Posuerunt super caput eius (They placed over his head) is a Gregorian chant antiphon from Holy Week, the fifth antiphon of Lauds, in the Third Nocturn on Good Friday.
The chant recalls the moment during Our Lord's Crucifixion in
Jn 19:19-22: "And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title therefore many of the Jews did read: because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek and in Latin.
"Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: Write not, 'The King of the Jews'; but that 'he said I am the King of the Jews.' Pilate answered:
'What I have written, I have written.'"
Commenting on the corresponding passage from Mt 27:37, Fr. Cornelius a Lapide
affirms: "This inscription, then, conferred on Christ the highest honor, for it set forth not only His innocence, but also His dignity, that He was indeed the very Christ, the Redeemer of the world. It therefore convicts and condemns the Jews as His murderers, since it was they who compelled Pilate to crucify Him.
"Pilate, then, by this very title reproaches them with it, avenges himself on them for their obstinate importunity, and holds them up to general infamy. For he knew well that Jesus was the Messiah, the desire and expectation of all people.
"Hence Origen says: 'This title adorns the head of Jesus as a crown.' And Bede, dwelling on the words 'over His head,' says, 'Though He was in the weakness of a man suffering for us on the Cross, yet did He shine forth with regal majesty above the Cross.' For it was made known that He was even now beginning to 'reign from the tree.' Pilate accordingly refused to alter the title. And by this is signified, mystically, that while the Jews remained in their obstinate unbelief, Gentiles, such as Pilate, would acknowledge and worship Him as their King and
Savior."
Posuerunt super caput eius, like many other chants, have inspired polyphonic compositions. The version below is by the Spanish Counter-Reformation composer, Rodrigo de Ceballos, and is interpreted by the Capella Portuguesa, directed by Andrew Parrot.
Note: We have included the Gregorian chant as well as the polyphonic sheet music by Ceballos below.
Listen to Posuerunt Super Caput Eius
Lyrics:
Latin text:
Ant. Posuérunt super caput ejus
Causam ipsíus scriptam:
Jesus Nazarénus, Rex Judæórum.
1. Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus Israël:
quia visitávit, et fecit redemptiónem
plebis suæ:
2. Et eréxit cornu salútis nobis:
in domo David, púeri sui.
3. Sicut locútus est per os sanctórum,
qui a sǽculo sunt, prophetárum ejus:
4. Salútem ex inimícis nostris,
et de manu ómnium, qui odérunt nos.
5. Ad faciéndam misericórdiam
cum pátribus nostris:
et memorári testaménti sui sancti.
6. Jusjurándum, quod jurávit
ad Abraham patrem nostrum,
datúrum se nobis:
7. Ut sine timóre,
De manu inimicórum nostrórum liberáti,
serviámus illi.
8. In sanctitáte, et justítia coram ipso,
ómnibus diébus nostris.
9. Et tu, puer,
Prophéta Altíssimi vocáberis:
præíbis enim ante fáciem Dómini, paráre vias ejus:
10. Ad dandam sciéntiam salútis plebi ejus:
in remissiónem peccatórum eórum:
11. Per víscera misericórdiæ Dei nostri:
in quibus visitávit nos, óriens ex alto:
12. Illumináre his, qui in ténebris,
et in umbra mortis sedent:
ad dirigéndos pedes nostros in viam pacis.
Posuérunt super caput ejus
causam ipsíus scriptam:
Jesus Nazarénus, Rex Judæórum.
English translation (1):
Ant. They placed over His head
His accusation written:
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.
1. “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
For He has visited & brought redemption
For His people.
2. He has raised up a horn for our salvation
within the house of David His servant,
3. As He spoke by the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old,
4. That we would be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us.
5. Thus He has shown the mercy promised
to our ancestors,
and has remembered His holy covenant,
6. The oath that He swore
to our ancestor Abraham,
and to grant us that,
7. And without fear,
Rescued from the hand of enemies,
we might worship Him
8. In holiness and righteousness
before Him all our days.
9. And you, child,
will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,
10. To give His people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
11. Because of the tender mercy of our God
by which the daybreak from on high will visit us:
12. To shine on those who in darkness
and in death’s shadow sit,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.
Ant. They set up over His head
His accusation written:
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.
For the full polyphonic version by Ceballos, click here.
Cristo de Córdoba, by sculptor Juan Miñarro, scientifically and artistically reconstructed using the data from the Holy Shroud of Turin.
Note the inscription: at the top in Hebrew, the middle line in Greek, then the botom line in Latin (Jesus being abbreviated as "I").
For a high-resolution JPG of this picture, click
here.
English translation by the TIA desk, adapted from the Neumz app and website,
here.
Sheet music courtesy of Musica Sacra, p. 300-301 here (293-294 marked on page).
