When they approached our Lord's Cross, his friends retired a few paces back, and the Blessed Virgin was seized with fear lest they should indulge their hatred of Jesus by insulting even his dead body.

Her fears were not quite unfounded, for when they first placed their ladders against the Cross they declared that he was only pretending to be dead; in a few moments, however, seeing that he was cold and stiff, they left him, and removed their ladders to the crosses on which the two thieves were still hanging alive.

They took up their iron staves and broke the arms of the thieves above and below the elbow; while another archer at the same moment broke their legs, both above and below the knee.

Gesmas uttered frightful cries, therefore the executioner finished him off by three heavy blows of a cudgel on his chest.

Dismas gave a deep groan, and expired: he was the first among mortals who had the happiness of rejoining his Redeemer.