Saint Joseph of Arimathea's Epitaphy Lamentation?
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,935
    At the end of Bud Clark's edition of the Matthew Passion is a rubric "If the Passion has been sung in the nave, Saint Joseph of Arimathea's Epitaphy Lamentation may be sung as the procession returns to the Sanctuary." Does anyone recognize this? The closest I come by Googling is this text.
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  • Liam
    Posts: 5,525
    Perhaps: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitaphios_Thrinos
    Thanked by 3Paul F. Ford CHGiffen Richard Mix
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 340
    This is clearly one of Bud's flights of fancy. This particular Passion seems to have been designed for use in Anglican churches, where something like what he adds might be done (in a VERY few places). Bud had many contacts with the Eastern Rites, besides being very knowledgeable about Anglo-Catholic practices, and the Tridentine Rite (and the wreckifying of it caused him great distress). He was an advocate of ornate liturgical rites and ceremonies, of which this little rubric is indicative.
    Thanked by 2davido Liam
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,935
    So, something like Εγκώμια επιταφίου; I can well imagine this at someplace like St Gregory of Nyssa.
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  • Liam
    Posts: 5,525
    "Epitaphy Lamentation" does sound like one of those somewhat, um, twee Anglican back-formations from another language.
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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,122
    The Office of the Burial of Christ, part of Byzantine Matins for Holy Saturday, and celebrated on the evening of Holy Friday, has some chants that speak of Joseph of Arimathea:

    "The noble Joseph took down from the tree your spotless body
    and wrapped it in pure linen with spices
    and laid it for burial in a new tomb."

    Later in the service, when the priest incenses the epitaphion (the tapestry image of Christ in burial), these verses are sung:

    "All generations come to your tomb, O Christ, singing a hymn of praise.
    The Arimathean took you down from your cross and laid you in the tomb.
    Come, all you creation, let a sing a hymn of love to honor our Creator.
    O Joseph greatly blessed, bury now the Lord, Christ, who bestows life upon the world.
    When our most pure Lady beheld you laid out, O Word of God, she shed tears of agony.
    'O my precious Son, my God, you crushed death by your death through the might of your Godhead.'

    ..."

    This is some more of the piece described in the Wikipedia article cited above. There are many more verses.
    Thanked by 1hilluminar
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