And when the Sabbath was over, Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jacob and Salome bought fragrant spices in order to go and anoint him. 

And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, at sunrise. 

And they were saying to each other ‘Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb for us?’

And having looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. For it was very large. 

And having entered the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, wearing a white robe, and they were alarmed. 

But he said to them ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He has been raised. He is not here. Look – the place where they put him.  

‘But go, tell his disciples and Peter “He goes ahead into Galilee”. You will see him there, as he told you all. ‘

And having gone out, they ran away from the tomb. For trembling and amazement gripped them. And they said nothing to anyone  – for they were afraid. 

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)

James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). The Descent from the Cross (La descent de croix), 1886-1894. Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, Image: 13 1/4 x 9 9/16 in. (33.7 x 24.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.320 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 00.159.320_PS2.jpg)

And now evening had come,
(and since it was the Day of Preparation,
which is the day before the Sabbath)
having arrived, 
Joseph of Aramathea 
a respected council member,
who himself was also waiting for the Kingdom of God,
having summoned his courage,
went into to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.

But Pilate was amazed that he had died already, 
and having called the centurion to him
asked him if he had already died
and having found out from the centurion, 
he released the body to Joseph. 

And having bought a linen cloth,
and having taken him down,
he wrapped him in the linen cloth,
and placed him in a tomb,
which had been cut from the rock
and rolled a stone across the entrance of the tomb. 

Mary the Magdalen and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was placed. 

Lord God,
your feed us with the living bread from heaven.
You renew our faith
increase our hope
and strengthen our love.
Teach us to hunger for Christ
who is the true and living bread
and live by every word that comes from your mouth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

..and it was the sixth hour – darkness came upon the whole land until the ninth hour. 

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice:

Eloi, eloi, lema sabachthani 

Which translated means 

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

And some of the bystanders hearing (him) said: ‘Listen, he calls on Elijah.

Someone, having run and filled a sponge with cheap wine, gave it to him to drink put on a stick, saying ‘Leave him – let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.’

And Jesus, having given up a great cry, breathed out his last.

And the curtain of the temple was torn into two, from top to bottom. 

The centurion, who stood opposite him, having seen him die this way said: ‘Truly, this man was God’s son.’

And there were women watching from a distance, among them were Mary the Magdalene, and Mary mother of Jacob the younger and of Justus, and Salome, who were following when he was in Galilee , and served him, and many others who traveled with him to Jerusalem. 

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

And they pressed a certain Simon of Cyrene, who was passing by, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, so that he might take up his cross. 

And they brought him onto the ‘Golgotha place’ , which is translated ‘Skull Place’, and they gave him wine ‘flavoured with myrrh’. But he did not drink it.

And they crucified him:
and they divided his clothes between themselves
casting lots for them, who should take what. (Ps 22:18)

It was the third hour when they crucified him. 

And there was an inscription of the charge against him written: The King of the Jews.

And with him, they crucified two brigands, one on the right and one on his left. 

And those who passed by were blaspheming him, shaking their heads and saying : ‘Ha, the one who was tearing down the temple and building it in three days – let him save himself – come down from the cross!’

Likewise the chief priests made fun among themselves, with the scholars, saying : ‘He saved others, he cannot save himself! Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross and we will believe.’

Those crucified with him also were insulting him.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

The soldiers led him away, into the courtyard, that is the Praetorium,
and they called together the whole cohort.
And they dressed him up in a ‘purple cloak’
and having twisted a thorny crown put it on him.
And they began to greet him ‘Hail, King of the Jews.’
And they beat his head with a stick
and spat on him,
kneeling down they paid homage to him.
And when they had made fun of him,
they took off the cloak and put on him his own clothes.
And they led him out so that they could crucify him.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

At each festival he used to release one prisoner to them;  one they asked for. Now there was a man called Barabbas, having been imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder in the rebellion. 

And the crowd, having come up, began to ask for just as he usually did for them. 

But Pilate replied to them: ‘Do you want me to release for you the  King of the Jews?’

For he knew  that the chief priests had handed him over because of jealousy. 

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he might release Barabbas for them instead. 

Then Pilate again asked the chief priests: ‘So what do you want me to do, with the one you call the King of the Jews? 

Again they cried out ‘Crucify him!’

But Pilate said to them: ‘What evil has he done?’

But they cried out even more: ‘Crucify him!’

And Pilate wishing to satisfy the crowd released for them Barabbas, and he handed over Jesus, having been flogged, to be crucified. 

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)