Joseph together with Nicodemus took Thee down from the Tree, who clothest Thyself with light as with a garment. He gazed on Thy Body, dead, naked and unburied, and in grief and tender compassion he lamented: “Woe is me, my sweetest Jesus! A short while ago, the sun beheld Thee hanging on the Cross and it hid itself in darkness. The earth quaked in fear at the sight. The veil of the temple was torn in two. Lo, now I see Thee willingly submit to death for our sake. How shall I bury Thee, O my God? How can I wrap Thee in a shroud? How can I touch Thy most pure body with my hands? What songs can I sing for Thy exodus, O compassionate one? I magnify Thy Passion. I glorify Thy Burial and We magnify You, O Jesus our King. We worship Your Passion and Your burial, for, by them, You have saved us from death.
Holy Friday Aposticha, Doxastichon~Pskov Melody, arr. H. Benigsen
The icon “Taking Down From the Cross” depicts the Aposticha that we sing during our Holy Friday services. By the time we have reached this point in Holy Week, we have left Great Lent behind and have immersed ourselves in Christ’s passion. The services leading up to this time have allowed us to examine ourselves, and now mourn for our brokenness as human beings. We ponder the actions of God in giving us His only begotten Son in order to save us. We are in a very somber state of mind when we face Joseph’s encounter with Christ.
I can never get through this hymn without breaking down. I hear another poignant verse and I begin to weep all over again. I hear others sniffling as well and I know we are together in our love for Christ. Sometimes, however, throughout the year, I find myself struggling to feel a connection and relationship with Christ. Yet when we begin to sing this hymn and those related to it, I feel that connection and my relationship with Christ unfold. I am connected to Him in the most profound yet simplest way, with the love, understanding and compassion that Christ showed during His short time on this earth. I am connected to Him with the emotions we all hold as human beings—the ability to love, have compassion, and grieve.
Yet we do not weep without hope or joy. For we share a most beautiful faith in which our good Lord is waiting to comfort us in our brokenness and take us to our salvation. The account of Joseph taking down Christ from the cross always speaks to me and leads me to tears because I see the opportunity that I have to take Christ down from the cross and embrace Him with the love that He has given to us. This encounter reminds me that going forward in my journey to salvation, I have numerous opportunities to ‘take Christ down from the cross, wrap Him in fine linen, and show tender compassion.’ How do I do this? By reaching out to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ—those who are suffering in whatever way we suffer as human beings. I can reach out to the ill, infirm, the downtrodden, the neglected, the grieving and show them mercy and love.
My family knew how much I am connected to this particular time in Holy Week. Thus, one year they had this icon commissioned for me as a Pascha gift. It hangs at the head of our icon wall, and serves as a reminder of how I am called to take Christ down from the cross, not just during Holy Week, but every day. Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
Ann Marie Mecera is the founder and a board member of the St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess. She has completed four units of clinical pastoral education (CPE) and is applying for board certification through the Center for Spiritual Care & Pastoral Formation (cscpf.org.)
