging staircase is one of the most iconic pilgrimage sites in Portugal and a masterpiece of European religious architecture.