During the three hours that the Procession lasts, the Jews who whip Jesus and the Saiones who accompany them recite a whole string of street verses.
Verses full of strength and popular origin
Although they may go somewhat unnoticed by the general public due to the itinerant nature of the performance, they deserve to be taken into serious consideration, both for their burlesque tone (they are addressed to the Condemned) and for their special grace: some are longer and more elaborate, others are brief and rustic, all of them, however, of popular origin. The Jews seem to want to tear the words from the bowels of the earth and send them to the depths of heaven.
His verses have resounding sounds, some of them simple elegance, others dialogue-filled, some exuberant, labyrinthine, and daring, others festive and mocking, or accompanied by rebellious gestures. Some examples of these short street verses are:
-
The son of a poor carpenter
presumes to be our king.
A man born among straw
must be a king of laughter. -
I am already cooked and burned
from such long ceremonies.
Man who acts brave,
how is it that you lack strength?
Because you fall at every moment
kissing the ground, and you tremble. -
If you have saved so many,
how can you not save yourself?
And how, if you are a child of the living God,
can you not put down this cross?
