Some trace the history of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary visiting the locations of the Passion in Jerusalem, but most trace the beginning of the specific devotion to Saint Francis of Assisi, or at least to the Franciscan tradition.

Originally, it was specifically connected to visiting the actual sites in Jerusalem, where Jesus suffered and died. As such a pilgrimage was impossible for many, the stations were erected in the local churches as a way of bringing Jerusalem to the people.