Today He is suspended on a Tree who suspended the earth over the waters.

A crown of thorns was placed on the head of the King of angels.

He who wore a false purple robe, covered the heavens with clouds.

He was smitten who, in the Jordan, delivered Adam.

The Groom of the Church was fastened with nails, and the Son of the Virgin was pierced with a spear.

Thy sufferings we adore, O Christ.

Make us to behold thy glorious Resurrection.

Last night we watched our priest carry the cross around the church just as Jesus carried the cross up to Golgotha. Then we saw the life-size icon of Jesus get nailed to that cross. We heard the three hard strikes of the hammer on each of his hands.

We crucified Jesus.

I said to my son, “Did you see Jesus get nailed to the cross?”

“Yes,” he said. “It was a hammer.”

Then my son looked at me with sad eyes and fell into my arms. I knew that in his own way, Ephraim knew that something bad was happening to Jesus.