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The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerichpass freely, and the soldiers were most willing that they should do so, but explained to him thatthey had endeavoured several times to open the gate, without being able to move it; that apparentlythe gate had received a shock, and been strained in some part; and that on this account the archerssent to break the legs of the thieves had been obliged to return to the city by another gate. But whenJoseph and Nicodemus seized hold of the bolt, the gate opened as if of itself, to the great astonishmentof all the bystanders.It was still dark and the sky cloudy when they reached Mount Calvary, where they found the servantswho had been sent on already arrived, and the holy women sitting weeping in front of the Cross.Cassius and several soldiers who were converted remained at a certain distance, and their demeanourwas respectful and reserved. Joseph and Nicodemus described to the Blessed Virgin and John allthey had done to save Jesus from an ignominious death, and learned from them how they hadsucceeded in preventing the bones of our Lord from being broken, and how the prophecy had beenfulfilled. They spoke also of the wound which Cassius had made with his lance. No sooner was thecenturion Abenadar arrived than they began, with the deepest recollection of spirit, their mournfuland sacred labour of taking down from the Cross and embalming the adorable body of our Lord.291The Blessed Virgin and Magdalen were seated at the foot of the Cross; while, on the right-handside, between the cross of Dismas and that of Jesus, the other women were engaged in preparingthe linen, spices, water, sponges, and vases. Cassius also came forward, and related to Abenadarthe miraculous cure of his eyes. All were deeply affected, and their hearts overflowing with sorrowand love; but, at the same time, they preserved a solemn silence, and their every movement wasfull of gravity and reverence. Nothing broke the stillness save an occasional smothered word oflamentation, or a Stifled groan, which escaped from one or other of these holy personages, in spiteof their earnest eagerness and deep attention to their pious labour. Magdalen gave way unrestrainedlyto her sorrow, and neither the presence of so many different persons, nor any other consideration,appeared to distract her from it.Nicodemus and Joseph placed the ladders behind the Cross, and mounted them, holding in theirhands a large sheet, to which three long straps were fastened. They tied the body of Jesus, belowthe arms and knees, to the tree of the Cross, and secured the arms by pieces of linen placedunderneath the hands. Then they drew out the nails, by pushing them from behind with strong pinspressed upon the points. The sacred hands of Jesus were thus not much shaken, and the nails felleasily out of the wounds; for the latter had been made wider by the weight of the body, which,being now supported by the cloths, no longer hung on the nails. The lower part of the body, whichsince our Lord’s death had sunk down on the knees, now rested in a natural position, supported bya sheet fastened above to the arms of the Cross. Whilst Joseph was taking out the nail from the lefthand, and then allowing the left arm, supported by its cloth, to fall gently down upon the body,Nicodemus was fastening the right arm of Jesus to that of the Cross, as also the sacred crownedhead, which had sunk on the right shoulder. Then he took out the right nail, and having surroundedthe arm with its supporting sheet, let it fall gently on to the body. At the same time, the centurionAbenadar, with great difficulty, drew out the large nail which transfixed the feet. Cassius devoutlyreceived the nails, and laid them at the feet of the Blessed Virgin.292168
The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine EmmerichThen Joseph and Nicodemus, having placed ladders against the front of the Cross, in a very uprightposition, and close to the body, untied the upper strap, and fastened it to one of the hooks on theladder; they did the same with the two other straps, and passing them all on from hook to hook,caused the sacred body to descend gently towards the centurion, who having mounted upon a stoolreceived it in his arms, holding it below the knees; while Joseph and Nicodemus, supporting theupper part of the body, came gently down the ladder, stopping at every step, and taking everyimaginable precaution, as would be done by men bearing the body of some beloved friend whohad been grievously wounded. Thus did the bruised body of our Divine Saviour reach the ground.It was a most touching sight. They all took the same precautions, the same care, as if they hadfeared to cause Jesus some suffering. They seemed to have concentrated on the sacred body all thelove and veneration which they had felt for their Saviour during his life. The eyes of each werefixed upon the adorable body, and followed all its movements; and they were continually upliftingtheir hands towards Heaven, shedding tears, and expressing in every possible way the excess oftheir grief and anguish. Yet they all remained perfectly calm, and even those who were so busilyoccupied about the sacred body broke silence but seldom, and, when obliged to make some necessaryremark, did so in a low voice. During the time that the nails were being forcibly removed by blowsof the hammer, the Blessed Virgin, Magdalen, and all those who had been present at the Crucifixion,felt each blow transfix their hearts. The sound recalled to their minds all the sufferings of Jesus.,and they could not control their trembling fear, lest they should again hear his piercing cry ofsuffering; although, at the same time, they grieved at the silence of his blessed lips, which proved,alas too surely, that he was really dead. When the body was taken down it was wrapped in linenfrom the knees to the waist, and then placed in the arms of the Blessed Virgin, who, overwhelmedwith sorrow and love, stretched them forth to receive their precious burden.293CHAPTER LI.The Embalming of the Body of Jesus.THE Blessed Virgin seated herself upon a large cloth spread on the ground, with her right knee,which was slightly raised, and her back resting against some mantles, rolled together so as to forma species of cushion. No precaution had been neglected which could in any way facilitate to her—theMother of Sorrows—in her deep affliction of soul, the mournful but most sacred duty which shewas about to fulfil in regard to the body of her beloved Son. The adorable head of Jesus rested uponMary’s knee, and his body was stretched upon a sheet. The Blessed Virgin was overwhelmed withsorrow and love. Once more, and for the last time, did she hold in her arms the body of her mostbeloved Son, to whom she had been unable to give any testimony of love during the long hours ofhis martyrdom. And she gazed upon his wounds and fondly embraced his blood-stained cheeks,whilst Magdalen pressed her face upon his feet.169
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