e did Mary embrace the
sacred body of Jesus, and utter her farewells in the most touching
language, and then the men lifted it from her arms on the sheet, and
carried it to some distance. The deep sorrow of Mary had been for the
time assuaged by the feelings of love and reverence with which she had
accomplished her sacred task; but now it once more overwhelmed her, and
she fell, her head covered with her veil, into the arms of the holy
women. Magdalen felt almost as though her Beloved were being forcibly
carried away from her, and hastily ran forward a few steps, with her
arms stretched forth; but then, after a moment, returned to the Blessed
Virgin.

The sacred body was carried to a spot beneath the level of the top
of Golgotha, where the smooth surface of a rock afforded a convenient
platform on which to embalm the body. I first saw a piece of
open-worked linen, looking very much like lace, and which made me think
of the large embroidered curtain hung between the choir and nave during
Lent.18 It was probably worked in that open stitch for the water to run
through. I also saw another large sheet unfolded. The body of our
Saviour was placed on the open-worked piece of linen, and some of the
other men held the other sheet spread above it. Nicodemus and Joseph
then knelt down, and underneath this covering took off the linen which
they had fastened round the loins of our Saviour, when they took his
body down from the Cross. They then passed sponges under this sheet,
and washed the lower parts of the body; after which they lifted it up
by the help of pieces of linen crossed beneath the loins and knees, and
washed the back without turning it over. They continued washing until
nothing but clear water came from the sponges when pressed. Next they
poured water of myrrh over the whole body, and then, handling it with
respect, stretched it out full length, for it was still in the position
in which our Divine Lord had died--the loins and knees bent. They then
placed beneath his hips a sheet which was a yard in width and three in
length, laid upon his lap bundles of sweet-scented herbs, and shook
over the whole body a powder which Nicodemus had brought. Next they
wrapped up the lower part of the body, and fastened the cloth which
they had placed underneath round it strongly. After this they anointed
the wounds of the thighs, placed bundles of herbs between the legs,
which were stretched out to their full length, and wrapped them up