meryem a/e 6

John cried out: 

"She is no Ionger here!" 

The others came in quickly, wept, prayed, looking upward with raised arms, and finally cast themselves on the ground, remembering the radiant cloud of the preceding night. Then rising, they took the winding-sheet just as it was, all the grave linens, and the coffin to keep as relics, and returned to the house by the Holy Way, praying and singing Psalms.

When they entered the house, John laid the folded linens on a little flap-table before the altar. Thomas and the others were in prayer, but Peter went a little apart, as if pondering some mystery. 

After that I saw him celebrating divine service at the altar before Mary's Crucifix, and the Apostles standing in order behind him, praying and singing. The women were standing in the doorways and by the walls of the fireplace.

The young servant that had come with Thomas looked quite unlike any of those present. He had small eyes, high cheek-bones, forehead and nose remarkably flat, and his complexion was brownish. He was already baptized. 

He was perfectly innocent, and obeyed orders simply. He did all that he was told, remained standing or sitting wherever they told him to do so, turned his eyes in any direction indicated to see whatever was pointed out to him, and smiled upon every one. When Thomas wept, he wept also. He always remained with Thomas, and I saw him dragging immense stones, when Thomas was building a chapel.

I often saw the Apostles and disciples standing together in circles and relating where they had been and giving their experience.

Before the Apostles left Mary's house to journey again into distant parts, they rendered the grotto of the tomb wholly inaccessible by raising an embankment of earth before the entrance. At the rear however they made a low passage to the back wall of the tomb proper and an opening in the wall, by which one could look down upon it. This passage was known only to the holy women. 

Above the grotto they built a chapel of wood and wickerwork [vlechtwerk], and hung it with mats and tapestry. The little altar consisted of a stone slab, the step too was of stone. Behind the altar hung a strip of stuff on which was sewed or embroidered quite simply in the colors of her festal robes a picture of Mary. 

The little garden in front of the tomb, and especially the whole of Mary's Way of the Cross, was beautified by them. While engaged in this task of love, they prayed continually and chanted Psalms. 

The apartment of the house in which Mary had had her oratory and sleeping-alcove, was converted into a little church. Mary's maid continued her abode in the front part of the house, and two of the disciples were left there by Peter for the benefit of the Faithful dwelling in that section of the country.

[bron]