Albrecht Dürer's Large Passion (so-called for its size relative to Durer's smaller version of the Passion) was published as an illustrated devotional book, comprising a title page and 11 large woodcuts and the Gospel narrative of Christ's final days, from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem to his murder by crucifixion, as conveyed by the Benedictine monk Benedictus Chelidonius (c. 1456-1521). Dürer was a master of the woodcut technique, creating highly detailed and elaborate scenes of what can only be described as a highly personal interpretation of the passion of Christ. In particular, Dürer emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. His mother, the Virgin Mary, is shown seated at the lower left, lost in her grief, in stark contrast to the indifference of the mounted solder. Above and below, three angels catch Christ's blood in chalices, drawing attention to his fresh wounds and agony. Though Dürer began creating the prints for the Large Passion as early as 1497, and had finished seven of the woodcuts by 1500, it was not until 1511 that he completed the remaining prints in the series and the title page for the book.
O memorial of the Lord’s death, living bread
giving life to man, grant that my soul may live by you, and ever to taste your sweetness. O loving
Pelican, Lord Jesus, cleanse my uncleanness with your blood, a single drop of
which can save the whole world from all sin. When I see your face revealed, at
last I will rejoice in your glory, joined to the blessed hosts, I will sing
praises to the Father, to you and the Spirit. Amen.
Save, O Redeemer, your noble creature, signed by
the holy light of your countenance, do not allow it to wounded by deceit of the
demons, since for the sake of man you have paid the price of death. Have pity on your servants taken captive,
absolve the guilty, deliver those bound in chains, and all those whom you have
redeemed with your own blood, good King, make them to rejoice with you forever.
Amen.
O Cross, blessed hope of the world and sure
redemption, once you endured hell, now you are the bright gate of heaven. On you
the sacrifice was raised, upon you was laid he who draws all to himself, the
prince of this world attacked but found nothing he could seize. To the Father,
to you, to the Paraclete, O Jesus, equal glory, who grants us to enjoy forever
the victory of the Cross. Amen.
Through the Cross, we beseech you, O Christ, lead
to the reward of life those you have vouchsafed to redeem by being fixed upon
wood of the tree. The provision of your law brings down the old condemnation:
the old servitude ceases and true freedom is restored. To the Father, to you, to the Paraclete, O
Jesus, equal glory, who grants us to enjoy forever the victory of the Cross.
Amen.
Sabbato
Sancto
Walpole: “This fine if rugged hymn continually
reminds us of the Te Deum, upon which
it is based, and phrases of which it incorporates…. In the old series the hymn
was appointed for Mattins on Friday”.
1. W:
based on Acts 2:4; quem Deus suscitavit,
solutis doloribus inferni, juxta quod impossibile erat teneri illum ab eo; Romans 8:2: Lex enim spiritus vitæ in Christo Jesu liberavit me a lege peccati et
mortis; 2. W reads: quae per legem
catholica; the catholic law is opposed to the law of death; 3. W reads: tu agnus inmaculatus/ datus es terrae
uictima,/qui sanctorum uestimenta/ tuo lauisti sanguine; 4. Not in W; 5. W:
te deprecámur, Dómine: from the Te Deum?; r. W: last two lines: una uoce te sonamus, /uno laudamus carmine.
O Christ, Lord of the heavens, highest Savior of
the world, who by the gift of the cross loosen all from the law of death. Now
we pray you that you preserve the gifts which through the sacred mysteries you
have given to all nations. You the gentle, innocent Lamb offered as a
sacrificial victim for the world have washed the robes of all the saints in
your blood. Rising lead to heaven those whom you have redeemed at the cost of
your holy body that they may praise you forever. Add us to their number, we ask you, O Lord,
you who have made us for your Father a kingdom from all peoples. Amen.
To you, O Redeemer of all, we weep and sing a
hymn: forgive us, O Lord, forgive us who confess our sins. You who crush the
strength of the ancient enemy through the cross of death, by which we, signed
on our foreheads, bear the banners of the faith. Vouchsafe always to drive him
away from us, so that he may no longer injure those redeemed by your blood. You
who for our sake deigned to descend into hell you might give to those charged
with death the gift of life. You, who will at the appointed time bring the
world to an end, will justly acknowledge and reward the merits of all. You,
therefore, we pray, O Christ, that you heal our wounds, who are with the
Father and the Spirit, ever
praise-worthy. Amen.
O only Author of our salvation, great Redeemer of
the world, King, O Christ, bestow upon us the grace of the fruitful cross. You
have destroyed death by death and granted life by life. You conquer the crafty devil, the minister of death.
Handed over by the skill of love to sleep in the tomb, you open up the
habitations of hell and command our fathers to be set free. Now on the Father’s
right hand, the resplendent holy sacrifice, hear, we pray, and see those
redeemed by your blood. That following you all our days in a pure life, we may
bear the standard of the cross against every attack. To the Father, to you, to
the Paraclete, O Jesus, equal glory, who grants us to enjoy forever the victory
of the Cross. Amen.
AUCTOR SALUTI UNICUS,
Mundi redemptor inclytus,
tu Christe, nobis annuam
crucis secunda gloriam.
Tu sputa, colaphos, vincula
& dira passus verbera
crucem volens ascenderas
nostrae salutis
gratia.
Hinc morte mortem diruens
vitamque vita largiens
mortis ministrum subdolum
deviceras, diabolum.
deviceras, diabolum.
Nunc in parentis dexrera
sacrata fulgens victima,
audi, precamur, vivido
tuo redemptos
sanguine,
quo te
sequentes omnibus
morum processu
saeculi
adversus omne
scandalum
Crucis feramus labarum.
Praesta, beata trinitas
Inge’s translation:
You who are the only source of
salvation, glorious redeemer of the
world, Christ, make the annual
celebration of the glory of the cross
propitious to us.
You had already endured being
spat at, hit with fists and bound and
cruelly beaten and then you
willingly mounted the cross for the sake
of our salvation.
Then by your death you destroyed
death and gave life by your life
and thus you completely subdued
the sly servant of death, the devil.
You who now shine as the holy
sacrifice at the right hand of the
Father, hear those who were
redeemed by your life-giving blood, we
pray,
so that we may follow you in all
our ways, as we proceed through the
world, and bear the standard of
the cross against all scandal.
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