Jesus fällt zum ersten Mal unter dem Kreuze

Jesus fällt zum ersten Mal unter dem Kreuze marks the third station of the fourteen-part Catholic Way of the Cross. In Würzburg and its surrounding region, such stations appear as artworks inside churches or along pilgrimage paths. This scene shows Jesus collapsing beneath the cross, bringing physical strain and suffering into view. The sequence guides visitors through the Passion, from condemnation to burial, with each station offering space for prayer and reflection.

At the pilgrimage church Heilige Schutzengel und St. Jakobus der Ältere in Gaukönigshofen, Heinz Schiestl created the stations in 1919. Oval wooden relief medallions carry gilding and small crosses, while their style recalls the apostle medallions of the Bossi brothers. Elsewhere, Breitbrunn presents the scenes as sandstone sculptures beside a scenic route. The setting can sharpen the image: a dried-up pond gives this station an atmosphere of isolation and struggle. Faces and gestures make the burden visible, inviting you to consider endurance, compassion, and faith.