The Stations of the Cross, is a narration of the final hours in the life of Jesus Christ on earth. The Stations of the Cross serve as a stark reminder of the humble manner in which Jesus was willing to set aside any privilege of deity in order to provide a path to salvation through His sacrifice.
Stripping of the altar (removing all ornaments, linens, and flowers) is an ancient custom of the Church. It is symbolic of the humiliation of Jesus at the hands of the soldiers; and as His life was stripped from Him, so we strip our altar of the signs of life to symbolize His purposeful, redemptive suffering and death for us.