Prima
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
Jesus is led to Pilate, condemned by false testimony, struck, and spat upon, revealing the depth of his suffering.
At the first hour, Jesus was led to Pilate.✦✦ Condemned by false testimony, struck on the neck with bound hands — they spit on the face of God, the pleasing light of heaven.✦✦✦✦1
Adoration of the Cross
A brief doxology adoring Christ and blessing him because through his holy cross he has redeemed the world.
We adore you, Christ, and we bless you. Because through your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Prayer for Mercy at the Hour of Death
A devotional prayer asking Christ to place his suffering, cross, and death between God's judgment and the soul, pleading for mercy, grace, rest, pardon, peace, and eternal life.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, place your suffering, cross, and death between your judgment and my soul, now and in the hour of my death, and deign to bestow on the living mercy and grace, on the dead rest and pardon, on your holy church peace and harmony, and on us sinners life and everlasting joy. You who live and reign, God. Through all ages of ages. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Hora prima ductus est ihesus ad pilatum. Falsis testimoniis multum accusatum: In collo percutiunt manibus ligatum Vultum dei conspuunt lumen celi gratum.
Adoramus te xpriste et benedicimus tibi. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
Domine ihesu xpriste filii dei vivi pone passionem crucem et mortem tuam inter iudicium tuum et animam meam nunc et in hora mortis mee et largiri digneris vivis misericordiam et gratiam defunctis requiem et veniam ecclesie tue sancte pacem et concordiam et nobis peccatoribus vitam et letitiam sempiternam. Qui vivis et regnas deus. Per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.27.2 — And having bound him, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
- ↩Mark.15.1 — Very early in the morning, the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes — the whole council — held a consultation. After binding Jesus, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
- ↩Matt.26.59-Matt.26.60 — Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put him to death. Matt.26.60 — And many false witnesses came forward, but they did not find [any].
- ↩Matt.26.67 — Then they spat in his face and struck him, and some slapped him,
- ↩Mark.14.65 — And some began to spit on him, to cover his face, to strike him, and to say to him, 'Prophesy!' And the guards received him with blows.
- ↩Isa.50.6 — I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from disgrace and spitting.
Notes
- 1 ↩lumen celi gratum: 'gratum' modifies 'lumen' — the light of heaven that is pleasing/gracious. Rendered as 'pleasing light of heaven' to preserve the apposition with 'face of God' and the paradox of men spitting on what heaven holds dear.
Hours of the Cross companion
Never miss an hour: get each one delivered on time
Chosen Portion sends you the right portion at the right moment — free on iOS, built for exactly this kind of fixed-hour practice.
The Hours of the Cross is a medieval template for what Chosen Portion does natively: short, timed daily portions that give your prayer a fixed structure.
- Each hour's prayer takes under 2 minutes to pray
- Notifications timed to the traditional hours, adjusted to your day
- A complete Passion-shaped daily rule within your first week