{1} Translation published by Clonmore & Reynolds, Ltd.

{2} The hands of the Crucified, May, 1933; the feet of the Crucified and the blow with the lance, March, 1934; the descent from the cross and the journey to the tomb, March, 1938; the burial of Jesus, March, 1948.

{3} The Five Wounds of Christ. Translation published by Clonmore & Reynolds.

{4} The Corporal Passion.

{5} The Five Wounds of Christ. English translation by M. Apraxine. (Clonmore & Reynolds.)

{6} The Five Wounds of Christ. Translated by M. Apraxine. (Clonmore & Reynolds.)

{7} The ancient place of execution in Paris.

{8} Mgr. Knox translates this verse:—

“Yes, if only I am lifted up from the earth, I will attract all men to myself.”

{9} The following description of St. Ephrem may be of interest here:—“If from doctrine we turn to devotion, we are confronted with the difficulty that with the single exception of the writings of St. Ephrem, nothing has come down to us from the first five centuries which gives us any clue to the popular devotions of the Faithful. St. Ephrem was a zealous mission preacher whose sermons and hymns brought him into direct touch with the feelings and religious habits of the people.”

The Mother of Christ. By O. R. Vassall-Phillips, C.S.S.R. p. 433. Trs.

{10} Mgr. Knox translates these passages as:—

“My soul is ready to die with sorrow.”

“Father …only as Thy will is, not as Mine is.”

“And now He grew dismayed and distressed.”

“And now He was in an agony, and prayed still more earnestly; His sweat fell to the ground like thick drops of blood.”

{11} Mgr. Knox translates this verse:—“They would come up to Him and say, ‘Hail, King of the Jews’, and then strike Him on the face.” He translates the second quotation:—“They…took the rod from Him and beat Him over the head with it.”

{12} Mgr. Knox interestingly translates these words:—“It is achieved”, a stronger expression.

{13} Mgr. Knox translates:—“having first traced it carefully from its beginnings”.

{14} Mgr. Knox translates:—“and yielded up His spirit as He said it.”

{15} Dr. Barbet gives an account, however, of what they saw. As it is extremely distressing I have made it an appendix, for some readers may prefer to leave it alone.

{16} Mgr. Knox’s “It is achieved” is surely far more expressive. Trs.

{17} Mgr. Knox translates:—“And put round His head a crown which they had woven out of thorns.”

{18} Mgr. Knox translates:—“They put on His head a crown which they had woven out of thorns.”

{19} An area in France specially used for military exercises.

{20} Iliac means “near or pertaining to the flattened upper bone of the pelvis”. The sacrum is “the triangular bone formed by the fusion of vertebrae at the lower end of the spine, and forming the posterior part of the pelvis”. Trs.

{21} Of the Holy Coats (of Trier and Argenteuil) the Catholic Encyclopedia says:

“The possession of the seamless garment of Christ ( Jn . XIX, 23), for which the soldiers cast lots at the Crucifixion, is claimed by the cathedral of Trier and the parish church of Argenteuil. The Trier tradition affirmed that the relic was sent to that city by the Empress St. Helena…. The Argenteuil tradition claimed that the garment venerated in that city as the Holy Coat was brought there by Charlemagne…. The modern advocates of the Argenteuil tradition now designate the relic honoured there simply as the seamless garment of Christ; they deny to the Church of Trier the right to call their relic by this name, conceiving however that the Trier relic is genuine, but that it is not the tunica inconsutilis, but the outer garment of Christ.

“Those who believe the Trier tradition claim on the contrary that the relic of Argenteuil, which is woven of fine wool and is of a reddish brown colour, is not a tunic, but a mantle. By this they do not seek to dispute the authenticity of the Argenteuil relic, but to assert that it is the cappa pueri Jesu and not the tunica inconsutilis The article is by Dr. Friedrick Lauchert of Aachen. Trs.

{22} Mgr. Gabriele Paleotti became a Cardinal and at the conclave which elected Gregory XIV he obtained the votes of an important minority. He is best known for the Diarium or journal which he kept at the Council of Trent, where he was sent by Pius IV, and which is considered one of the most important works for the history of the Council. He showed great zeal for the Tridentine reforms.

{23} Mgr. Knox translated this verse:—“He who saw it has borne his witness; and his witness is worthy of trust. He tells what he knows to be the truth, that you, like him, may learn to believe.”

{24} The Five Wounds of Christ. (Clonmore & Reynolds.)

{25} This is a French term meaning that the author is much interested in subjects other than his own. There is a not very reliable legend that Ingres the painter was more proud of his performance on the violin, which was quite ordinary, than of his painting, which had made him famous. Trs.

{26} Mgr. Knox gives a somewhat different translation:—“The Jews would not let the bodies remain crucified on the Sabbath, because that Sabbath day was a solemn one; and since it was now the eve, they asked Pilate that the bodies might have their legs broken, and be taken away.”

{27} Mgr. Knox brings this out with far more definiteness:—“You have guards; away with you, make it secure as you best know how.”

{28} Mgr. Knox uses the word “winding-sheet” in his translation of all three Gospels.

{29} Mourning and funeral ceremonies among the Israelites.

{30} Mgr. Knox translates:—“Lord, the air is foul by now; he has been four days dead.”

{31} Mgr. Knox translates:—“a linen shirt”.

{32} In this case the Douay version and Mgr. Knox are in agreement

{33} It will be of value, I think, to give here the three Catholic translations of this verse in English:—

DOUAY: “They took therefore the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”

WESTMINSTER: “As the manner is with the Jews to prepare for burial.” (The rest as above.)

MGR. KNOX: “They took Jesus’ body, then, and wrapped it in winding-cloths with the spices; that is how the Jews prepare a body for burial.”

{34} Mgr. Knox translates these two passages:—

“Enough that she should keep it for the day when my body is prepared for burial.”

“She has anointed my body beforehand to prepare it for burial.”

{35} Mgr. Knox writes of the “veil which had been put over Jesus’ head”; he translates the end of the quotation “and learned to believe”.

{36} A very fine English edition was produced by Archibald Constable & Co., of London, in 1902.

{37} Cf. The Five Wounds of Christ, by Dr. Pierre Barbet, translated by M. Apraxine. (Clonmore & Reynolds.)

{38} “That which thou dost, do quickly.” (Jn. XIII, 27.)

{39} “He began to fear and to be heavy.” ( Mk. XIV, 33.)

{40} “For Sorrow.” (Lk. XXII, 45.)

{41} “For Sorrow.” (Lk. XXII, 45.)

{42} “And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.” (Lk. XXII, 43, 44.)

{43} “The beloved physician.”—St. Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians.

{44} Dr. Le Bee, Le Supplice de la Croix (The Torture of the Cross), a physiological study of the Passion, published some time ago, in which my former colleague at Saint-Joseph shewed astonishing foreknowledge. My experience has confirmed and more clearly defined most of his views. As for any fresh contributions of my own, he has received them enthusiastically, which I greatly value.

{45} “Afar off.” Mk. XIV, 54; Jn. XVIII, 15.

{46} “Answerest thou the High Priest so?” Jn. XVIII, 22.

{47} “And he opened not his mouth.” Isa. LIII, 7.

{48} The Divine Emperor.

{49} “Pilate sought to release him.” Jn. XIX, 12.

{50} Sword in hand.

{51} By Hercules

{52} “Then therefore Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.” Jn. XIX, 1.

{53} “Away with him, crucify him.” Jn. XIX, 15.

{54} Jn. XIX, 12.

{55} 5th Regiment of Engineers.

{56} “My tongue hath cleaved to my jaws.” Ps. XXI, 16.

{57} “I am a worm and no man.” Ps. XXI, 7.

{58} “Having the power to lay down his life and to take it up again.”—St. Augustine, Treatise on the Psalms . (Ps. LXIII, ad vers ., 3.)

{59} “Father, forgive them.” ( Lk. XXIII, 34.)

{60} “Thou wilt not give thy holy one to see corruption.”— Ps. XV, 10.

{61} “My sores are putrified and corrupted; Ps . XXXVII, 6.

{62} “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Mt. XXVII, 46; Mk. XVI, 34; Ps. XXI, 1.

{63} “It is consummated.” Jn. XIX, 30.

{64} “Again crying with a loud voice.” Mt. XXVII, 50.

{65} Lk. XXIII, 46.

{66} “May you be blessed, O Lord, for our sister the death of the body.”—Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi.

{67} “You shall not break a bone of him.” Jn. XIX, 36; Ex. XII, 46.

{68} Jn. XIX, 34.

{69} “He was offered because it was his own will.” Is. LIII, 7.