~The Three Prayers: Good Friday

As I did yesterday, I'm going to go ahead and post these pictures and then work on the post as the day progresses. The texts I'm using are from the Latin Vulgate, which is in most cases the same as that on the scrolls, and the Douay Rheims. Although most of the texts from the scrolls are only part of a verse, I haven't made any note of that. I just cite the verse the fragment comes from.

...percutient maxillam judicis Israel.

...they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel. Micah 5:1

...unus assistens ministrorum dedit alapam Jesu, dicens: Sic respondes pontifici?

...one of the servants standing by, gave Jesus a blow, saying:

Answerest thou the high priest so? John 18:22

I've seen the above painting labelled as Jesus before Pilate, and that is a natural mistake since we are so used to thinking of the Passion in terms of the Stations of the Cross, and also, since most of us don't know Latin, that word, pontifici, is similar enough to Pontius to fool us. This, however, is Jesus before Caiaphas, high priest. The Old Testament verse from Micah immediately precedes a prophecy of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem

[Quoniam] ego in flagella paratus sum, et dolor meus in conspectu meo semper.

[For] I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.Psalm 37:18

Tunc [ergo] apprehendit Pilatus Jesum, et flagellavit.

Then [therefore], Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. John 19:1

A couple of things about the Old Testament scroll. It looks like it says Psalm 26 or possibly 27, but it is definitely Psalm 37. There is also a change in the text from dolor meus--my sorrow--to dolor tuo--your sorrow.

...faciem meam non averti ab increpantibus et conspuentibus in me.

I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me.Isaiah 50:6

...illudebant ei, caedentes. [64] Et velaverunt [eum, et percutiebant] faciem ejus

...mocked him, and struck him.

[64] And they blindfolded [him, and smote] his face.Luke 22:63,64

Well I'm having a really hard time with this one. That Old Testament scroll has so many abbreviations in it that I can only determine one word for sure, and it's not Isaiah 5, so this will take more detective work than I have time to do now. As you can see, there is text omitted from the New Testament scroll so that it says blindfolded his face instead of blindfolded him and smote his face.

Aha! I have figured it out, as you can see above. I'm getting pretty good at decoding these abbreviations. The little thing that looks like the moon rising over the letters is an n and ib with a little mark over it is ibus and the thing that looks like a 7 is et.

Convent of San Marco, Cell 7

Can you imagine sleeping with this every night?

Convent of San Marco, Cell 28

Tamquam ovis ad occisionem ductus est.

That's not Old Testament. That's definitely Acts 8:32

He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. It is a reference, though to Isaiah 53:7:

He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.

Et bajulans sibi crucem exivit in eum, qui dicitur Calvariae.

And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary. John 19:17

Diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et super vestem meam miserunt sortem.

They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. Psalm 21:19

diviserunt vestimenta ejus, sortem mittentes

they divided his garments, casting lots; Matthew 27:35

Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, attritus est propter scelera nostra

But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins Isaiah 53:5

Et postquam venerunt in locum qui vocatur (dicitur) Calvariae, ibi crucifixerunt eum

And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there Luke 23:33

The Crucifixion, circa 1420, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

St. Dominic Adoring the Crucifixion, perhaps St. Dominic's face is a self-portrait of Fra Angelico. This is in a corridor in the Convent of San Marco.

The Grand Crucifixion. I wish I could find a better image.

Descent from the Cross, San Marco

Descent from the Cross, again San Marco

Much to look at here. Off the top of my head, there's the self-portrait of Beato Angeli to the left of Jesus in blue. Also, Mary Magdalene in her customary position at the feet of Jesus. Also, I just read that the man on the right, dressed bluish gray, and with a red cap, sleeves and shoes, who is holding the crown of thorns and nails (You may have to click the picture once to see that.) is Pallo Strozzi, member of a rich Florentine banking family and patron of the arts, who commissioned this picture.