ped from his horse, threw himself upon his knees,
struck his breast, and confessed loudly before all his firm belief in
the divinity of Jesus.

The Blessed Virgin and her companions were still standing near, with
their eyes fixed upon the Cross, but when Cassius thrust his lance into
the side of Jesus they were much startled, and rushed with one accord
up to it. Mary looked as if the lance had transfixed her heart instead
of that of her Divine Son, and could scarcely support herself. Cassius
meantime remained kneeling and thanking God, not only for the grace he
had received but likewise for the cure of the complaint in his eyes,
which had caused the weakness and the squint. This cure had been
effected at the same moment that the darkness with which his soul was
previously filled was removed. Every heart was overcome at the sight of
the blood of our Lord, which ran into a hollow in the rock at the foot
of the Cross. Mary, John, the holy women, and Cassius, gathered up the
blood and water in flasks, and wiped up the remainder with pieces of
linen.13

Cassius, whose sight was perfectly restored at the same moment that
the eyes of his soul were opened, was deeply moved, and continued his
humble prayer of thanksgiving. The soldiers were truck with
astonishment at the miracle which had taken place, and cast themselves
on their knees by his side, at the same time striking their breasts and
confessing Jesus. The water and blood continued to flow from the large
wound in the side of our Lord; it ran into the hollow in the rock, and
the holy women put it in vases, while Mary and Magdalen mingled their
tears. The archers, who had received a message from Pilate, ordering
them not to touch the body of Jesus, did not return at all.

All these events took place near the Cross, at a little before four
o'clock, during the time that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were
gathering together the articles necessary for the burial of Jesus. But
the servants of Joseph having been sent to clean out the tomb, informed
the friends of our Lord that their master intended to take the body of
Jesus and place it in his new sepulchre. John immediately returned to
the town with the holy women; in the first place, that Mary might
recruit her strength a little, and in the second, to purchase a few
things which would be required for the burial. The Blessed Virgin had a
small lodging among the buildings near the Cenaculum. They did not
re-enter the town