The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. - documenta ...

The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerichhis disciples; but the dead bodies of which we spoke above were motionless corpses, and the soulswhich once inhabited them were only allowed to enter and reanimate them for a time, and afterperforming the mission given them, the souls again quitted these bodies, which returned to theiroriginal state in the bowels of the earth, where they will remain until the resurrection at the day ofjudgment. Neither could their return to life be compared to the raising of Lazarus from the dead;for he really returned to a new life, and died a second time.CHAPTER LXVI.The End of the Lenten Meditations.344ON the following Sunday, 23 if I remember right, I saw the Jews washing and purifying the Temple.They offered up expiatory sacrifices, cleared away the rubbish, and endeavoured to conceal theeffects of the earthquake by placing planks and carpets over the chasms and fissures made by it inthe walls and on the pavement; and they recommenced the Paschal solemnities, which had beeninterrupted in the midst, declared that the disturbance had been caused by the presence of impurepersons, and endeavoured to explain away the apparition of the dead. They referred to a vision ofEzechiel, but how I can no longer remember. They threatened all who dared to say a syllableconcerning the events which had taken place, or who presumed to murmur, with excommunicationand other severe punishments. They succeeded in silencing some few hardened persons who,conscious of their own guilt, wished to banish the subject from their minds, but they made noimpression on those whose hearts still retained some remains of virtue; they remained silent for atime, concealing their inward belief, but later, regaining courage, proclaimed their faith in Jesusloudly to the world. The High Priests were much disconcerted, when they perceived how rapidlythe doctrines of Christ spread over the country. When Stephen was deacon, the whole of Ophel andthe eastern side of Sion was too small to contain the numerous Christian communities, and a portionwere obliged to take up their residence in the country between Jerusalem and Bethania.I saw Annas in such a state of frenzy as to act like one possessed; he was at last obliged to beconfined, and never again to make his appearance in public. Caiphas was outwardly lessdemonstrative, but he was inwardly devoured with such rage and extreme jealousy that his reasonwas affected.I saw Pilate on Easter Thursday; he was instituting a search for his wife in every part of the city,but his efforts for her recovery were fruitless; she was concealed in the house of Lazarus, inJerusalem. No one thought of looking there, as the house contained no other female; but Stephencarried food to her there, and let her know all that was going on in the city. Stephen was first-cousin23 The above relation was given later, and it is impossible to say whether it relates to the day of the Resurrection or to the followingSunday.199