He be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar, and saying: If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself. And there was also a superscription written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS is THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of these robbers who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: If Thou be Christ, save Thyself, and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise. And it was almost the sixth hour: and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. And saying this, He gave up the ghost. [All kneel]. Now the centurion seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just man. And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their breasts. And all His acquaintance, and the women that had followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off beholding these things. And behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and a just man (the same had not consented to their counsel and doings), of Arimathea, a city of Judea, who also himself looked for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And taking Him down, he wrapped Him in fine linen, and laid Him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid.
INSTRUCTIONS ON "TENEBRAE"
The prayers and chants sung by the choir on the evenings oi Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week are called "Tenebrse. " The Church thereby expresses her grief over the passion and death of Our Saviour, and over the sins which were the cause thereof, in order to move the sinner to return to God.
