39. From among the stars there will cry out upon
thee, the darkened Sun; among the things upon earth, the Wine mingled
with myrrh; among reeds, the Reed; among herbs, the Hyssop; among the
things of the sea, the Sponge; among trees, the Wood of the
Cross;—the soldiers, too, as I have said, who nailed Him, and
cast lots for His vesture; the soldier who pierced His side with the
spear; the women who then were present; the veil of the temple then rent asunder; the hall of
Pilate, now laid waste by the power of Him who was then crucified; this
holy Golgotha, which stands high above us, and shews itself to this
day, and displays even yet how because of Christ the rocks were then
riven Cf. Lucian. Antioch.
ap. Rufin. Hist. Eccl. ix. c. 6; “Golothana rupes sub
patibuli onere disrupta.”; the sepulchre nigh at hand where He was
laid; and the stone which was laid on the door, which lies to this day
by the tomb; the Angels who were then present; the women who worshipped
Him after His resurrection; Peter and John, who ran to the sepulchre;
and Thomas, who thrust his hand into His side, and his fingers into the
prints of the nails. For it was for our sakes that he so
carefully handled Him; and what thou, who wert not there present,
wouldest have sought, he being present, by God’s Providence, did
seek.