The Third Decade

Mary Magdalene's very precious ointment

CUIUS pedes lacrimis:
peccatrix irrigavit:
dolensque ex intimis:
veniam impetravit. Ave Maria.


Whose feet the sinning woman laved
     With tears in deep contrition;
Whom He in gracious pity saved
     From her forlorn condition. Ave Maria.

The Transfiguration

In monte Thabor deforis:
qui transfiguratur:
et gloriosi corporis:
maiestas declaratur. Ave Maria.


Transfigured Who, on Thabor's height,
     Himself with light arrayeth;
And clad in robes of glistening white,
     His Majesty displayeth.

Procession on the Mount of Olives

Cum palmis celebriter:
in urbem quem duxerunt:
vespere sed turpiter:
vacuum dimiserunt. Ave Maria.


Whom Jews in pomp, with palms escort
     Into the Holy City;
Yet that same evening set at nought,
     Reviling without pity.

Procession in the streets of Jerusalem

Jesus washing the Disciples' feet

In cena qui novissima:
pedes suorum lavit:
escaque nobilissima:
cum sanguine cibavit. Ave Maria.


Who washed His own disciples' feet,
     At that last Supper seated;
Then unto them that noblest meat,
     His Blood and Body meted.

The Communion of the Apostles

My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death

In horto mente anxia:
prolixe qui oravit:
et aquam prae tristitia:
cum sanguine sudavit. Ave Maria.


With anxious soul, He many an hour
     Within the garden spendeth;
His sweat for sorrow, like a shower
     Of Blood, to earth descendeth.

Could ye not watch with me one hour?

Jesus taken before Annas

Quem viri malefici:
crudeliter vinxerunt:
Annaeque pontifici:
ligatum adduxerunt. Ave Maria.


See! Wicked foes at that great Feast
      With staves and swords assail Him;
And unto Annas, the High Priest,
      In bonds a prisoner hail Him.

Christ mocked in the House of Caiaphas

Vultum cuius turpibus:
sputis maculabant:
et pugnorum ictibus:
dire verberabant. Ave Maria.

With shame and spitting, ruffian bands
      His countenance disgracing,
His beauty with relentless hands,
      And cruel blows defacing.

Jesus led from Caiaphas to Pilate

Quem Pilati sedibus:
damnandum praesentabant:
atque falsis testibus:
dolose accusabant. Ave Maria.


Whom unto Pilate's judgement seat,
     They hurry there to try Him;
And with false witness and deceit
      Most guilefully belie Him.

Jesus before Pilate for the first time

Jesus before Herod

A Iudaeis exhibitum:
Herodes quem immisit:
sed per despectum habitum:
ut fatuum remisit. Ave Maria.

Whom Pilate, brought forth to the Jews,
      To Herod's rule commendeth;
Who Him doth scornfully refuse,
      And back to Pilate sendeth.

Jesus led from Herod to Pilate

The Scourging

Quem indutum purpura:
columne alligatum:
corona pungit spinea:
flagellis verberatum. Ave Maria.


Now to the gory pillar bound,
     In purple robe they dress Him;
With thorns His noble brow is crown'd,
     With scourges they distress Him.

The Crown of Thorns