The Second Station of the Cross: Jesus takes up the Cross.



Jesus is here in the "tree posture". He himself becomes the tree. His acceptance of the Cross is in a sense his embracing the tree of life,
bowing down to the earth. Here, Jesus is himself part of the Cross. In the Syrian Christian tradition the Cross is called "Mar Silube" which is like saying "St. Cross" or Holy Cross. The term "Mar", is applied to an Abbot, for example. It indicates that the Cross itself is like a person--the suffering
servant, obedient even unto death.