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The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
by Anne Catherine Emmerich
CHAPTER XVI.
Description of Pilate's Palace and the adjacent Buildings.
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THE palace of the Roman Governor, Pilate, was built on the north-west
side of the mountain on which the Temple stood, and to reach it persons
were obliged to ascend a flight of marble steps. It overlooked a large
square surrounded by a colonnade, under which the merchants sat to sell
their various commodities. A parapet, and an entrance at the north,
south, east, and west sides alone broke the uniformity of this part of
the market-place, which was called the forum, and built on higher
ground than the adjacent streets, which sloped down from it. The palace
of Pilate was not quite close, but separated by a large court, the
entrance to which at the eastern side was through a high arch facing a
street leading to the door called the Probatica,' on the road to the
Mount of Olives. The southern entrance was through another arch, which
leads to Sion, in the neighbourhood of the fortress of Acre. From the
top of the marble steps of Pilate's palace, a person could see across
the court as far as the forum, at the entrance of which a few columns
and stone seats were placed. It was at these seats that the Jewish
priests stopped, in order not to defile themselves by entering the
tribunal of Pilate, a line traced on the pavement of the court
indicating the precise boundary beyond which they could not pass
without incurring defilement. There was a large parapet near the
western entrance, supported by the sides of Pilate's Pr?torium, which
formed a species of porch between it and the square. That part of
Pilate's palace which he made use of when acting in the capacity of
judge, was called the Pr?torium. A number of columns surrounded the
parapet of which we have just spoken, and in the centre was an
uncovered portion, containing an underground part, where the two
thieves condemned to be crucified with our Lord were confined, and this
part was filled with Roman soldiers. The pillar upon which our Lord was
scourged was placed on the forum itself, not far from this parapet and
the colonnade. There were many other columns in this place; those
nearest to the palace were made use of for the infliction of various
corporal punishments, and the others served as posts to which were
fastened the beasts brought for sale. Upon the forum itself, opposite
this building, was a platform filled with seats made of stone; and from
this platform, which was called Gabbatha, Pilate was accustomed to
pronounce sentence on great criminals. The marble staircase ascended by
per sons going to the governors palace led likewise to an uncovered
terrace, and it was from this terrace that Pilate gave audience to the
priests and Pharisees, when they brought forward their accusations
against Jesus. They all stood before him in the forum, and refused to
advance further than the stone seats before mentioned. A person
speaking in a loud tone of voice from the terrace could be easily heard
by those in the forum.
Behind Pilate's palace there were many other terraces, and likewise
gardens, and a country house. The gardens were between the palace of
the governor and the dwelling of his wife, Claudia Procles. A large
moat separated these buildings from the mountain on which the Temple
stood, and on this side might be seen the houses inhabited by those who
served in the Temple. The palace of Herod the elder was placed on the
eastern side of Pilate's palace; and it was in its inner court that
numbers of the Innocents were massacred. At present the appearance of
these two buildings is a little altered, as their entrances are
changed. Four of the principal streets commenced at this part of the
town, and ran in a southerly direction, three leading to the forum and
Pilate's palace, and the fourth to the gate through which persons
passed on their way to Bethsur. The beautiful house which belonged to
Lazarus, and likewise that of Martha, were in a prominent part of this
street.
One of these streets was very near to the Temple, and began at the gate
which was called Probatica. The pool of Probatica was close to this
gate on the right-hand side, and in this pool the sheep were washed for
the first time, before being taken to the Temple; while the second and
more solemn washing took place in the pool of Bethsaida, which is near
the south entrance to the Temple. The second of the above-mentioned
streets contained a house belonging to St. Anne, the Mother of the
Blessed Virgin, which she usually inhabited when she came up to
Jerusalem with her family to offer sacrifice in the Temple. I believe
it was in this house that the espousals of St. Joseph and the Blessed
Virgin were celebrated.
The forum, as I have already explained, was built on higher ground than
the neighbouring streets, and the aqueducts which ran through these
streets flowed into the Probatica pool. On Mount Sion, directly
opposite to the old castle of King David, stood a building very similar
to the forum, while to the south-east might be seen the Cenacle, and a
little towards the north the tribunals of Annas and Caiphas. King
David's castle was a deserted fortress, filled with courts, empty
rooms, and stables, generally let to travellers. It had long been in
this state of ruin, certainly before the time of our Lord's nativity. I
saw the Magi with their numerous retinue enter it before going into
Jerusalem.
When in meditation I behold the ruins of old castles and temples, see
their neglected and forlorn state, and reflect on the uses to which
they are now put, so different from the intentions of those who raised
them, my mind always reverts to the events of our own days, when so
many of the beautiful edifices erected by our pious and zealous
ancestors are either destroyed, defaced, or used for worldly, if not
wicked purposes. The little church of our convent, in which our Lord
deigned to dwell, notwithstanding our unworthiness, and which was to me
a paradise upon earth, is now without either roof or windows, and all
the monuments are effaced or carried away. Our beloved convent, too,
what will be done with it in a short time I that convent, where I was
more happy in my little cell with my broken chair, than a king could be
on his throne, for from its window I beheld that part of the church
which contained the Blessed Sacrament. In a few years, perhaps, no one
will know that it ever existed,--no one will know that it once
contained hundreds of souls consecrated to God, who spent their days in
imploring his mercy upon sinners. But God will know all, he never
forgets,--the past and the future are equally present to him. He it is
who reveals to me events which took place so long ago, and on the day
of judgment, when all must be accounted for, and every debt paid, even
to the farthing, he will remember both the good and the evil deeds
performed in places long since forgotten. With God there is no
exception of persons or places, his eyes see all, even the Vineyard of
Naboth. It is a tradition among us that our convent was originally
founded by two poor nuns, whose worldly possessions consist ed in a jar
of oil and a sack of beans. On the last day God will reward them for
the manner in which they put out this small talent to interest, and for
the large harvest which they reaped and presented to him. It is often
said that poor souls remain in purgatory in punishment for what appears
to us so small a crime as not having made restitution of a few coppers
of which they had unlawful possession. May God therefore have mercy
upon those who have seized the property of the poor, or of the Church.
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