aw him,
all covered with his blood and going out to die. But Jesus turned to
them and said:

"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and
for your children. For the days are coming when they shall count those
happy who have no little ones to be slain; when they shall wish that the
mountain might fall on them, and the hills might cover them, and hide
them from their enemies!"

They had tried to make Jesus bear his own cross, but soon found that he
was too weak from his sufferings, and could not carry it. They seized on
a man who was coming out of the country into the city, a man named
Simon, and they made him carry the cross to its place at Calvary.

It was the custom among the Jews to give to men about to die by the
cross some medicine to deaden their feelings, so that they would not
suffer so greatly. They offered this to Jesus, but when he had tasted it
and found what it was, he would not take it. He knew that he would die,
but he wished to have his mind clear, and to understand what was done
and what was said, even though his sufferings might be greater.

At the place Calvary, they laid the cross down, and stretched Jesus upon
it, and drove nails through his hands and feet to fasten him to the
cross; and then they stood it upright with Jesus upon it. While the
soldiers were doing this dreadful work, Jesus prayed for them to God,
saying: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing."

The soldiers also took the clothes that Jesus had worn, giving to each
one a garment. But when they came to his undergarment, they found that
it was woven and had no seams; so they said, "Let us not tear it, but
cast lots for it, to see who shall have it." So at the foot of the cross
the soldiers threw lots for the garment of Christ.

Two men who had been robbers and had been sentenced to die by the cross,
were led out to die at the same time with Jesus. One was placed on a
cross at his right side, and the other at his left; and to make Jesus
appear as the worst, his cross stood in the middle. Over the head of
Jesus on his cross, they placed, by Pilate's order, a sign, on which was
written:

"This is Jesus of Nazareth,
The King of the Jews."

This was written in three languages; in Hebrew, which was the language
of the Jews; in Latin, the language of the Romans, and in Greek. Many of
the people read this writing; but the chief priests were not pleased
with it. They urged Pilat