THREE HOURS

JOHN

M. KELLY

LIBDADY

Donated by The Redemptorists of

the Toronto Province from the Library Collection of Holy Redeemer College, Windsor

University of
St.

Michael

College, Toronto

"CONSUMMATUM EST.
(Michael Angela.)

HOLY KEDEEMtt LIMARY,

V
SDevotioft

THREE HOURS AGONY

ON GOOD FRIDAY
Uranslateb from tbe Spanish Original

OF

FATHER ALONSO MESIA

SJ.

WITH AN HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION

FATHER HERBERT THURSTON

SJ.

MDCCCXCIX.

"

And

will

pour out upon the house of David

spirit

and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the

of grace

and of prayers, and they

they have pierced
:

shall look

upon

Me whom
for

and they

shall

mourn

Him

as one mourneth for an only son, and they

shall grieve over

Him

as the

manner

is

to grieve for
xii. 10.

the death of the

first-born."

ZACHARIAS

Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but may have life
"And

as

must

the

everlasting."

ST.

JOHN

iii.

14, 15.

(From a fresco of Michael Angela on

the roof of the Sistine Chapel.}

PREFATORY NOTE.
who

IT

is

our Saviour Himself

has drawn the

parallel
in

up of the serpent the desert and the lifting up of the Son of

lifting

between the

Man upon

the Cross.
if

The

inference seems

warranted, that

through the bitter death

"

and agony of Christ our Lord, a worm and no man," we are to be saved from perishing,

we must not
but

ourselves remain entirely passive,

to

must

try

expel the

venom of

evil

passions from our veins

by long and earnest

"

contemplation of the Crucified.

look upon

They shall

Me whom

they have pierced"

Can
to the

we

find

any better way of contributing

fulfilment of this

prophecy than that afforded

by the devotion,
popular, of the
"

now

happily become so
"

Three Hours

Agony on

Good Friday
B

The

object which
is

this

little

book

is

in

tended to serve
first

twofold.

It

purports

in the

place,

by means of an

historical

intro

duction, and

by an accurate translation of the

English

author

original text, to set before

readers the primitive conception of the devo

tion of the

or

Three Hours, from which, wisely unwisely, the modern adaptations have
Secondly,
it

notably diverged.

aims at pro

viding a manual for the use of communities,

or individuals,

who

are unable to attend

any

of the churches where these meditations are

publicly preached.

There must be many who

in

would gladly associate themselves

with that great outpouring of

private

compassion
offered

and
to

supplication

which

is

being

God

all

over the world

by so
religious

devout
munities

congregations
at

and

many com
is

the

same

hour.
all

This

rendered quite possible for

by the use of
of

Father Mesia

little

volume of meditations
practice

and

instructions.

Further, the

this pious exercise of the

Three Hours need

to

not

by any means be confined

Good

"5

Friday alone.
be
seen

It

is

probable indeed, as will

Historical

from the

Introduction

which
in

follows, that the devotion

had

its

origin

a devout commemoration of the Passion

of our Lord originally practised by a confra

ternity

which met

for the

purpose on every

Friday of the year. That confraternity was honoured with the appropriate name of the
Escuela de Cristo, the School of Christ
surely there
is
;

and

no school where the lessons of

our Divine Master

may
It

so readily be learned

as in the meditation of His dying utterances

upon the

Cross.

has been well said by

Cardinal Bellarmine, that the Seven

Words

spoken by our Saviour

in

the three hours of

His agony are a compendium of all that He did and suffered during the thirty-three years
that

He

lived

upon

earth.

In

referring to

some

old volumes of the

"

Guardian, to trace the spread of the

Three

Hours

"

service

among

the Anglican churches

of this country, the following remarks were

met

with,

in

connection
"Three

with

the

first

introduction of the

Hours,"

nearly

4
s,

thirty years ago, at St. Paul

Knightsbridge.

They seem worthy

of quotation here, as an

appreciation from an Anglican point of view

of a truth upon which nearly

all

Christians

must be agreed.
tion

Speaking of the congrega

present
at

who were
:

the service, the

writer says

Hard-headed men
Parliament,
better

of

business,

and many of both

in the

sexes,

Members who

of
are

known

world of fashion than in the

assemblies of the sanctuary

them impelled no doubt by nothing

curiosity,

were there, some of better than

but the feeling of curiosity was plainly

and speedily dispelled by the awe and fervour of an unwonted solemnity, making itself visible here
and there
in

The

service

reddened eyes and tear-stained cheeks. of the Three Hours is becoming

evidently and rapidly popular.

Ought

it

to

be

encouraged
the

It

has

its

dangers unquestionably
resulting

danger, amongst
all

others,

from the

tendency of

excited feelings to evaporate in

mere emotion, leaving the heart colder and more callous than it was. But then, on the other hand,
the
feelings

must be roused

if

the

appeals

of

religion are to

do any good. Feelings are the raw material of character, and the system of the

Church
them
to seed.

offers a

to account

thousand opportunities for turning and preventing them from running

By

the kind permission of the author of

the Life of

Mother Henrietta Kerr, a

set of

prayers to the Five

Wounds,

translated

by

Mother Kerr from the

printed at the end of this

Italian,
little

have been

book.

Also a

rough bibliography of writers upon the Seven Words, founded mainly on a list given in
Cancellieri s Settimana Santa, has been
in

added
in

an Appendix.

The prayer found

Bede, and

the

works

of Venerable

belonging
is

seemingly to the eighth century, which

prefixed to this volume, has been inserted as the

earliest

known attempt
Cross.
It will

to

number and

group together the dying utterances of our

Lord upon the

the

be noticed that
differs

order

of

enumeration

slightly

from that

now commonly

adopted.
S.J.

HERBERT THURSTON,
Feast of St. Gregory the Great, 1899.

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION.

THERE
printed

is

a tiny

little

booklet

in

English,
I8O6,
1

in
is

London

as far back as

in

which

set forth, to use the

"

words of the

title-page,

the Devotion of the Three Hours

of the

Agony

of Jesus Christ our Redeemer,

as practised every year on

Good Friday
Rome, from
from
12
all

in

the Church del Giesu

1

(sic) at
viz.,

the
3

8th to the

2 ist

hour,

to

o clock, with a Plenary Indulgence to

assist thereat in the

who

above mentioned Church,

granted by his Holiness Pius VI.,

Originally

Anno

1789.

composed

at

Lima

in Peru, in the

Spanish Language.
1

By

the Rev. F. Alphonsa

This little volume (96 pp. 32mo) was "printed by Grosvenor Keating, Brown, and Co., No. 37 Duke Street,

This edition is unknown to De Backer in 1806. Square," and Sommervogel, who only mention the two later editions, one of Dublin in 1844, and the other of London (Dolman)
1854.

(sic)

Messia,

SJ."

Seeing

how

popular the
in

devotion of the Three Hours has become

these
later
s

times,

not

only

among

Father

Mesia
world,

own
but

co-religionists in every part of the

seemed

amongst Anglicans also, it has worth while to reprint this little

historical

volume with an

introduction,

and

with such few corrections as a collation with

the original Spanish seemed to necessitate. 1

The
ways

plan prescribed in

it

differs in so

many

from

the

arrangement now

usually

followed, that

no other excuse can be needed

phases of

for inviting attention to the earlier

the history of this

service.

favourite

Good Friday
introduced

Father Alonso Mesia, who

this

first

pious custom, was born at Pacaraos in

ist,

Peru, on January

1665, his father being at

that time corregidor, the chief civil magistrate,

of the district.

It is needless to
life.

dwell upon

the details of his

At an

early age he

Jesuit, and spent many years in the College of San Pablo, Lima, where he filled

became a

The English

version referred to was

made from

the Italian,

9
various posts of authority.
as a

He
we

is

described
1
"His

man

of truly apostolic

spirit

duties in the confessional/

are told,

"

his

daily sermon
visits to

in

the market-place, his frequent

the prisons and hospitals, his con

ferences and literary undertakings, absorbed

the whole of his time, without ever leaving

him a moment

to

rest.

In

spite
fell

of

the
as

many
he

ties

and anxieties which

in

to

him

Rector of the house

which he resided,
in

was
2

engaged unceasingly

works

of

charity."

It

was not strange that he endeared himself

greatly to the hearts of the people, so

so that

much

when

the General of the Society in

1705 appointed him Provincial of the mission

1

Before he was called by obedience to labour in the we are told that he spent some time in studying the native languages of Peru, and in preaching to the Indians.
capital,
2

General

M.

de

Mendiburu,

Diccionario

Historico-

Father Mesia s Life Biografico del Peru, vol. v. p. 310. was written by a fellow-Jesuit, Father Juan Jose de Salazar, and was printed the year after his death, The book seems to to be rare, and I have unfortunately been unable
very procure sight of a copy.
It

was unknown
in

to Carayon,

and

seems to

be incorrectly described

the folio

edition of

De

Backer.

10
of Quito, 1 an uproar took place at the idea of
his leaving the city,

and

it

was found impossible

Six years

to carry the nomination into effect.

later,

however, he was appointed Provincial of

him away permanently from Lima, the citizens seem to

Peru, and, as this did not take

have celebrated the

occasion

with

public

rejoicings. Father Alonso was also appointed,

at various times, calificador of the Inquisition,

Doctor of the University of

with

St.

Mark,

&c.,

many As an illustration

other distinctions.

of the authority which

that the then

he enjoyed, we

may mention
man

Viceroy of Peru, the Marquis of Castellfuerte,

who

is

described as a

of stern and in

flexible character, took

Father Mesia for his

extraordinary respect
following
letter
is

confessor,
to his
cited

and

"paid

decisions."

The

by General Mendiburu in proof of this It was written to Father Mesia statement.

Callao, in

by the Viceroy, from

1

1725, at a

Jesus
its

There were seemingly two Provinces of the Society of in these regions, one called the Province of Peru, which had its head-quarters at Lima ; the other known from
principal residence as the Province of Quito,

time when the latter was overwhelmed with

the pressure of business.

Most Reverend

Father,

forward the enclosed

s

case (consultd) to obtain your Reverence

opinion

upon
to
in

it.

The

matter

is

so important that I desire

have a

safe conscience,

and

to settle everything
I

accordance with

justice,

and

was resolved to

take no step of any sort which was not guided by so Christian a rule as is the prudent, learned, and
I remain, with holy decision of your Reverence. deep veneration and obedience, &c., at the feet of

your Reverence,

CASTELLFUERTE.

Father Mesia died

seventy-seven.

in

1732, at the age of

He

is

described by the editor

of the most authoritative

modern work on
conspicuous for

Peruvian history as a

man
"

his humility, his spirit of penance, his charity,

and

his

uprightness.

He

rendered

many

services to religion,

and helped to elevate the

countrymen, especially

moral tone

of

his

showing great devotedness in assisting the families of those who were ruined by the
earthquake of I687/
1

Mendiburu,

I.e. p.

313.

12

It

is

in

connection with this last-named

event that the Devotion of the Three Hours

seems to have had

asserted,

its

origin.

It

has been
to con

and the probabilities appear

firm the statement, that the terrible catastrophe

of 1687, which was only eclipsed by the

still

more disastrous
the city of

visitation

which

in

1746

laid

Lima

in ruins, first

suggested to

the holy Jesuit the idea of propitiating the

offended majesty of God, by some conspicuous

and public act of atonement. The earthquake of 1687 actually took place on the 2oth of
October, but six months before, on the night
of the ist of April, which that year
fell

in

Easter week, a premonitory warning had been

all given by a shock so severe, that it awoke the sleeping inhabitants of Lima, and brought

them out of

their

beds into the

streets.

If

am
1

not misinterpreting the description given

See the account printed
in the Collecion de las Relaciones

de los

mas notabihs Terremotos, &c., edited by Colonel of It seems charac Cavalry M. de Odriozola, pp. 25 and 199.
the South American republics, that all the literary are not ecclesiastics, are invariably either colonels

teristic of

men who

or generals.

Colonel de Odriozola,

if

mistake not,

is

of the National Library. principal librarian

13
in the printed

"Relations,"

our Father Alonso

was undoubtedly one of the preachers who bade the people take warning, and threatened

them with

further chastisements

if

they neg
according
still

lected the admonition.

After

this,

to the

same account, there followed a

startling
in

more

portent

An image

of our

Lady
tears

a private chapel was observed, on

the feast of the Visitation (July 2nd), to shed

and to be bathed

in

moisture, in a

way

of which
given.
I

no natural explanation could be

should be sorry to commit myself to

of

any expression
no
doubt
that

opinion

regarding

the

authenticity of this marvel, but there can be

the

believers

in

it

were

thoroughly sincere, and that the phenomenon

was repeatedly observed by crowds of people between the beginning of July and the time
of the earthquake, and even afterwards.

A
to

good deal of popular excitement seems have resulted, and after the awful catastrophe
of October
2oth,

the

terrified

inhabitants,

fearing to trust themselves inside the churches,

14
1 half of which were in ruins, erected

some

temporary
the
city.

altars in the great

open square of There the statue was solemnly

enshrined, and

became the object of much

popular devotion.
this terrible

To

recall the

memory

of

chastisement, an annual celebra

on the anniversary of its occurrence, which was preceded by an eight days mission. The closing ceremony took
tion

was

instituted

place on the 2oth of October of each year, in

the Jesuit church

of

Father

Mesia

was

San Pablo, to which attached, and it was

marked both by a General Communion and

by a solemn
the
procession, in which the Viceroy,

Audiencia, and the

Cathedral Chapter

took part.

Much

evidence might be produced

of the fervour with which this custom was

Desde

Veranse deshazer Torres noveles la alta Linterna al fundamento

a las basas unir los Capiteles

:

Las Columnas en impetu violento Las que sustentan arcos y linteles Maquinas, al furioso movimento La Mole muderan pues el desmonte, Si Edificio caera, se alzara Monte.
(Barnuero,

Lima Fundada,

canto

vi.

stanza Ixxx.)

1 kept up for long years afterwards, but we

may

content ourselves here with quoting an acci

dental reference to
written after the
still
it

contained in a diary
terrible

more

earthquake

of I746.

Under date October

:

20, 1747, the

writer states

On

this

day there took place

in the

evening the

supplication before the

(la rogativa

Holy

Crucifix of Contrition

al Sancto Cristo de la Contrition], and

the concluding service of the

week

mission

insti

tuted by Father Francis Xavier, a former Provincial

of the Society of Jesus.

This

is

usually conducted

by the Jesuit Fathers in the church of their College

of San Pablo,

and during

it

they preach discourses

upon
1

suitable subjects to
is

crowded congregations,

There

mention of

it,

for instance, in a little four-page

leaflet entitled,

entes en esta

Memorias y Noticias de los Sucesos sobresaliciitdad de Lima, 1723; and in the Life of

in the

Father Francis del Castillo, S.J., by Buendia, p. 643. Also poem of Peralta Barnuero, entitled, Lima Fundada,
vi. st.

bk.

90.

Continue un Terremoto en muchos dias

Conserverara en los pechos los horrores Memoria de tan duras agonias
:

De annuos ruegos seran sacros fervores Asi havran dado en Oblaciones pias
Culto a eternos Divinos Protectores
;

En que el recuerdo hard con accion clara Lo triste en el dolor, gozo en el Ara.
8

Printed by Odriozola, Terrcmotos, p. 126.

with great
fruit to souls.

16And on
the

same day

in

the morning, in

memory

of the terrible destruction

caused to
Oct. 2oth,

life

and property by the earthquake of 1687, and in commemoration also of

1
.
.

the sweat and tears of the miraculous image of the Candelaria,

.

there was held in the presence of

the Viceroy, &c.,

festival
title

the solemn celebration of

city

the

vowed and endowed by the

under the

of

Our Lady

of the Warning.

On

this festival

there have been accustomed to

communicate

in

the church of San Pablo as

many

as ten, twelve,

and even fourteen thousand persons, but in this year, 1747, both on account of the multitude of
devout persons who have died, as also on account of the large numbers who have left the city, the

Hosts consumed
hardly amounted

in distributing

Holy Communion

to four thousand.

Now

although

in

the impossibility of con

it

sulting the Life of Father Mesia,

would be
is

dangerous to speak too positively, there

strong reason to believe that in the Rogativa

before
"the

Holy
in

Crucifix

of

Contrition,"

alluded
1

to

the

foregoing

extract,
s

we
arms

In this miraculous statue the Child

grasped a candle. Candelaria.

The

statue

in our Lady was hence known

as

La

17

should

trace

the

first

germ of the Devo

tion of the
tised

on

Three Hours, afterwards prac seems It Good Friday alone.

Fridays by a

clear from other sources that certain exercises

of piety were performed on

confraternity directed

by Father Mesia, under

Christ,"

the

name

of the

"

School of

in

chapel of the church of San Pablo, in which

were

venerated

both

the

above-mentioned

statue of the Candelaria, and the Crucifix

known

as the Cristo de la Contrition. 1

The
were
well

devotion excited by, and

the fruit to souls

exercises

which resulted from, these

evidently very remarkable, and

believe that

we can

some

similar practice of piety,

extending over the space of three hours,

may

have been devised by Father Mesia to mark

the greatest Friday of the year, the day which

commemorates the Passion and Death of our

Saviour.
1

The need

of

some

special form of

p.

643

These facts are attested by the Life of Father Castillo, and by an earlier passage in the document already
;

cited
J.

Cf. the Preface by Father Terrcmotos, p. 125. E. Uriarte, S.J., contributed to the Spanish Edition of Cardinal Bellarmine s De Septem Verbis prolatis in Cruce.
in

i8

supplication and atonement

may

very possibly

have been further brought home to the inhabi tants of Lima by one of the numerous minor
shocks
citizens

of

earthquake

which

alarmed the

between 1687 and I/46. 1

it

Be

this

however as

may, we

shall

do well to turn

now

to the Preface of the tiny booklet already

to,

referred

which, being

founded
"

on

the

earliest printed

copy of the
entire.

Three

Hours,"

may

be quoted

No

attempt has been

made

to alter the writer s phraseology.

Alphonso Mesia, an apostolic man of the Society

of Jesus, was the
at his native city,
first

who introduced
It

this

devotion

Lima.
in

began
the

at mid-day,

and and
this

continued
Friday
:

till

three

the

afternoon on

Good

and so
felt
it

great was

spiritual joy

consolation

by those

who

assisted

him on

occasion, that

met with general approbation, and

a rapid progress.

afterwards

made

At

first

the servant of God, accompanied by

it

several devout persons, practised

1

privately in his

There were earthquakes in 1688, 1694, 1697, 1698, I have before me the 1713, 1715, 1724, and 1725. Even on this Relacion of that of 1699. contemporary occasion sixteen persons perished in the ruins, and much
1699,

damage was done

to property.

19
but the year following, so much was it thronged by a concourse of people, anxious to assist at a devotion so properly adapted to the day,
;

own church

that the pressure of the into the pulpit.

crowd obliged him

it

to

go

From thence

diffused itself thro

nearly

all

the parish churches

in

and monasteries of
from thence over

religious

the city of Lima:

Peru, Chili, and Quito; and at length transferred

itself

even to Carthagena, Panama, Mexico, and

other provinces of the kingdom.

But as the genius of mankind is various, no sooner had this devotion transplanted itself into
different places,
it

among persons who had

not seen

practised at Lima, than there appeared so great

a diversity in the books of the Three Hours, 1 that

one could scarcely believe it to be the same devo which had begun at Peru, the method was now become so confused and difficult, whereas at
tion
first
it

had been plain and

to

easy.

To

apply a
it

remedy
1

so

great

an

inconvenience,

was

may be noticed between the which must be considered most authoritative, that edited by Father Uriarte in 1886, and another copy which I have before me, published by the Propaganda Catolica of Still further removed from the original Madrid, in 1877. text of Father Mesia, is a French version of the devotion, printed by Gunner, at the end of a little book on the
edition

Considerable differences

whatever

Stations of the Cross. This last bears hardly any resemblance to the first form of the meditations as originally

designed by their author.

thought necessary to translate the author s book, and give an explanation of the manner in which
it

by himself, in order that by and publishing both, a more general uni printing
practised

was

prevail in the performance of a which was so rapidly extending itself among the faithful in other cities and provinces.

formity might

devotion

Good
wished

Friday being therefore a day held in such

high veneration
that,

among

the faithful,

it

were to be

would emulate

on so remarkable a day, Christians with each other in the fervent

practice of the Devotion to the

Three Hours of
ever

the

Agony Redeemer
;

of
the

Jesus

Christ,

our
is

blessed
:

method whereof

as follows

A
lights

crucifix,

or image of Jesus crucified,

altar,

being

placed on the

with a convenient

number of

(decorated in some places in so solemn a

manner, that the very sight alone inspires respect

and veneration), the

priest,

who

is

the director

of the function, placing himself before the altar, or else in the pulpit, begins by

making the

sign of

the cross;

having invoked the Holy Ghost, he makes a short exhortation, in order to

after

and

persuade his hearers how just and necessary a duty

it

is

for a Christian to

during the Three

Cross, which, out

accompany his Redeemer Hours of His Agony on the

His immense
;

of

charity,

He

suffered for our redemption

a subject which must

21

naturally excite the

most tender devotion.

He

then proceeds to explain, as well what the Saints have said as what they have learned by revelation,

on the

utility

of

accompanying Jesus Christ

in

His
be

agony, in order that

we may become worthy

to

Much may be accompanied by Him at ours. learned on this article from Albert the Great and
St.

Bernard, from
St.

the

Lives

of St. Catharine of
Pazzi,

Sienna,

Gertrude,
others.

St.

M. Magdalene de

and many

Afterwards, the priest having

recited with the people something adapted to the

subject, such as the Salve, or other prayers to our

Blessed Lady of Dolours, and all the assistants being seated, he begins to read the Introduction,
at

the

conclusion
silence,

whereof

all

kneel and medi

the Passion,

tate, in

on some point of

accompanied by the harmonious melody of instruments, sings something analogous

whilst the choir,
to
it.

The

priest

then

having read leisurely with a

tender affectionate voice the First

kneel and recite or sing
illustrative thereof.

Word, the people

stanzas or verses
canticle the

some

At the end of the

still

remaining on their recite alternately with him ten Paters and knees, Aves, or any other prayer that may be found at the
priest rises,

and the people

end of each word ; and

at the termination of

this

method

is

observed

each of the Seven Words.

22

We

must here observe,

that the Director should

confine himself so strictly to time as not to fall short of, or exceed three hours for, as the intent
:

of this devotion
at

is,

that

it

should finish precisely

expired
;

the

time
of
it

that

Jesus Christ

so the

must be performed slower or faster in proportion to the measure of the time that remains; and if he perceives that there remains more than
recital

sufficient,

of the canticles as

he may add a short exhortation, or such may be suitable, in order to

arrive just at the expiration of the

Three Hours.
word,

When

this

term approaches,

after the seventh

the priest reads, with

many pauses

of tenderness

and devotion, the last apostrophe at the end of the book. Should there yet remain any time, he
says the salutations to the five sacred

wounds of
at the

Jesus Christ, which

may be

also

found

end

but

if

On

there be no time to spare, they are omitted. the dial-hand s approaching the point of
all

Three,

kneel down, whilst the choir, with a

tender voice, sings the Credo, measured in such a

manner, that when the clock strikes they sing, Crudfixus et mortuus est ; at which words the
priest
rises,

voice exclaims, Jesus Christ

and with a loud and compassionate is dead! our Redeemer

our Father has
ceased to
live!

has expired!

Then

with great affection he pronounces an exhor

tation to tears of compassion, of tenderness,

and

23
of sorrow for sin
to

addressing himself, alternately,

Jesus

Christ,

to

His most

Holy Mother
all

of

Dolours, to sinners, &c.,

fervent

when

finishes with a

Act of Contrition. 1

It will

be noticed from

this

account that

the devotion, as originally devised by Father

Mesia, and as practised in Italy in the early

years of the present century, differs in more

than one respect from the plan

now

cn-n-

monly
to
is

followed.

What we

are

now accustomed
musical

series

of discourses with

interludes, the

congregation
of a

kneeling

only

during the

recital

few vocal prayers.

The

original conception

was a three hours

meditation made by

the people themselves,

upon

their knees

for the

most

part,

points

being read

aloud

for

convenience sake at
dis

suitable intervals.

The only extempore

beginning, with, in

course seems to have been an exhortation

delivered
at

the

some

cases, a similar address at the close, after the

three hours had really been completed.

in

Even

Spain

this plan
1

seems early to have underiii.

Preface,

xi.

24

gone some
description

slight modification.

The

following

by

the unfortunate Blanco White, 1

which belongs presumably to the first decade of this century, will be read with interest
:

The
our

practice of continuing in meditation from

twelve to three o clock of this day

the time which

Saviour

Cross

supposed was introduced by the Spanish

the

is

to

have hung on the

Jesuits,

and

partakes of

impressive

character which the

members
devotional

of that Order had the art to impart to

the religious practices by which they cherish the

spirit

of the people.
kept,
is

The church where

hung
in black

the three hours

is

generally

and made impervious to daylight. large crucifix is seen on the high altar, under a black canopy,
with six unbleached wax-candles,

which cast a
of the
as

sombre glimmering on the

rest

church.
the

The

females of

all

ranks

occupy,

usual,

centre of the nave, squatting or kneeling on the matted ground, and adding to the dismal appear ance of the scene, by the colour of their veils and
dresses.

who joined

Mr. Blanco White, a Spanish priest of English descent, the Church of England for a while, and ultimately died an Agnostic, was a prominent figure in Oxford society between 1830 and 1840. He is more than once referred to
in Cardinal
Catholics.

Newman s

Lectures on the Present Position of

25
in his Just as the clock strikes twelve, a priest cloak and cassock ascends the pulpit, and delivers

a preparatory address of his own composition. He then reads the printed meditation on the Seven

Words, or Sentences spoken by Jesus on the Cross, of time as that, allotting to each such a portion
with the interludes of music which follow each
of the readings, the whole
hours.
priate,

may

not exceed three

The music
and
if

is

generally

a sufficient
to

good and appro band can be collected,

well repays

an amateur the inconvenience of

a crowded church, where, from the want of seats,

the

male part of
in fact,

the congregation are obliged

either to stand or kneel.

It
is,

one of the best works of Haydn,

composed
of Cadiz,
in

short time ago for

some gentlemen
and
liberality

who showed both

their taste

thus procuring this master-piece of harmony It has been lately for the use of their country.
in

published

Germany under

the

title

of Sette

Parole}

Haydn

music

for the

Seven Words was

originally designed as a series of short

sym

After some phonies for instruments only. years, however, he modified this plan, arrang3

Letters

from Spain,

pp. 260, 261.

By

"Don

Lucadio

Doblado" (i.e.,

Blanco White). 1825.

26
ing the music for a chorus, with a libretto the

source of which has been

still

remains uncertain.

disputed and In any case, these

much

words have no apparent connection with the coplas originally composed by Father Mesia.

Haydn
the

himself has
of his

left

us a brief account of

occasion
in the

Parole
ing
it

undertaking the Sette He writes concern year 1785.

:

in

March, 1801

It

was about

fifteen years ago, that I

was asked

by one of the Canons of Cadiz to compose a piece of instrumental music on the Seven Words of Jesus
on the Cross.

At

that time

it

was the custom

every year during Lent to perform an Oratorio in

the Cathedral at Cadiz, the effect of which was
greatly heightened

by the

mise-en-scene.

The

walls,

windows, and
black
1

pillars of the church were draped in

cloth,

and the

religious

gloom was only

In Pohl

Biographic Joseph Haydrfs several composers

written

are

named who have

upon the Seven Words.

(in the sixteenth

Before
century

Haydn
;

time there were L. Senfl

Monatshefte fur Musikgeschichte, 1876, p. 149), In the present J. Gliick, H. Schiitz, and C. G. Schroter. century there have been Count Castelbarko, Joseph Lutz, The last-named, Mercadante, Gounod, and Th. Dubois.
cf.

whose

beautiful,

if

slightly theatrical, composition has

performed
his

for the last

been few years during the Three Hours at

the Jesuit Church of

Farm

Street,

London,

first

published

work

in 1870.

27
in the centre. lightened by one large lamp hanging doors were closed, and the At mid-day all the

music commenced.

After a fitting prelude, the

one of the Bishop ascended the pulpit, recited Seven Words, and gave a meditation on it. When and it was ended, he came down from the pulpit
knelt before the altar.

This interlude was

filled

and left the by the music. The Bishop mounted a third time, and so on, pulpit for a second time, and on
each occasion,
after

the

close

of

the

address, the orchestra

recommenced

playing.

My

of composition had to be adapted to this method not an easy task to produce It was execution.

seven Adagios in succession, each of which must take about ten minutes to perform, without wearying
the audience
;

and

soon found that

could not

keep

1 limits of time. rigorously to the prescribed

In this account

it is

not very clear whether

the meditations were read from a book or

1

Pohl

Biographic Joseph

Haydn

s,

vol.

i.

p.

214.

When

sold the right of reproducing this composition in France to a Parisian publisher, he for a long time remained

Haydn

without payment.

At last, when he had almost given up the hope of seeing his money, a box arrived one day from Paris. Haydn got his servant to open it, and found to his
"What astonishment that it contained a chocolate tart. he grumbled. However, to me ? possible use can this be he proceeded to cut it open to give a portion to the servant for his trouble, when out there tumbled a roll of silver
"

pieces.

28

whether they were spoken discourses.

Italy, at

In

any
the
is

rate,

it

seems that the method of

adhered
to.

Father Mesia was

the
less,

strictly

None
rapidly

devotion

spread

very

mentioned by Brancadoro, the of Pius VI., that he never failed to biographer

there.
It

attend the Three Hours at the Church of the

Gesu, and this Pope granted a Plenary Indul gence, Confession and Communion being of
course presupposed, to
it.

all

who

assisted
1

at

In

1818, according

to

Cancellieri,

the

service
in

was held

in four or five other places

Rome

beside the Gesu, and was

known

everywhere throughout the world. In England

it

seems to have been confined

at first to a
it

few Jesuit churches, but

in the early sixties

was taken up by the Ritualists, and since then has become strangely popular even with
Anglicans of Evangelical views.
St.

Paul

Cathedral, London, has had a Three Hours

service on
years.
1

Good Friday

for

more than twenty

Many

of the other Cathedrals have

Settimana Santa, Appendix. 2 It does not seem easy to obtain accurate information as to the date of the introduction of the Three Hours Service

followed suit

and there are

larger

also,

of course,
churches,

a
into

number of the

parish

The following letter, which is Anglican churches. quoted in the Guardian for March 3Oth, 1864, may be given
for

what

it is

worth.

The writer, who

there

who was

present,"

says

"I

signs himself "A Priest believe the English

Church is indebted to Mr. Mackonochie for the revival or an adaptation of an admirable ancient Office in commemo ration of the Three Hours on the Cross. At all events such an Office was held at St. Alban s [Holborn], and I gladly
direct attention to its details.

The service began at 2 p.m. with the Litany of the Church. Mr. Mackonochie from the pulpit then explained the outline of the Office, and, with the First some general remarks help of the choir, conducted it.
were made upon the whole subject, then the word from the Cross was chanted by the whole choir. This word was taken as a text for a short address or meditation. Then,

by

invitation, the congregation knelt for a short space in meditation on the points put forth by the preacher, whilst, as he said, the organ played soft music. Lastly a hymn on the Passion to a popular tune was sung. And this
first portion of the Office. The same order was followed throughout, and a few words of exhortation concluded the service, which, I was astonished to find, over It was a most passed the allotted time by half an hour. Catholic and beautiful office, and which any clergyman may In an editorial note it is added "We have adopt. heard that there was somewhat of a similar service at St. Matthias Stoke Newington, which was crowded with

completed the

."

The services referred to took place in 1864, The first English Cathedral apparently for the first time. to adopt the "Three Hours" was St. Paul s, where a
worshippers."

numerously signed petition for sent to the Dean and Chapter.

time in 1878.

its

introduction

had been
first

It

was held

for the

attempt was made by a Protestant Associa tion to organize a demonstration outside the Cathedral to protest against the service, but the police authorities inti

An

mated that no such assembly would be permitted.

30
besides the

more

distinctly Ritualistic centres,

where the devotion has long been popular. In most of these, if I mistake not, the modern
practice
is

followed of preaching a series of

little

seven or eight

sermons, interrupted by
is left

music, but in some a space

free

between

each

Word

for quiet private meditation.

is,

There

as

far

as

have

seen,

an

absolutely unanimous agreement

in attribut

ing the origin of the Three Hours service to

Father Mesia.

Neither

is

there

room

for

doubt that the received history of its develop ment, by which it is supposed to have spread
from
Peru to Spain, from Spain to
Italy,
is

and thence throughout the Christian world,

strictly accurate.

difficulty,

however, has

been raised on account of the existence, as

far

back as the year 1624, of a sermon by a

title,

Franciscan Friar, bearing the following

Sermo Trihorarius de

Prcecipuis

Dominica

Passionis Mysteriis habitus ipso die Parasceves

a Fratre Nicolao Orano, Ord. Min., Lovanii,
1624.

Curiously

as

this

title

seems

to

anticipate the service

now

familiar to us, the

book stands

alone,

and cannot, without further

evidence, be pleaded against the clear tradition

and the contemporary records which connect

this devotion

with the

name

of Father Mesia.
as used

In the

first

place,

Sermo Trihorarius,

by a Latinist of that age, might as easily mean a sermon about the Three Hours as a
three hours

sermon.

It

would

not, I think,

have sounded extravagant then

for a preacher

to entitle a similar discourse about the Burial

of our Lord, &c., Sermo Triduanus deprczcipuis

Domini Mysteriis factis in SepulcJiro, where, of course, Sermo Triduanus would not mean a sermon three days long, but a sermon
Christi

about the three days. However, even granting

that the

word Trihorarins
it

refers to the

dura

tion of the discourse,

is

possible that the

author only wished to recall the fact that he

did actually preach on a particular occasion
for three

hours together.
in

Long sermons were

in

much more
now.

fashion then than they are

Volaterrario,
1

Giacomo

his

diary,

printed by Muratori,
1

relates that in the year

Rerum

Italicartun^ xxiv. 130.

32
1

48 1, on Good Friday, William the

Sicilian,

of the household of the Cardinal of Amalfi,

delivered
in

the

presence of

the

Pope
"

discourse on the Passion of our Lord.

He

was a man learned

in

Hebrew, Greek, and

all

Latin, and he passed in review

the mysteries

of the Passion of Jesus Christ, confirming them

by the authority and writings of the Hebrews and the Arabs, quoting their very words in
their
it

own

language.

The

discourse, although

occupied the space of two hours, neverthe

every one, both for the variety
it,

less delighted

the preacher gave to

as well as for the

sound of the Hebrew and Arabic words, which

he pronounced as though they were his own

Everybody commended the preacher, the Pontiff and the Cardinals among
native tongue. the
first."

It

seems clear from

"

this

account that the

impressiveness of
potamia,"

that blessed
felt for

word Meso
the
first

has not been

time

in

our day.
Still

more

startling

must have been the

sermon which Father Evangelist Marcellino,

33
a Franciscan Observant, preached upon the
Passion in the

Duomo

of Florence in 1685,
half.

lasting three hours

and a
it

Cancellieri
for

declares that in his time

was common

Spanish preachers to
a remark which
satires of
is

go beyond two hours, well borne out by the

Father

Isla, in his

Fray Gerundio.

However, what seems

rejecting

to

me

decisive

in

on

any claim which might be advanced behalf of Fra Nicolas Orano, is the

absence of any trace that the devotion was

taken up by others.
graphers of his

Even by the
is

biblio

own

Order, as for instance,

either over

John a

S.

Antonio, his book

looked or imperfectly described.

The same
elaborately

John

S.

Antonio

gives

an

classified list of

Franciscan sermons, and the

In
it

occasions on which they were preached.

this,

Fra Orano

sermon

is

alluded
all

to,

but

stands absolutely alone.

To

appearance,

he had no imitators even amongst his own

Order.

We

are justified

then,

it

seems to
s

me,

in refusing to

allow that Father Mesia

claim can be seriously contested until some

34
evidence
is

produced of a custom of delivering

such Three
time.

Hour sermons
other allusion
is

previously to his

The only
any
Father

have found to

similar practice,
J.

a statement

made by

E. de Uriarte,
s
is

S.J., in his Preface to

Bellarmine
to.

Seven
a

Words, already referred

book, he says, entitled,

There

little

Constituciones y Reglas para el gobierno de la Real Congregation de Indignos Esclavos del SS. Sacramento en su Oratorio publico
. .
.

de la

Calle
for

del

Olivar (Constitutions
of the

and

Rules

the administration

Royal

Confraternity of the

Unworthy Most Holy Sacrament ... in

asserted that,

Slaves of the
their
in

public
it

Oratory of the Calle del Olivar),

is
"as

which

early as the year 1648,

another most devout exercise was established

and practised on Good Friday, which consists

in the in this

maintaining of an uninterrupted prayer

Oratory from mid-day

in

until three in

the afternoon,

reverence of those

same

three hours during which our Saviour Jesus

Christ

hung dying upon

the Cross.

In order

35
to arouse the devotion of those present, there

are read at intervals the meditations on the

Seven Words

(las

Meditaciones de
our

las Siete

Palabras) which
time."
1

Lord

spoke at that
until

I
is

must confess that

brought,
I

better

evidence
that

am
has

inclined to believe

the date

1648

been accidentally
writer seems to
Words,"

misprinted for 1748.

refer to
"the

The

meditations of the Seven

as to a
is

well-known exercise of devotion. This

intelligible

after

enough in 1748, sixteen years Father Mesia s death, but we have no

knowledge of any recognized set of medita tions to which the words could apply in
1648.

Cardinal

Bellarmine

are

great

deal too lengthy to have been used for such

a purpose.
Finally, there
is

no

difficulty in

supposing

that the

same idea may have occurred inde pendently to two or even to many persons.
In

Father Mesia

case the

germ

fructified

and spread. In Fra Orano s, the idea was still-born. That the Peruvian Jesuit had been
1

Ch.

iii.

Edit. 1780, p. 49.

- 36anticipated, at least in one instance,

and that
his

more than
day,

thirteen

hundred years before

evidence.

we now know upon unexceptionable The account of this, which only

to light a few years since,
s
is

came

found

in

the Gaulish lady

note -book, best

1

known

as

the Pilgrimage of St. Silvia, where the singularly interesting

fact,

we

learn

that

in

the

city of Jerusalem, within the basilica built

by Constantine over the site of the Holy Sepulchre, there was celebrated at the, end of
the fourth century a three hours
service on

Good

Friday, closely akin in spirit to that

It is to

devised by Father Mesia.

that the piety of

be feared

modern days cannot bear

that

comparison
her

with

of

St.

Silvia

and

contemporaries, but the object of our

is

present service

identical with that of the

in the following

assembly which she describes

terms
1
:

MS.

First published by Signer Gamurrini, in 1887, from a It has been reprinted by Duchesne as an at Arezzo.

Appendix
collections.

to his Origines

du Culte Chretien, and

in other

An

English translation

may be

found

among

the publications of the Palestine Pilgrims Text Society.

37
But when (on Good Friday) the
come, the people assemble
Cross,
it is

sixth

hour has

in the court before the

and there they are packed so

s

tightly that

hardly possible even to open the doors.

chair
is

The

Bishop

placed before the Cross, and from

is

the sixth to the ninth hour nothing

done but

read those passages of the Scripture and the Holy

Gospels which have reference to the Passion of our Saviour. And at the several lections and
. . .

prayers

there

is

such

emotion

displayed
is

and

lamentation of
hear.

all

the people as
is

wonderful to
small,

For there

no one, great or

who

not weep on that day during those three hours, in a way which cannot be imagined, that

does

the Lord should have suffered such things for us.

And

thereupon when the

ninth
is

o clock) approaches, that passage

hour (three read from the

Gospel according to

St.

John where our Lord gave

this

up the ghost
prayer
is

and when

has been read, a

is

said

and the assembly

dismissed.

When we remember
rigour

the
fast

extraordinary

of

the

Lenten

amongst these

Eastern Christians,
five

many
of

of

whom

passed

consecutive days in the week absolutely

all

without food, and

abstained
for

whom seem

to have

periods varying from twenty-

able to

38

we
shall better

four hours to three days, 1

be
this

understand the cost at which

pious exercise of compassion with the Three

Hours of our Saviour s Agony was

out.

carried

Nearly the whole

of

the

preceding
early

night

had

been

spent

by
both

these

Christians
old,
in

of Jerusalem,

young

and

contemplation and prayer

of Olives.

on the

Mount

In the grey of the early

morning they

had

returned

to

the

city

to snatch a few brief hours

their

of slumber in

homes, but as early as eight o clock,

exercise had

a.m., the

begun, as

St. Silvia

informs

us, of the kissing of the relic of the

True
sacred

Cross.

The Bishop
in

sat,

holding the

wood

his

hand, with the deacons

around him.
in turn,

Each worshipper then came up

the relic with

bowed down, touched

and

his forehead

his eyes, kissed the

title,

wood

of

the Cross and the

If

and then passed

on.

any one would convince himself how abso-

These things sound incredible, but they all rest upon the high authority of St. Silvia s narrative, and they are con firmed by the statements of St. Epiphanius and St. Jerome,

39

lutely identical in spirit are the devotions to

the Passion
in the
"

now

practised, say, for instance,

Three

Hours,"

or the Stations of the

Cross, with those of the early Christians in

the fourth century,

let

him read such authentic

memorials of that age as the Pilgrimage of

St. Silvia,
still

the

Hymns

of St. Ephraem, or the

St.

earlier

fragments of

Melito of Sardis. 1
raised

Whatever objection may be

against

the exercise introduced, or should

rather say, revived,
rightly be called
primitive."

we not
it

by Father Mesia,

cannot
"

new-fangled, or even

un-

HERBERT THURSTON.
1

Some few specimens

of these have been cited by the

entitled present writer in a pamphlet Observance of Good Friday,

Dean Farrar on

the

ON THE SEVEN WORDS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS.

A PRAYER FOUND IN THE WORKS OF THE VENERABLE BEDE.
Blessed be the Sweet

Name

of Jesus Christ

our Lord God, and of the Most Sweet Virgin

Mary, His Mother, now and

for ever.

Amen.

Lord Jesus

Christ,

Son of the Living God,

who

while hanging on the Cross, at

Thy

life s

close,

spake

seven

always have those

brance,
I

we might holy words in remem

words,
that

beseech Thee, by the virtue of those

seven words, that

Thou wouldst
I

forgive

and

spare me, whatever

have sinned and missins,

done by the seven deadly

anger, gluttony, and sloth.

or their
lust,

fruits,

namely, through pride, avarice,

envy,

Lord
God,
as

Jesus

Christ,

Son of the
"

Living
forgive

Thou

saidest,

Father,

those
of

who
as

crucify
to

Me,"

make me

for

love

Thee

forgive

all

who wrong me.

to

And

Thou
behold

saidest

Thy
and

Mother,
to

"Woman,
"

thy

Son,"

Thy
love

disciple,

Behold thy

Mother,"

make Thy

and true charity unite

me
in

to

Thy

Mother.
"To-day

And

as

Thou

saidest to the thief,

shalt thou be with

Me
u

Paradise,"

make me
Thou
shalt be
saidest,
"

so to live that at the hour of death

mayest say to me,

with
"

To-day thou

Me

in

Paradise."

And

as

Thou

Eli, Eli,

Lama

Sabacthani,"

which

is,

My

My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" make me to say in all times of sorrow and
God,
"

tribulation,

Lord,

my

Father, have mercy

on

me

a sinner, rule me,

my King
me
Thou
with

and

my
"I

God, who hast

redeemed

Thine

own

Blood."

And
in

as

saidest,

thirst,"

that

is,

for the salvation of the

Souls,

who were

Holy Limbo expecting Thy

thirst to

coming, make

me

always to

love

Thee, the fountain of living water, the fountain

of eternal
light,

and to desire Thee with

as

my

whole

heart.

And

Thou

"

saidest,

Father,

43
into

Thy hands
in

commend
hour,
to
"

My

Spirit,"

make me
say fully
I

my

last

be able to

and

freely,

Father, into

commend my

spirit.

Receive
hast
as

Thy hands me coming

"

to Thee, because

Thou

now
that

set 1 a certain

time to

my

life."

And

Thou

saidest,

It is

finished,"

which

signifies

the sorrows

Thou

didst bear for us, miserable sinners, are

now

ended,

make me

deserve,

when

my

soul

goes hence, to hear that most sweet word of

Thine,
"Come,

My

beloved soul, for

now
;

have

resolved to

make an end

of thy pains
saints

come, and with Me, and with

elect,

My

and and

enter into

My

Kingdom,

to feast,

rejoice,
more."

and dwell therein

for ever

and ever

Amen.
printed editions read,

The

tempus jam.

vitse

mere,"

Quia non constituisti certum where non seems to be a misprint for

"

THE DEVOTION
TO THE

THREE HOURS OF THE AGONY

OF

JESUS

CHRIST

OUR REDEEMER.
SJ.

BY FATHER ALONSO MESIA,

The

Exercise begins with the recitation of the Veni Creator Spirittis.

Come, Holy Ghost,

Creator,

come
:

From Thy

bright heavenly throne

Come, take possession of our souls, And make them all Thy own.

Thou who
Best
gift

art called the Paraclete,

The

of God above, Living Spring, the Living Fire, Sweet Unction and True Love.
art sevenfold in

Thou who

Thy
;

grace,

Finger of

God s

right

hand

His promise teaching little ones To speak and understand

;

Oh, guide our minds with Thy blest With love our hearts inflame
;

light,

And

with Thy strength which ne Confirm our mortal frame.

er decays,

Far from us drive our deadly foe True peace unto us bring ;

And

through

all perils

lead us safe

Beneath Thy sacred wing.

Through Thee may we the Father know Through Thee th Eternal Son, And Thee, the Spirit of them both, Thrice-blessed Three in One.
All glory to the Father be,

With His co-equal Son

The same

to Thee, great Paraclete, Whilst endless ages run. Amen.

in the following

Then

is

sung the INVITATION

words

For His faithless

about
to die,

people, Jesus, the gentle

Lamb,

is

nailed to the rood on Calvary.

let

Whoever
not lose
to listen

would show himself a loyal follower,

these gracious
to

him

moments, but

let

him draw near

His dying words. 1

1

It has seemed better to be content with a prose rendering of the Spanish verses, the original of which will be given in each case in a footnote.

For su pueblo fementido,

Ya clavado en un madero Va Jesus, manso cordero,

el Golgota a morir. Quien de serle fiel se precia, Ah no pierda estos momentos,
!

Sobre

sus ultimos acentos

Presto, presto

venga a

oir.

PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION.
As
faithful

Christians

who

love

our Saviour

Jesus, and who have been bought and redeemed, at the price of His most precious Blood, Death,

and Passion, from the slavery of sin and the devil, we ought to contemplate, with the greatest attention and reverence, the anguish and torments which our beloved Redeemer suffered on the Cross during
the three hours of His agony
sively

torments so exces
to
St.

cruel

that,

according

Bernard,

no

human understanding could comprehend

tongue express them. From the sole of our Saviour
of His head
s

or created

foot to the

crown

Him
head

well,

no part remained whole. Consider O my soul, one huge wound from

:

to foot

torn by whips

by blows

His shoulders and His whole body and scourges His breast weakened His head horribly pierced by thorns His

the hair of His beard torn off from the flesh

face covered with contusions from the blows

His

His mouth parched His tongue tormented with bitterness from the gall and vinegar His feet and hands
veins emptied of their blood

with thirst

-4* pierced with great

nails,

whilst the

wounds they

have made are gradually lengthened by the weight of His body His heart afflicted, and His soul
ready to depart, overwhelmed with insupportable sorrow and anguish. And yet in truth it was not
this

which most

afflicted

Him

it

was His own

will

that delivered

up to the torments of the Cross. What pierced His Heart most during His agony was the knowledge He had of our sins, and of the
small return

Him

we should make

for so

much

love.

It

was our ingratitude that caused Him to feel the agony of death. Ah who can reflect on it without
!

horror

Where

is

he who

will

not deplore the evil

it is

of sin from the bottom of his heart, since

sin

alone that has caused our beloved Redeemer to

suffer

such a mortal agony

these
three

During

long

hours

of

terrible

torment, in which the waters of bitterness could

never quench the flame of His charity,

He

offered

His Life and His

Blood

as

a sacrifice to His

During these three hours, although with our eyes we do not see Him, He had us incessantly present to His
mind, to offer Himself for each individual of us, if each had been the only creature in the world, and the sole object of His love. During these
as

Eternal Father for our happiness.

three hours
its

He

saw the

least of

our sins with

all

circumstances as clearly as

He

does at

the

49

moment
passion

we

commit

them,

being

so

deeply

penetrated with grief at the sight, that out of

com
in

He

offered

His most precious Blood

satisfaction for them.

During these three hours He wrested the handwriting that was against us out of
the hands of the devil, the prince of this world,
nailed
it

to

the

Cross,

and effaced

it

with His

Blood.

His

bitter agony,
all

During these three hours, at the price of He purchased from His Eternal
the treasures His Bounty had to give,

Father
viz., all

good thoughts, holy inspirations, and Divine helps, with which we have been favoured.
the

blessed
!

mindfulness of

our most sweet

Re

deemer

the

boon of those three golden hours

employed for our deliverance from guilt, during which we were present not only to the memory of our loving Saviour on Mount Calvary, but near to
His Sacred Heart burning with love and infinite O Christian souls how can we repay
!

charity.

what we owe our most sweet Jesus, unless, during

these three hours,
great love for

we

try to

prove in turn our own

Him ?
address ourselves to the Eternal

Let

us, therefore,

Father, our God and our Judge. Inspired with confidence by the agony of Jesus our Redeemer,
let

us say to
:

Him,

in all humility
!

and

affection

of our hearts

Eternal Father
souls,

supreme Judge
is

and Lord of our

whose

justice

incompre-

50
hensible
!

since

Thou

hast ordained that

Thy most
our

innocent

Son should

bear

the

burden of

immense

debts, look down, we beseech Thee, upon

sufferings

His excruciating agony and

our

which

He

is

enduring during these three hours on account of

crimes. Deign to accept the ransom so worthy of Thy Majesty, which He offers Thee of His Blood, in order that Thy justice may be

appeased.

Let Thine indignation cease,

art

Lord,
grant

and since Thou

now abundantly

satisfied,

that we, being freed from our debts

by the three

hours agony which

His immense love what

sins,

Thy Son Jesus suffered through for us, may deserve to obtain

He asks in our name, viz., the pardon of our and the powerful assistance of Thy grace, now,
at the
all

and

hour of our death.

kneel

Here

down

to meditate

on what has been read

during which time some appropriate music sung, together with the following verses
:

may be

played or

Come

to

Calvary, Christian souls, for our sweet

Jesus from the

A Itar

of the Cross wishes

to

speak

to

your

souls to-day. 1

When
First

they are seated again the priest reads aloud the

Word.
1

Al Calvario, almas,

llegad,

nuestro dulce Jesus, Desde el ara de la cruz

Que

Hoy

a todos quiere hablar.

THE FIRST WORD,

Uttered by our Saviour on the Cross.

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY

KNOW

NOT WHAT THEY

Behold our Heavenly Master
His
doctor
s

DO.
sitting exalted in

Hitherto

He

chair, gibbet of the Cross. has kept profound silence, and now

the

He opens His Divine lips to teach the world in seven words the most sublime doctrine of His love.
Be
powers
will

attentive,
:

it is

O my soul animate all thy God Himself who teaches thee He

! :

demand

a strict account of these seven lessons. of love for us

!

Jesus,

full

Divine Master

speak
ings of

speak,

O
is

Lord,

Thy

children hear Thee.

All nature
its

disturbed at beholding the suffer

Creator.
;

The

earth

is

covered with a

thick

darkness

an earthquake rends the rocks

asunder, and bursts open the graves; the angels

are horror-stricken in beholding their
cruel torments
;

Lord

in

such

the devils are raging with anger,

because the chastisement which

their
sins
is

men

deserve for

not immediately inflicted on

themselves.

them,

as

it

was upon

We

might imagine

52
that
all

nature, irritated against sinners,

demanded

justice

quo,

and vengeance of the Eternal Father: UsqueDomine, sanctus et vents, non vindicas sanguinem Filii tui ! How long, O Lord, just and holy, wilt

Thou
for

delay to wreak

the Blood of

Thy vengeance upon Thy innocent Son, and

sinners
for all

the injuries committed against

Him ?

We

might

imagine that at the moment this cry made itself heard, Divine Justice was about to discharge the
thunders of
its

anger to avenge

itself

on criminal

mankind.

But the Redeemer of the world, displaying His infinite charity, raises His nearly sightless eyes to
His Eternal Father, testifying His obedience, and says My Father and my Lord, restrain the arm of
:

Thy justice. I conjure Thee by this Cross upon which I die, by the Blood I shed without ceasing, I entreat, I demand of Thee to pardon sinners the crimes which
have placed

Me on

this Cross.

Father
do.

/ forgive them,

they

know

not

what

they

hearken attentively to this first word. Listen to Jesus, as He calls upon His Father
sinful soul
!

who was your Father

also from
;

all eternity.

Behold
than

the greatness of your origin

you are

no

less

the child of an Eternal God.

Eternal Father!
I,

can

then

call

Thee my

Father,
?

who am

so

ungrateful and guilty a child

What

strange blind-

53
ness

has separated
folly

me

from Thee

What an
and
Into
?

unaccountable

to despise

Thy

caresses

Thy

grace for the vile love of creatures

state

what a miserable

have

my
in
!

sins

brought

me

Whither do

my

passions lead

me?
when

What
I

wretched condition
Thee.
in

I find

myself

offend

most affectionate Father

;

am

miserable
?

my

sins

to

whom

shall I turn

my

eyes

I will

turn

them towards Thee,

Father of Mercy.

But
he

how can

so ungrateful a sinner presume to return

in the presence of a Father
?

and appear
soul

whom

has so grievously offended

!

Yes, return,

O
I

afflicted
I

return
;

for

God

is

always your Father.

will return

but

miserable wretch as

am

my
:

courage my crimes are without

those
looks

fails

me on

account

of

my

iniquities

number, and I fear lest of love should be converted into

:

looks of anger

it

is

better to die than approach

Him.

Go,

I
;

say, repenting soul,

go

for

He

is

your Father
is

and

this Jesus,
:

crucified, your Brother it is to His Father ; you

whom your sins have is He who presents He who beseeches Him

it

to pardon you,
Jesus,
feet

and

offers

His Blood

for

your

sins.

O
I

loving Brother, give

me
!

those blessed
lips,

that

may

kiss

them with my

and

bathe them with

askest pardon for

1

do not die of

my tears. What is it Thou who my crimes? and is it possible love for Thee ? Wretch that I am

54

how

great

is

the hardness of

my

heart.

Go

then

with confidence,
obtain pardon.

repenting soul. Go, sinner, and Behold, Heaven, moved with pity,

interests itself in your behalf.

Your most merciful

these

and compassionate Saviour prays thus to His Eternal

Father for you
:

Father, behold at

Thy feet

miserable sinners ! remember not, O Lord, that they have crucified Me, but rather that I die for them : instead of their sins, remember My love : not their
ingratitude, but the

Blood that

have shed.

Look
them

not upon their sins, but upon the

life

I offer for
not

on this Cross.

Father
do.

forgive them,

they

know

what

they

infinite charity of

our gracious Saviour, the

flames of which the cruel waters of tribulation

O what sublime doctrine could never extinguish has He not taught us in this first word ! Hearken,
!

soul, how He excuses those who crucified how He pardons His most cruel enemies, and in them all sinners who have offended Him, and who by their offences have nailed Him to the Cross. Father ! forgive them, they know not what

O my
Him

they do.

Learn,

O my

soul,

from the example of

receive.

Jesus, never to exaggerate the faults of others, or

to resent the affronts

you may

Learn to

excuse the offences of your neighbour, even though he should be your enemy ; never put an unfavour-

55
able interpretation on his actions, but attribute his
errors to ignorance, inadvertency, zeal, or

cause,
terrible

rather

than an
is

evil

intention.

any other O what a

burthen

laid
!

word of our Lord

on revengeful souls by this He beseeches His Eternal

Father to pardon the many criminal words and actions wherewith you insult and crucify Him, and

you nourish rancour in your heart, and refuse pardon a trivial word, or slight affront, for His sake. O unaccountable obstinacy What feeling
yet
to
!

of Christianity can

remain

in

the

soul

of
If

him

who
those

has no compassion for his

enemy?

care only for those

who
you,

flatter

you,

you and you hate

is

who

offend

what difference
?

there

between you and a heathen

call yourself

Why

then do you

a Christian

Reflect seriously

on

this

truth,

and be assured

that Jesus Christ will treat

will refuse

you in the same manner He what you deny to your brother.

offer

to

you

If
;

you

refuse to

speak to him, or to look at him

him your hand

in the

if you same manner

refuse to
shall

you
will

be treated by your Lord. You hear no consoling word from His lips, nor will
to a certainty

He

vouchsafe to cast upon you one glance of

passion.

com

Forgive then,

Christian,

if

you would

be forgiven by Jesus.

Eternal Father, since

I

innumerable sins

Thou wilt pardon the have committed against Thy

- 65

Divine Majesty, I do forgive all my enemies, not only once, but a thousand times for love of Thy most
holy Son.
I

Pardon me,
I

Lord,
;

knew not what

if,

did when

offended Thee

and

on account
be heard,

of

my

ingratitude, I

do not deserve
His

to

Thy most

precious Son has merited forgiveness in

my
I

stead.

Through
I did.

Blood and agony

;

therefore crave

Thy pardon
of pity
!

forgive

me, Lord,

knew not what

Mercy
!

O God

for the sake of

Thy

beloved Son Jesus.

Here
meditate on the First Word In the meantime the following words be sung, or some other music played.
all

kneel

down and

of Jesus on the Cross.

may
I

confess,

Jesus, that I was once

Thy enemy
knew
to

but intercede for

me and I

shall surely obtain pardon.

When I was wayward I

not

offended Thee, but I

what I

did.

Sweetest Jesus of

my

soul,

pray

Thy

Father for me. 1

Pues que

fui

vuestro enemigo,
confieso,

Mi

Jesus,
el

como

Rogad por
Seguro

mi, que con eso

loco te ofendi, que me hacia

perdon consigo.
;

Cuando

No

supe

lo

Buen Jesus del alma mia, Rogad al Padre por mi.

57

In thanksgiving for the pardon our Lord asked for us,

recite five times, or oftener,

what follows

Be Thou praised and blessed

fied Lord, for the

for ever,

cruci

pardon of our

sins

which Thou

hast obtained for us.

Make
I

the following Acts

:

believe in
all

God

I
:

hope
I

in

God

love

God above
all-gracious

things

am
is

grieved for

having

offended Him, because

He

the Almighty and

Him

God. I firmly purpose not to offend any more. O Mary admirable Mother the Advocate of
!

sinners, obtain for me,

beseech thee, through

Jesus crucified, the pardon of never more to offend Him.

my

sins,

and grace

-58-

THE SECOND WORD,

Addressed by our Lord
to the

Good

Thief.

THIS DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.

Consider,
sinners
;

devout

soul,

Jesus between two

one repentant, the other hardened ; one one saving yielding to grace, the other defiant
;

his soul, the other losing

it.

profound mystery of predestination

de

plorable heedlessness of

mankind

My
:

soul,

who

hearest the difference between

table destinies,

these two inscru

examine thyself well

observe by
:

the state of thy conscience, on which side thou art

wilt

thou save thyself with the good

thief,

or

damn

thyself with the

bad one?
will

How many

are there

here present
thief in Hell

who
?

be companions with the bad

!

dreadful and appalling thought

it

man, how happens

or
that

that

thou

livest

so

negligently;

thou,

indifferent, in a matter so doubtful

woman, art so and uncertain ?

Which
one?

of the thieves
thief,

wicked rebellious

or the penitent

do you envy most; the and humble

imitate his

If the latter,

why do you not

59
humility?

your vices with

why do you remain on the cross of A sinner, so much obstinacy?

!

and proud

Depart from me, thou bad thief. Ah there is mercy sinner, but a humble one
:
!

for thee.

As the bad
insults

thief revolts against Jesus,

denies and

Him,
so
all

as

if

He had

unjustly

blasphemers aggravate their awful sin of blasphemy by insult and con

tempt.

made Himself God,

Not

so the

good

thief:

enlightened by

the Divine light of Jesus, he acknowledges

for his

Him

God, and adores Him.

is

O my
can

God, how
himself

potent
against

Thy

light

Who
of

steel

Thy appeal?

Christians, render not useless

those

tender invitations

thy

Saviour.

Open

your hearts to them, and let them sink deep. The happy thief turns towards Jesus, and with a
plaintive voice says, Lord,

in Thee

in Thee alone

I place my whole trust I hope : O Lord, my God

comest
told
!

and my Redeemer, remember me when Thou

into

Thy Kingdom.

blessed sinner

Who
is

thee, criminal, that this crucified

Man

thy

God

and thy Redeemer ? Stand confounded, ye judges, with shame and confusion, to hear a thief confess
Jesus Christ on the Cross, whilst you so obstinately

deny

Him

notwithstanding

all

His miracles.
confess

How
with
!

many

Christians there are

who

Him
dost

their lips, whilst they

deny

Him

by

their

works

What

sort

of a confession of Christ

thou

6o
make,

man, that

art the victim of thy passions,

or thou,
far

woman,

lost to

shame and modesty ? So

from being firm

the good
fall

in

your confession unto death

like

before you

you have scarcely made it back into your vices and iniquities.
thief,
is

What

sort

of a confession

this?

Does your

conduct resemble that of

the

good or the bad

thief? of the penitent or the reprobate?

No
the

sooner had Jesus Christ heard the voice of

thief,

who acknowledged Him

for the past, than

for

his Lord,

imploring pardon
granted
sins,

He

instantly

his

request,
all

absolved

him

from

his

and

remitted

the punishment he had

merited.

Me My

This day, said He, thou shalt be with in Paradise. Yes, this day this Friday of

sorrows.

O
will
!

great day

is

there any one here

present

who

not

make

profit
!

of this hour?

you find your self by the side of your Redeemer on this great day, when He holds the key of Heaven in His hand, and throws the door of salvation open to all

happy sinner

blessed penitent

poor sinners.

To-day, Christians, there remain

;

no more days of sorrow for man Jesus has taken them all upon Himself. To-day pain is at an end,
for Jesus

dregs.

has drained the chalice of pain to the To-day there is no more danger of Hell

for those

who

repent, since Jesus

has taken

Hell for

by His torments His own portion. To-day,

6r
Paradise
all
is is

opened

to repenting sinners.

To-day
!

mercy all is glory. Come then, O sinners however enormous your crimes may be, come and enjoy this propitious time; it will cost you
little

only a word of sorrow, a look, or a sigh

from a penitent heart. Is it possible that on such a day as this, you can remain obdurate ? O most
merciful

Jesus

at

what other time can

find

Thee more
to bestow

liberal,

more generous,
gifts.

or

more ready

Thy manifold

most lovable

Heart, overwhelmed with love and solicitude for

the salvation of sinners, communicate the world
love, in
;

Thy

pity to

inflame
that

all

hearts with the fire of

Thy
how

order

the

whole universe may be

converted to Thee.
Hell
is

Behold,

great

God

filling every day, not only with Jews, Heretics and Infidels, but even with Christians.

What
day,
lost
!

heartrending thought
Saviour,

even
souls

this
will

very

O my
What
be
pity,

how many
so

be

a dreadful thought, that

Thy Blood
in
vain.

should

shed

for

many
pity

souls

Have Look

Lord, have

on

Christians.

favourably on

devil to boast of so

saved this day,

Thy flock. Suffer not the many triumphs. Let all be on which Thou so liberally offerest
Let
all

pardon to

all.

be saved,
thief,

Lord
all

and,

repenting with the good

may we

confess

Thee

to be our

God and

our Redeemer.

May we

62
all

sincerely deplore our past sins

may we

firmly

purpose to
confession

amend our
of

lives,

and make a sincere

For this end, our wrong-doing. us a sincere sorrow, that to-day Lord, grant
us in

Thou mayest remember

Here
all

Thy Kingdom.
has been read,

kneel

down and meditate on what

:

while the following words are sung

Reverently,

Jesus, the

mercies. I likewise beseech

Good Thief implores Thy Thee pardon of my iniquities.

in

If

to the

repentant thief,
also,

Thou promisest a reward

Heaven, may I not

1 for the same.

my

Saviour, hope confidently

Then

repeat five times the prayer of the

Good

Thief.

Have

pity

on me,

Lord, and in

remember

me when Thou comest

Then,

Thy mercy into Thy

Heavenly Kingdom.

believe in God.

hope, &c., as on page 57.

el

Reverente

buen Ladron

Imploro vuestras piedades ; Yo tambien de mis maldades

Os

pido, Seilor, perdon. Si al Ladron arrepentido

alia

Dais lugar

en

ei Cielo,

Ya yo tambien sin recelo La gloria, mi Dueno, os pido.

-6 3

THE THIRD WORD,

Addressed by our Lord to His most Holy Mother.

WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON THY MOTHER.

SON,

BEHOLD

Our Lord, from the height of His Cross, is whose looking down upon His blessed Mother,
heart
is

sunk

in

an abyss of anguish, and yet

He

opens before her a new abyss of anguish by giving her all mankind to be her children in the person
of St. John.

O
must

most
it

afflicted

Mother

what a piercing sword

not be, that thus so deeply wounds thy

tender

heart?

Thy Son
in

Jesus

commends
them

all

sinners to thee, that thou mayest receive

for

thy

children
!

His
losest

place.

O
most

heartrending

exchange
Jesus,

thou
in

thy

amiable Son
sinners, nay,

and

His stead

receivest

even such perverse and obstinate

repeatedly crucified
sorrowful

sinners, as

have

Him

Lady, what a

by torment to thy tender

their sins.

most

heart, already
stab.

deeply wounded without this new

so ungrateful a wretch

What
!

committed to

thy care

so grievous a sinner to be adopted for

-64
thy child
sinners,
!

O infinite charity of our Saviour towards

confiding

in

them

to
also.

His own blessed

Mother

to be their

Mother

incomparable
!

mercy of the compassionate Mother of Jesus who, full of love and gentleness, presses the whole world
to

her

bosom, with

all

tender solicitude
of Sinners,
so

and

maternal affection.
shall

Refuge

how
so

we express our

gratitude for

great,

heroic an act, by which thou hast vouchsafed to

accept us for thy children?

By what

obedience,

services, can we render ourselves worthy of so great a favour? O happy sinners! reflect

by what

with joy on the eminent dignity of Mary, your

Mother.

Mary, who
full

is

the a

Mother of God

Mother,
sanctity
also.

of grace
purity,

Mother, the mirror of

and
!

and

this

Mother your Mother

what a contrast between so holy a Mother and such perverse children between a
Alas
:

Mother so pure and children so

corrupt.

great

Queen of Heaven, take us now under thy protection, and make us children worthy of thee. Where is the
Christian,

who

with the greatest submission and

confidence ought not to acknowledge thee for his Mother. Hell trembled at hearing the words
of Jesus
:

the devils raged with envy.

listen,

Hearken,

O man
sinners,
all.

the

Mary Mother of the just,

!

Hell

is

the
the

Mother of
Mother of
feet

blessed

Lady,

kiss

thy sacred

-6s

be called the child of

thousand times, and exclaim with a voice that I wish might echo through heaven and earth,

However unworthy
Mary, yet,
day behold
possible, as

I am

to

great Queen, obtain that

I may

one
if

thee,

and
to

love thy

Son Jesus, as much,

thou

thyself lovest

Him.
gives

devout
to
all

souls,

look

up

Jesus

who

Mother

s care, and, in her, bestows

you on you

His
the

riches of

His mercy, which you

will

never obtain

without the intercession of Mary.

Through her

we
His

obtain pardon from her Son, together with all O Jesus, inexhaustible precious graces.

fountain of love and generosity, what a boundless love must have been Thine to love us with so

much
said

tenderness.
to
thee, Ecce
art

Since Jesus,

O my

soul,

has
!

Mater, Behold thy Mother

to contemplate her, to
all

surely thou
tate

bound

medi

on her graces with

well,

thy powers and faculties.

soul,
;

Consider her
raise thy

O my
I

lift

up thine

eyes,

whole heart to her

for she also says

to thee, Ecce Mater.

am

your Mother, consider

grief

me

as such.

Behold her oppressed with

on

account of your sins. Sympathize with her in the she She prays for you sorrow she feels for you.
:

Beseech her implores mercy and pardon for you. by her sorrows to look upon you as her child, and
to obtain for

you

all

necessary help, now, and at

the awful hour of death.

Mother of God, prove

66
thyself

my Mother

also.

Ah

turn those merciful

eyes of thine

upon me, beloved Mother.

Remember

the inexpressible anguish which we cost thee at the foot of the Cross. Let not the excessive grief

thou didst then suffer be all in vain. May thy sorrows and thy holy patronage prove a powerful
assistance
to

me

in
!

my
on

last

agony.

To-day,

O
my

amiable Mother

show myself thy

life

child,

day I would fain even were I to lay down

this at

in

love

and sorrow

the foot of the

!

Cross here.
that
I

Welcome,
die
at
feet

happy death
feet

Would

might Mother, and at the

me.
all

the

of

Mary
full

my

of Jesus so

of love

for

Here

kneel and meditate, &c.

Jesus in His last moments gives us to-day to His O Mary, who can understand what Virgin Mother.
thou then must have suffered ? accept

me for thy

child

and

be to

me a Mother,

as I

now promise

thee loyal

obedience. 1

Jesus en su testamento la Virgen hoy nos da :

Oh

Maria

Quien podra
:

Explicar tu sentimiento ? Hijo vuestro quiero ser

Sed vos mi Madre, Senora, Que os prometo desde ahora Finamente obedecer.

-6 7 Mother,
In thanksgiving to Jesus for having given us Mary for our let us recite five times the following prayer :

Most sweet
for

Jesus,

we

return

Thee

infinite

thanks

to

having given Thy be our Mother also.

blessed

Mother,

Mary,

Afterwards address yourself to her

sorrowful
sinful children

Mary, our Mother, pray for thy now, and at the hour of our death.
Then,

believe in God, &c., as on page 57.

68

THE FOURTH WORD,

Uttered by our Lord on the Cross.

MY GOD! MY

GOI)!

WHY HAST THOU

?

FORSAKEN ME

After our Saviour had fulfilled in every point

that belonged to the office of

all

Redeemer
for the

of the

world, after

He

had besought pardon

for sinners,

and chosen Mary His own Mother

of us
all,

Mother
of His

He

began to

feel in the interior

holy Soul, the greatest pains and desolations, even the agony and pangs of death. Weakened as He
was,

and exhausted by loss of blood, the ingratitude

saw,

of

mankind took strong possession of His mind.

on the one hand, the crimes of the
together with the pusillanimity of the and, on the other, the infinite love of His

He
good

wicked,
;

Father to man, His favourite creature; the stub

born obstinacy of
mercies
;

infidels

the forgetfulness of His

the contempt of His holy Passion, the

number
the

of souls
profit

who would be

lost eternally,

and
all

little

mankind would derive from

His

sufferings.

He

saw, moreover, the sorrows of

His Holy Mother, the timidity of His disconsolate

-69 disciples,

and the

cruel persecutions

which His im

maculate Spouse, the Holy Catholic Church, would

hereafter undergo. To all these afflicting thoughts His were added His bodily pains and torments.

sacred

Head

pierced with thorns, the sharp points

entering His temples ; His merciful eyes halfclosed by blood and dust His shoulders lacerated
;

by stripes, His chest oppressed, and His feet and hands transpierced by heavy nails. In truth, O my
Saviour,

Thy
!

sorrows

are

as

infinite

as

Thy
;

patience

In this state

Father for

His Heavenly but the salvation of the whole world

prays to

He

foreseeing that His Passion

and Death would

avail

nothing to an infinite number of men, who, through

their

own

fault,

would

lose their souls for ever,

He

entered upon His agony, and the depth of His sorrow increased every moment as He realized

more and more

that

His Heavenly Father allowed

any consolation. Finding Himself thus abandoned, even by His Father, and sinking under the load of sins which crushed

Him

to suffer without

Him

with their weight,

He

at length fell

into so

great, so sensible, so

bitter a dereliction,

and so

cruel an anguish of soul, that

He

could not refrain

in

from expostulating with

these terms of reproach
:

His Eternal Father

hast Thou forsaken

the cause of

Me?

My My O most lovable

God !

God I why
Saviour,

Thy

desolation was none other than

my
the

sins.

terrible

Contemplate then, O my erring soul, dereliction which the Son of God

suffered
lest

on account of thy wilfulness. Tremble God should abandon thee also, and being
fly

abandoned by Him, whither canst thou

refuge
?

for

? Why, Ut quid dereliquisti me ? Why hast Thou forsaken me ? Ah why ? Answer thy Saviour, who

O my

soul, art

thou so perverse

He hangs in agony on His Cross thou lose thy soul ? why wilt thou render the Blood I have shed for thy redemption of no
asks thee as
:

Why

wilt

avail ?

Ah

why ?

For things that are

in

them
and

selves so vile ? for a

moment

of degrading pleasure,
air,

a fleeting interest which fades into thin

vanishes in disappointment?

Ut quid?

answer

Him

then.

sorrow.
persist in

O my soul O my Jesus!
my

melt into tears and

Ut quid?

Why do

wrecking

soul,

when

behold Thee

nailed to the Cross in order to save it? shall 1

damn
Thy

myself whilst

Blood

for

Thou me? shall

art
I

shedding

Thy

Precious

so shamefully abuse
it

mercy?
tears

bespeak
not,

me

My my Saviour, my sorrow and repentance abandon O my Jesus, I beseech Thee by Thy

No,
shall never be.
:

holy dereliction.
Here
all

kneel and meditate, &c.

The

beloved

Son of God
this.

sees
!

Himself abandoned by

His Eternal Father.

were the cause of

Ah

cursed be

my

sins that
to

Whoever wishes

console
:

Jesus in

His

terrible sorrow, let

to sin

him

sincerely say

My

God, forgive me, I wish

no more. 1
us, recite five times

That our Lord may never abandon what follows

:
!

Most sweet Jesus by Thy most holy derelic nor tion, abandon us not, neither during our lives,
at

our death.

Then

to our

Lady

Mary,
protect us

Mother of grace, Mother of mercy, now and at the hour of our death.
Then,

believe in God, &c., as on page 57.

1

Desamparado

se ve

De Ah

su Padre el Hijo
!

amado

Que

maldito mi pecado, de esto la causa fue.

Quien quisiera consolar

A Jesus

en su dolor,
:

Diga de veras Sefior, Me pesa, no mas pecar.

THE FIFTH WORD,

Uttered by our Lord on the Cross.
I

THIRST.

Can any one fail to understand the causes which aggravated the thirst of our most sweet Saviour in that hour of anguish ? His tongue, the
instrument of so
roof of His

many
;

marvels, cleaved to the

His loving lips were parched the bitterness of His tortures ; the moisture of by His body had been drained from Him through
all

mouth

Indescribable,

His wounds and through His sweat of blood. therefore, was the thirst which

tormented

Him

with ever-increasing agony

until

at last, in hoarse but plaintive tones,

He

uttered

the

word,

thirst.
it

kind of
but
thirst

thirst is

most sweet Lord, what that torments Thee ? what else

thirst

an
far

insatiable

for

our
bodily

salvation
thirst

greater

than

the

which

Thou

endurest,

an ardent and inflamed

;

thirst for

the salvation of souls

a thirst which can only

be quenched by the tears of converted sinners. As if He had said In the midst of the torment and
:

agony in which you

now

behold Me, there remains

73
no other consolation for me but the sighs and tears of
penitent souls.

Weep

then,

O
!

lovers of Jesus

lament and bewail your sins. hangs in His death agony

streams,

He
oh,

thirsts

He

and

rivers, give tears to

my

ye fountains, eyes to enable me

to assuage the thirst of

my

agonizing Saviour.

Ah

who

is

he,

who

will

not henceforth shudder at the

which very thought of committing one mortal sin

occasions so

much

He

thirsts

for the

salvation

pain to our suffering Lord? for the of souls,

extermination of sin.
will give

I thirst,
?

O my Saviour, who
will

Thee refreshment wandering sheep to Thee ? I the thirst that torments Thee
I will

who
is

bring back a

will,

Lord.

Since

a thirst for souls,

seek for sinners

will

endeavour to lead

them

home.

I
;

will

teach

Thy ways

to

the

weak and ignorant I word and example;

verted to Thee.

will

exhort sinners both by

that

many may be con

thirst.

O my

Saviour, from
a
still

whence proceeds this vehement degree of

that

thirst?
love.

From

more
Lord,

Remember,

have legions of Virgins, Martyrs, and Confessors, who will die for most fervent
wilt

Thou
of

love

Mary, Thy Mother, dies for love of Thee Thy dear Magdalen, Thy spouses Catharine, Teresa, Ludgarde, and innumerable
Thee.
;

others, die also for love of Thee.

Sitio

I thirst.
!

Love never

says,

//

is

enough.

Christians

74
we must
die

with

Jesus,
:

a thirst for our salvation

world, which
Sitio
I thirst,
\

who bears we must

so

ardent

die to the

bears

so

little

love towards

Him.

that the

whole world should be

O my God, Thy Apostles will convert whole kingdoms and millions of souls to Thee. I thirst I desire still more. The great St. Dominic,
converted
St.

Francis,

and

many

other

zealous

Saints,

Lord,

will

win souls to

Thee by

their miracles

and preaching, even from the remotest earth. The renowned Sitio I thirst.

parts of the
St.

Ignatius

and

his Society, will bring

infidels,

back to Thee numbers

;

of heretics,
will

and sinners
of

and
into
will

his

sons

carry
;

the

fire

Thy
Sitio
!

love

distant

nations a

and the
to

illustrious

Xavier
I

convert
for
still

new world

Thee.

thirst

more.

obdurate sinners

reflect

on the vehe
feels

ment
for

thirst

which your adorable Redeemer

your salvation,
Is
it

and the

little

anxiety
still

it

causes

you.

possible that

you can

thirst after

the riches, vanities, and pleasures of the

world,

which cause you to run on so rapidly to your destruction ? Oh, sin no more, since you behold
Jesus so ardently desirous of your salvation.

Let

your tears now wash away the stains of your sin; to what other purpose would you reserve them?
Bewail them then with your
thus quench His
thirst.

tears,

and you

will

O my

Saviour,

who can

75 quench
in
it,

since love

never

says,

It

is

enough.
thirst

Be Thou
suffer

Thyself, then, the assuager of

Thy

communicating

to us an ardent desire rather to

death than offend Thee.

Let us die then,

Christian souls, of love,

and endeavour to lessen

the thirst of Jesus with the tears of repentance,

sorrow,

and
all

contrition.

Here

kneel and meditate, &c.

Jesus
wishest,
is

Christ

says

He

is

thirsty,

and

if

thou

Christian soul, to assuage the thirst

which
to

consuming Him, give

Him

some of thy tears

comfort

Him.

The

gall which the Centurion offers

Him He

will not drink of;

to

how

then canst thon

r

expect our Saviour

drink the bitterness of thy sins ?

thirst of Jesus, give

Here, to alleviate the

saying five times
:

Him

your heart,

My
I give

most sweet Jesus

feels the

pain of thirst

Him my

heart.

Then,
I believe in

God, &c., as on page

Sed dice Cristo que

57.

tiene

Mas si quieres mitigar La sed que le llega a ahogar,

Darle lagrimas conviene. La hiei que brinda un ministro
Si la gusta,

no

la

bebe

Como
La

quieres tu que pruebe hiel de tu culpa Cristo ?

- 76-

THE SIXTH WORD,

Uttered by our Lord on the Cross.

IT IS

CONSUMMATED.

The
the

prophecies of the Old Testament, and the

sovereign decrees of God, are

now accomplished
cancelled
;

immense debt of

sinners

is

the just

have obtained salvation

its

at a price proportionate to
is

value; a covenant
;

concluded between
is

God
;

and man

the tyranny of the devil

overthrown
our ador

the triumph of glory begins.

And now

able Saviour, after having terminated His mission as

Redeemer of
of His agony

the world, has reached the extremity

;

He

is

now

at the gates of death,

and

offers

His sweet

life

for sinners.

Enter,

O my
made

soul!

enter into
all

His blessed

Heart,

and from

thence behold
to

the prayers which will be

His Eternal Father, even to the end of the He accepts them, makes them His own world.
;

it

is

through

His

Passion

and

Death

that

all

these

prayers
is

have received that favourable

already

answer

which

given

all

the

sover
it

eign decrees which regard this world as long as

shall

endure, are

here

determined

it

is

owing

77
to

His Death that

all

the vacant thrones in

Heaven
by His

will

one day be re-filled. Consider that this Sovereign

Lord,

omniscience,

now beholds
:

all

your temptations
your
secret
falls,

and

combats

He

foresees
all

your hidden thoughts,

life,

the
to

and the many dangers

the
merits
as

exposed of losing your

applies
to

soul.

your which you will be Consider how He

events

of

of
if

His

Death

and Passion
the

your

soul,

object of His love.

has suffered in
resolving

Him thanks for what He And now Jesus, for you. particular
it

you Return

alone were

only

on the accomplishment of His sublime

were, to consider whether

designs, paused, as

anything more remained to be done or suffered for sinners. Quid ultra debui facere et non fed?

what more could

do

for sinners

than
?

have

done

what yet remains

soul,
all

for

O
all

Redeemer of my
that

Nothing, Thou nothing remains.

Me

to

do

hast exhausted

Thy

charity,

and Thou hast done

Thou

couldst do or suffer for our sakes.

So then our Blessed Saviour, considering that nothing further remained for Him to do, either in
obedience to the
will

of His Father, or in reparation

raising
is

for the sins of the world,

His voice cried

His

out,

Consummatum

esf,

It

consummated.

Eternal Father grants

Him now

the salvation of

those great sinners, whose penitential lives and

- 78heroic deeds are recorded in ecclesiastical history

and

in

the Lives of the Saints.

that

It

is

at

this

moment
apostles,

He
to

bequeaths

power

to

His

fortitude

martyrs, purity to

virgins,
It is

and courage
that

to confessors
field

and

penitents.

now

He

beholds the

of His

Church enriched
:

by a plenteous harvest of the just His religion established, erected,

turned,

His temples
idols

over

and the glorious standard of His Cross

hour when

triumphantly displayed throughout the world. This

is

the

He

looks out upon the vast

multitudes of souls, even

nations,

among the most barbarous

who

will

obtain salvation.

be enlightened by His Cross and Nothing more could be done

which has been

left

undone.
for for

All

is

consummated*

Oh, mayest Thou be Redeemer of my soul,

charity towards sinful

ever praised, blessed

love

Thy immense

and

man.
all

Oh

let

me make
accom

Thee some
plished.

return for

that

Thou
I

hast

Grant,

Lord, through the effusion of

too

Thy most
say with

Precious Blood, that

the

may one day

is
;

most sincere
I

compunction, //

consummated.
scandals and

have ceased to offend Thee

iniquities are at
for

my
Con-

my

an end,

summatum
course of
Consider,

est:

love

of

Thee my
passes

criminal

life is

for ever terminated.

Christians,

what

at
:

this

moment

in

the

Heart

of

Jesus

Christ

Oh,

79
what
fire
is
!

what love

what tenderness
obtain
all

Behold,

now
is

the time you

love,

of Divine

may now, when

all
is

the graces
you,
it

Jesus

tells

consummated,
for

accomplished,
to

nothing

more remains
affections

me
?

do.

Whither do
fire

my
me
:

carry
:

me
!

already has the

seized

my

heart

the love of Jesus

burns within
!

inexpressible joy
to

Ah

ye stony hearts

come,

approach
hearts
!

Heart of Jesus. O ye tepid obdurate sinners all is consummated:

the
!

the

fire

of Divine charity has attained

its

greatest

intensity in the

Heart of Jesus
it

cast yourselves
still

into it;

oh,

may

inflame

you

more and
!

more with His

love.

Amen.

O my

Saviour

may

my

heart

be broken with sorrow, and inflamed

love.
kneel and meditate, &c.

with

Thy
all

Here

With a
us that
is

broken, exhausted voice, our Saviour

tells

His Passion has paid the price of sin. Jesus about to breathe His last and expire ; where is the
who would
not die of sorrow ?
tu
l
1

Christian soul

Con voz quebrada

Dios

Habla ya muy desmayado,

Y dice,

que del pecado

;

La redencion consume.

Ya Jesus se ve espirar Ya Jesus se ve morir,

Quien, pues, no llega a rendir La vida con el pesar ?

go

five

In thanksgiving for the work of our Redemption, recite times the following Act
:

thank Thee,

Lord, from the bottom of

my
it

heart, for having

accomplished the great work of

Grant,

our redemption.

O my

Saviour,

that

may

avail to

my

salvation.

Then,
I believe in

God, &c., as on page

57.

8i

THE SEVENTH WORD,

Uttered by our Saviour on the Cross.

FATHER, INTO THY HANDS

COMMEND

MY
In this
last

SPIRIT.

word, our most loving Redeemer

ultimate

gave

us

the

proof of

His

love,

by
at

teaching
the

us

what

is

of
;

supreme importance
that
is,

moment

of death

that

we should

commit

ourselves

with

unreserved and humble

confidence into the hands of God, as into those

of a most tender

and

affectionate Father.

It

is

Jesus Christ
learn
then,

who

teaches us

how

to die.

Let us
of our

Christians,

from the death

Saviour, what death is. Oh, what an awful passage look only at the effect it produces on it must be
\

His Sacred Humanity is changed beyond recognition His face grows pale, His lips livid, His whole body trembles with anguish and
:

Man-God

exhaustion.

Even

that loud cry with

which

He

surrendered His Soul to His Eternal Father was

wrung from
manner,

Him

with

valido et lacrymis.

If a

many tears. Cum Man-God dies

clamore
in
this

O
G

man, how can you

think on

death

82
with
? You are mortal you and yet you lead a careless die, and dissipated life you appear not to be the least

such indifference

know you must

concerned about
thought on
so

it,

nor to bestow even a serious

a

terrible

moment.

Christians

would you know what death is, consider it in Look upon His agony, His struggles, His Jesus.
exhaustion.
Is
it

possible that any one could defer

his preparation for so dreadful a conflict to a time

of so
so

much

bitterness

and sorrow

or postpone
as the

serious

and arduous an undertaking^

full

affair

of eternal salvation, to the hour of death,

of pain and anguish
?

an hour so

Ah

who

can form a just conception of what passed in the mind of our dear Saviour at the prospect of His approaching dissolution ? The conflict that
passed in His Soul at the thought of its separation from His immaculate Body, formed out of the

pure flesh

of

Mary His

Virgin

Mother,

must

necessarily have been so violent, as to shake the

whole frame of His Sacred Humanity. O powerful stroke of death, that could even make a Man-God
tremble
!

May Thy

sacred

name be
!

for ever exalted

and
tarily

praised,

merciful Jesus

for

permitted

Thyself

to

suffer

having volun so bitter an

agony, in order to teach

me

to support

mine with

patience and resignation to the Divine will of Thy Heavenly Father and for having suffered all the
:

peaceful

83

my
death more

terrors of death, in order to render

and

easy.

Our
point

suffering

Redeemer, seeing Himself on the

:

of expiring, exclaimed

Father^

into

Thy

hands
us
to

I commend My
understand that

spirit ;
it

whereby He gave was by His own free

accepted death, and to teach us the most sublime and safe method to die. Father^
choice
into

He

Thy hands
!

/ commend My
a

spirit.

Oh, what
!

heavenly

what

Divine

lesson

Christ

Jesus, by recommending His spirit into the hands of His Eternal Father, pays Him, not only the greatest act of honour and glory, but also testi
fies

the immensity of His love, the height of His

confidence, the depth of His humility, and abso

lute submission, without the least reserve, to the
will of

an Almighty Father, ever

forsakes those
is

faithful, just

and

holy,

who never

who

place their con

of

fidence in

Him, who
salvation,

the infallible refuge

mercy and
His hands.

and who promises

eternal

beatitude to every soul that surrenders

It is

itself into

by

this

sublime lesson from His

Cross, that Jesus Christ teaches us

die.

how we should

O
with

Eternal Father, ever just and holy, in union

the sacred spirit of

Thy most
Him,
:

lovable
deliver
it

Son

Jesus,

and

in

imitation of

I also

my

soul

into

Thy

merciful

hands

receive

then,

-84 Behold the Lord, and keep it for ever. innumerable dangers of offending Thee, where with I am encompassed on all sides. Look on

my
from

combats and temptations, and preserve me Never suffer me, most merciful falling.
surrendered

Father, to yield to the enemy, since I have, with

Thy Son

Jesus,

hands, not only at the hour of

my my

soul

into

Thy
on

death, but also

during the remainder of

my
I

life.

Have

pity

me, Lord
with
all

into

Thy hands
all

commend my

spirit,

that I

am and

that I possess.
as before, during

Then

all

kneel

time these words

down and meditate may be sung

:

which

To His Eternal Father His

but thou, if thou
wilt

soul is

now

surrendered,

amend

not thy

life, into

whose hands
this

thou fall ?

O my
Thy

Jesus,

from

moment

1 place

my

soul in

keeping.

Do

not look upon

me

1 coldly in that fatal hour.

A
Su

su Eterno Padre ya

espiritu le

Si tu vida

no

se

encomienda enmienda

En que manos parara ? En las tuyas desde ahora Mi alma entrego, Jesus mio No me mires con desvio En aquella fatal hora.

-8 5

The following is then read to excite sentiments of love and sorrow upon what occurred at the Death of our Lord
:

Jesus our Redeemer, having commended His Soul into the hands of His Eternal Father, and
seeing
that

the

hour

of

His

death

was

fast

approaching, wished to let the whole world know that He died voluntarily for the love of man and
in

obedience to the will of His Heavenly Father. For that reason, before He breathed His last, He bent His Sacred Head upon His breast, not con

strained thereto by the stroke of death, but only

by the weight of His

mystery
testified
!

love.

incomprehensible

His Eternal Father, His His poverty and His humility. goodness to man,
to
It was, in the first place,

by His obedience

this inclination of

His Head Jesus

the excessive weight of

our sins that caused His

Again,

Head

to to

bend
take

in death.

He bowed

His Head

His

last

farewell of

as

He

an ungrateful world, and breathe into it, had done at its creation, the breath of a

new
His

life.

He

inclined His

Head

also towards the

earth, in order to invite sinners,

love, to

by

this signal of

His tender
last

caresses. Finally,

His Head

and most tender look might towards His beloved Mother Mary, be directed
was bent that His

who remained

at

the foot of the Cross, pierced

with sorrow, in order to show her

how much He

86
reverenced her, and to give her His last sigh, as if it were to teach us how much it behoves
us to direct the last sigh of our
lives to God, O Divine under the sweet guidance of Mary. Master of my life, may Thy infinite charity be for

ever praised for the heavenly lessons

Thou

hast

taught us from the Cross.

Our Divine Redeemer having bowed down His

sacred Head, nothing further remained to be done

than to give up His Spirit

to.

Here the awful change commenced

His Heavenly Father. His sacred ;

from His most

Body shuddered
holy Soul.
his office

in separating itself

Already Death had begun to execute by robbing the most beautiful of all countenances of its natural complexion. Now a
film settled

pinched ; cheeks began to

now

upon the eyes ; now the nostrils grew the lips became livid ; now the
fall

in

now His bosom heaved,

and

The could no longer draw His breath. inanimate creation, perceiving its Creator expiring,
expressed the poignancy of
its

He

anguish by terrible
;

portents.

The sun was darkened

;

the

moon grew
rent,

red as blood

the heavens were clouded over, the

earth groaned

and trembled, the rocks were

shuddered
little

the

whole
!

world

in

horror.

Stay,
will

Jesus

stay yet a
for

while,

and

die

with

Thee and
;

Thee.
diest

Let us die together,

for love of

Lord

if

Thou

me,

let

me

-87
also die
live

for

love of Thee.

do not wish

to

any longer,
Thee,
and,

O my
by

God,

for fear of

offend

ing

my

sins,

crucifying

Thee

again.

Alas
I

beloved Jesus, the hour brooks no delay.

see that heaven and earth are anxiously expecting

:

Thy blessed Death Thy Heavenly Father is waiting Thy Spirit the Angels to hail Thy victory with repeated Alleluias ; long the holy Patriarchs in Limbo await Thy coming, to
with open arms to receive
;

release

them from

prison,

and conduct them

happiness
;

to the
just

mansions of

never-ending

the

are eager to render

Thee

eternal thanks for the

never-fading crown of glory

for

Thou
that

hast purchased

them

sinners long for

trition for their past sins,

it, by sincere con and a firm purpose of

amending their lives, they may escape the wrath and come, and obtain eternal salvation
;

to
all

mankind
that they

are waiting

in

anxious expectation, so
fetters of sin.

may be delivered from the

how
His Death,
of affection

Our
and

Saviour, considering

ardently the world

looks for
full

yields at length to its desire,

and tenderness

for sinners,

delivers

up His Soul into the hands of His Eternal His Life and His Father yes, He offers up
:

Blood as a universal remedy mankind. O most sweet Jesus

die, since

for the sins

!

of

all

it

must be time

to

such

is

Thy

will.

Die then,

Redeemer

88
of

my

soul,

and when,

after

Thy

departure hence,

Thou may

goest to

Thy

Father, beseech

Him

that

we
that

never
the

be separated from Thee;

merits

but

through

of

Thy

Precious

Passion

and Death, we may live and die in Thy grace and in Thy love. He can refuse Thee nothing, dear Jesus Thou must be heard for Thy reverence
!

in behalf of those

whom Thou
Thy

hast redeemed,

and

who

are

all

so dear to

Heart.
!

O
fully

incomprehensible Majesty
alone,

most high God

Thou

Lord of

glory,

Thou

alone canst

comprehend and

justly appreciate the

Death
he

of our Saviour Jesus.

it,

Man,

insensible man, hears

deaf,

and

yet remains blind,

and dumb

beholds his

God

expire without being

moved

either

to sighs or tears.

He

forgets that his

God

has

suffered an ignominious Death on the Cross, in How terrible order that he might live eternally.

a responsibility

is
!

this

holy Friday

O
!

Three
open

Hours of agony
for love of you,

Awake, senseless mortals

;

the eyes of your faith

see,

your

God

is

expiring

and yet no one is found who dies Wo to us sinners of love and sorrow for Him.
!

He

dies,

and no one

dies

with grief for having

offended Him.

We

stand before

Thy

face,

God,

and are not ashamed.

sensibility, that

O
this

rocks, lend us your

we may

day tremble and die

our Redeemer Jesus.

with

love

and sorrow

for

-89 Let us long to die with Jesus, Christian souls, long to die of love and sorrow for having offended

Him.
the third hour draws near its close the Credo is sung, such wise that the words Crticifixus et mortuus est may be reached as the clock strikes ; and thereupon each one
in

As

present should

make

a fervent Act of Contrition.

The

following words
is

may

also be sung

Now
no more.

my Redeemer My God, my
Alas
!

dead,

Father,

nailed to a Cross.

my beloved Father is my Love, has died Ah ! Woe is me ! Burst,

:

O my

heart, with compassion

1

it

was for

thee that

Jesus died.

Ya murio mi Redentor, Ya murio mi Padre amado, Ya murio en la cruz clavado Mi Dios, mi Padre, mi amor. Ay Ay Ay Triste de mi Ay Ay Ay Mi corazon,
!
! !

Rompete de compasion, Que Jesus murio por ti.

ADDENDA.
Should

any time remain before

the

three

hours

are

completed, the following prayers are recited, otherwise they may be omitted.

SALUTATIONS addressed to the Five Sacred Wounds of JESUS CHRIST.

I.

To

the Sacred

Wound

in the

Left Foot.

O
in

Lord Jesus

Christ, I adore the Sacred

Wound
heartfelt

Left Foot, and I thanks for so much pain

Thy

return
:

Thee
I

grant me,

beseech

and by the suffering it caused Thy afflicted Mother, the pardon of all the sins I have committed against Thee by my sinful steps.
Thee, by
this pain,

Our
II.

Father, &c.
the Sacred

Glory be

to the

Father; &c.
Right Foot.

To

Wound

in the

O
in

Lord Jesus

Christ, I adore the Sacred

Wound
heartfelt

Thy Right

Foot, and I return

Thee
I

thanks for so

much

pain

grant me,
suffering

beseech
it

Thee, by

this pain,

and by the

caused

Mother, a firm hope, together with Thy the pardon of all the sins I have committed against Thee by my words and actions.
afflicted

Our

Father, &c.

Glory be

to the

Father,

6%

92
III.

To

the Sacred

Wound

in the

Left Hand.

O
in

Thy

Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the Sacred Wound Left Hand, and I return Thee heartfelt

thanks for so

much

pain

grant me,
suffering

I
it

beseech

Thee, by

this pain,

and by the

caused

Thy

Mother, an ardent charity, together with the pardon of all the sins I have committed
afflicted

against

Thee by my
Father, &c.

sight

and

my

other senses.

Our
IV.

Glory be

to the

Father, &c.

To

the Sacred

Wound

in the

Right Hand.

O
in

Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the Sacred Wound Thy Right Hand, and I return Thee heartfelt

thanks for so

much

pain

grant me,
suffering

I
it

beseech

Thee, by

this pain,

and by the

caused

Thy
for

afflicted

Mother, the grace of true contrition

4

my sins, and pardon for all the offences 1 may have committed against Thee by the abuse of my
Our
memory, and understanding. Father, &c. Glory be to the Father, &c.
the Sacred

will,

V.

To

Wound

in the

Side of our Saviour.

O
in

Lord Jesus

Christ, I adore the Sacred

Wound

Thy Sacred Side, and I return Thee heartfelt thanks for so much pain and as Thy most Sacred
:

Heart was pierced by a sharp-pointed lance, and that of Thy afflicted Mother with the sword of grief, grant that mine may be so deeply penetrated
by the arrows of Thy
love, as cheerfully to suffer

the most cruel death rather than ever offend

Thee

by the commission of one mortal

sin.

Our

Father, &c.

Glory be

to the

Father, &c.

93

Let us say three Hail Marys and one Glory be to the Father, to our Blessed Mother Mary, in reverence for all she suffered during these Three Hours.

A PRAYER TO OUR LADY.

afflictions

most dolorous Mother by the many bitter Thou must necessarily have suffered at
!

the foot of the Cross during the three long hours of agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, but more
especially at the

moment

engrave,

beseech thee,

of His sacred death, His wounds and thy

heart
:

unspeakable grief upon

my

assist

me

in

and, through thy powerful inter cession at the throne of mercy, obtain for me a happy death.

my

last

agony

"

CONSUMMATUM

EST."

(Fra Angelico.)

SHORT PRAYERS
OF

ST.

GREGORY,

ON OUR LORD S PASSION.

Lord Jesus Christ, I adore Thee hanging on the Cross, and wearing a crown of thorns.
1.

humbly pray Thee,

that

Thy blood may

deliver

me

from the destroying angel. Amen. Then say, Our Father, &c., Hail Mary,

&<r.

2.

Lord Jesus

Christ, I adore

Thee wounded

on the Cross, and having

Thee to drink. I may become the cure

gall and vinegar given beseech Thee, that Thy wounds

of

my

soul.

Amen.

Our
3.

father,

&><:.

Lord Jesus

Christ, I beseech Thee, through

the bitterness of the pains which

in the

Thou

didst suffer

hour of death, and chiefly when Thy most Soul parted from Thy blessed Body; have holy mercy on my soul, at its quitting my body, and
bring
it

to eternal

life.

Amen.

Our

Father, &c.

-96
4-

the

Lord Jesus Christ, I adore Thee laid in Sepulchre, and embalmed with myrrh and
that

spices; grant, I beseech Thee,

Thy Death

may be my life. Amen. Our Father, &c.

5.

ing into
captives
to

Lord Jesus Christ, I adore Thee descend Hell, and delivering from thence Thy
:

never permit,

beseech Thee,

my

soul

go

thither.

Amen.

Our
6.

Father, &c.

Lord Jesus

Christ,

adore Thee rising

from the dead, and ascending into Heaven, and sitting at the right hand of Thy Father ; grant, I
beseech Thee, that I may follow Thee thither, and deserve to be presented to Him by Thee. Amen.

Our
7.

Father, 6^.

Lord Jesus
;

Christ,

who

art

the

Good

Shepherd mercy on

preserve the just, justify sinners, have all the faithful, and be propitious to me

a miserable and unworthy sinner.

Amen.

Our

Father,

6<r.

Hail Mary, &c.

prater

to tbe jftve TKHounfcs*

TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN.

Kiss the wound of the

saying
:

left

hand of the Crucifix,

Jesu mine
1

for love of

Thee,
be.

love what

Thy Will

giveth me,

WHATE

ER

it

Kiss the wound of the right hand, saying

Jesu mine
1

for love of

Thee,
it

love

what Thy Will giveth me,

WHENE
Kiss the wound of the

ER

be.
:

left foot,

and say

Jesu mine
1

for love of

Thee,
it

love

what Thy Will giveth me,

How MUCH

be.
:

Kiss the wound of the right foot, and say

Jesu mine for love of Thee, love what Thy Will giveth me, How LONG it be.
!

-98 Kiss the wound of the Sacred Heart, saying

Jesus,
:

my

will is ever

one with Thine,

For all things that befall me come from Thee; All bring Thee glory, all bring good to
me, Therefore in weal or woe, mine.

Thy

will

is

Then

press the Crucifix with tender love to

your heart, saying:

To

Jesus sweetest Lord, I pray to Thee, grant me that which in Thy Heart
!

see

Suffering, that my love may steadfast be, And love, to suffer ever faithfully Suffering, to bear all suffering for Thee,
;

Love, to despise

all

love for love of Thee.

APPENDIX.
BIBLIOGRAPHY, PRINCIPALLY FROM CANCELLIERI.

Ven. Bedse

[?],

De

VII.

Verbis

Christi Oratio.

(Migne, P.L. vol. xciv. pp. 561, 562.)

Candidus, Monachus Fuldensis, De Passione Domini. (Migne, P.L. vol. cvi. p. 92.) S. Anselmus, Dialogits B. Marice et Anselmi de Passione Domini. (Migne, P.L. vol. clix. p. 284.)

Henr. Ernulphi, Episc. Roffensis

Verbis

[?],

Liber de

Domini

in Cruce.
Vallis,

Arnoldus Carnotensis, Abbas Bonae

VII.
Verbis

De
et

Domini

in Cruce ^
vol.

Paris, 1609.

(Migne, P.L.
Vitis

Antwerp, 1532, clxxxix. pp. 1677

(Migne,

1726.)
S.

Bernardi

[?],

Mystica

P.L.

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ultimis Verbis Christi.

De

VII.

Antwerp, 1532.

Ant.

de

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De

Mysteriis

Dominica

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Salmant. 1542 et 1582. Franc. Tubernici de Zichen, Liber in VII. Verba

Christi.

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De

Novissimis VII. Christi Verbis,

Ven.
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ap.

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treatise

by Arnold of Chartres was falsely attributed and printed among his works. This book is better known as the Monte Calvario. An English translation of it appeared in 1595, and again in 1618,
This
to St. Cyprian,

reprinted in part by Mr.

Orby Shipley

in 1868.

IOO
Gio. Batt. Domenichi, Sermoni sopra le parole, C. su le Croce, Ferrara per Bened.

che disse G.

Mammotello, 1592.
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VII. parole

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Christ. Pelargi, Meditationes Passionales de VII. Frf. 1607. Verbis Christi in Cruce.
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humani

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1612
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Rob.
1634.

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lib.

De
ii.

VII.

Verbis

Christo

in Cruce prolatis,

Col. Agripp. 1618, 1626,

Christ. Danderstadii, Meditatio VII.

Novissimorum

verborum Christi in Cruce.

Petrus Diverus,

Lipsiae, 1625.

De

VII. extremis Verbis Christi

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Antwerp, Plantin,

1634.

101

Job. Hoepnerus,
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De

Descrtione J. C. in
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Cruet.

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Ged. 1642.
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in

Franc. 1649. Cruce pendentis labia. Dcrnieres paroles de Jesus Christ en Croix,

Poeme

Heroique.

Paris

de Serus, 1655.

Adam

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Job.

Frischmuth,

De

fiebili

Messia

in
et

Cruce
t.

pendentis gemitu Eli Eli,

Thes. Philol. p. 240.

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in

ii.

Anima J. C. ac Steph. Klotzius, De Crudatibus Hamb. et Frf. 1670. in Cruce. de derelictione Valent. Henr. Wolgleri, Phisiologia Passionis Christi, ubi de Tristitia, Sudore, Spinea Corona,
Myrrhino
et Hysopo,

Vino, Solis Obscuratione, Siti Christi, Aceto,

d Aqua,
in Cruce.
Jo.

Clamore, Morte, Terramotu, Sanguine, Conditura Corporis. Helmst. 1670, 1673.

Sebast. Niermanus,

De

Christi derelicti querela

Jense, 1671.

Henr. Hummelii, Condones explicantes vocem

Christi in Cruce pendentis. Tiguri, 1673. G. B. Grassettini, // Maestro Divino su la Cattedra

della Croce, doe

Sermoni nove sopra

le sette parole di

Cristo in Croce.

Roma, per

Fil.

M. Mancini, 1674.

Job. Frid. Scarfius,

tione.

De

Christi Crudfixi derelic

Vit. 1677.

John

Flavel,

De

Tristi ac

Sermons on the Seven Last Words. Memorabili Christi lamento, Deus,

dereliquisti.

Deus Meus, quare me

Witt. 1677.

102
Franc. Elgersma, Cygnea Cantio VII. Verborum
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1679.

Christ. Locherwitz,

De

Luctuoso Christi in Cruce

pendentis lamento. Vit. 1680.

Job. Olearius, De Jesu Crucifixi derelictione ex Psal. 22. Lips. 1683, 1685. Joh. Teuschmannus, De Christi Crucifixi derelic
tione.
J.

Vit. 1695. C. Dannahaver,

De

VII.

Verbis

Novissimis

Christi.

Arg. 1697.

Lud. Winslovius, Hafniae 1706.

J.

De
I

Desertione

Salvatoris.

F.

Mayer,

Ad

ll.

Verba Morientis Jesu.

Christi,

Gryph. 1706, 1709.

M.

Screiberi,

Vindictee

Verborum

EH Eli.

Region, 1716.

M.T. Cruyer, Heptalogon in Ara Cruets a Chris to De Verbis Servatore prolatum. Frf. et Lips. 1726.
ultimis Christi morientis.

Jon. Rota, Diss. Salvatoris in Cruce.

F.

Philologica

Helmst. 1728. de exdamatione

Lond. 1738.

C.

Lugeri,

DC

Quarto Salvatoris

Crucifixi

Verbo.

Jenae, 1739.

Chr.

Matth. Pfaffius,

De

Precibus

Christi pro

Crucifixoribus suis fusis. Tub. 1746. C. E. Weismannus, In Verbum Christi in Cruce

Pendentis Quartum. Tub. 1746. Gabr. Hummse, Veneti, De VII. Verbis

Tractatus.

Domini

Angeli Sangrini, De VII. J. C. Verbis Meditationes Septem. Eliseo Masini, Delle sette parole di Cristo in Croce.

103
Franc. Barberino Masserano, Discorsi sopra le che disse in Ebraico idioma Cristo S. N.

parole,

sopra la Croce.

Benedictus XIV.

De

Festis, c. vii. p. 223.

Divizione delle tre ore deir Agonia di G. C. S. N.

Composta
dal

in

Lima

P. Alfonzo

nel Peru, in Lingua Spagnuola Messia della Comp. di Gesii e

Roma, 1789, per Gioach. Puccinelli. Esercizio di divizione in onore delle tre ore deir
Agonia di G. C. N. S. Composto in Lingua Spagnuola dal M. R. Padre, e Servo di Dio il P. Alonzo Messia della Comp. di Gesu, e nuovamente traslato nella Lingua nostra italiana dal
Cav. Giangiacomo della Pegna. Roma, 1795, P er Ant. Fulgoni. A. Fulgoni, Divoto Esercizio da Principiarsi nel
ore deir

maniera usata dallo stesso Autore.

Venerdi S. dalle ore 18 alle 21, in memoria delle tre Agonia di G. C. Roma, 1795.

or of books less exclu devoted to the Seven Words, there may be mentioned speciminis gratia :
sively

Of more modern books,

Cristobal de Fonseca, Vida de Cristo.

Luis de
Passion.

la

Palma,

S.J.,

History of the Sacred

Ignacio de Quintanaduenas, Cristo Crucificado.

P. Gallwey, S.J.,

The Watches of
:

tJu Passion.

H.

J.

Coleridge, S.J., The Public Life of our Lord.

And among

Anglicans

H. Scott Holland, Good Friday. W. J. Knox Little, The Three Hours Agony. A. G. Mortimer, The Seven Last Words.

ROEHAMPTON

PRINTED BY JOHN GRIFFIN.

BT 430 .M47 1899 SMC MEsia, Alonso. The devotion of the three hours agony on Good Friday 47230725