Tertia
The Third Hour: Mockery and the Road to the Cross
At the third hour Christ is mocked in purple, crowned with thorns, and made to carry his cross toward the place of punishment.
"Crucify him!" they shout at the third hour, mocked and dressed in a purple robe.✦ His head is pierced with a crown of thorns; he carries the cross on his shoulders to the place of punishment.✦
Adoration of the Cross
The faithful respond with brief adoration, blessing Christ because by his holy cross he has redeemed the world.
We adore you, Christ, and we bless you. For through your holy cross you redeemed the world.
Prayer for Mercy Through the Cross
A solemn Christological prayer asks that the cross and suffering of Christ stand between divine judgment and the soul, bringing grace to the living, rest to the dead, and eternal life to sinners.
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 grant mercy and grace to the living, rest and pardon to the dead, peace and harmony to your holy Church, and to us sinners life and everlasting joy. Who live and reign, God. Forever and ever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Crucifige clamitant hora tertiarum illusus induitur veste purpurarum. Caput eius pungitur corona spinarum: Crucem portat humeris ad locum penarum.
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.27.28-Matt.27.29 — And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. Matt.27.29 — And they twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'
- ↩Matt.27.33;John.19.17 — And they came to a place called Golgotha, which is the place of a skull. John.19.17 — Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place called the Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
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