அரிமத்தியா புனிதர் யோசேப்பு ✠(St. Joseph of Arimathea) August 31

† இன்றைய புனிதர் †

(ஆகஸ்ட் 31)

✠ அரிமத்தியா புனிதர் யோசேப்பு ✠

(St. Joseph of Arimathea)

இயேசு கிறிஸ்துவின் இரகசிய சீடர்:

(Secret Disciple of Jesus)

பிறப்பு: ----

இறப்பு: ----

பழைய எருசலேம் நகரிலுள்ள “தூய செபுல்ச்ர்”, சிரியாக் மரபுவழி சிற்றாலயம்

(Syriac orthodox Chapel in Holy Sepulchre)

ஏற்கும் சமயம்:

ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை

(Roman Catholic Church)

கிழக்கு மரபுவழி திருச்சபை

(Eastern Orthodox Church)

ஆங்கிலிக்கன் ஒன்றியம்

(Anglican Communion)

லூதரனியம்

(Lutheranism)

ஓரியண்டல் மரபுவழி திருச்சபை

(Oriental Orthodox Church)

நினைவுத் திருவிழா: ஆகஸ்ட் 31

பாதுகாவல்: நீத்தோர் இறுதி சடங்கினை வழிநடத்துவோர்

அரிமத்தியா ஊரைச் சேர்ந்த புனிதர் யோசேப்பு என்பவர், நற்செய்திகளின்படி, இயேசுவின் மரணத்தின் பின்னர், அவரை அடக்கம் செய்தவர் ஆவர். இவர் நான்கு திருமுறை நற்செய்திகளிலும் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளார். 

மாற்கு 15:43 இவரை மதிப்புக்குரிய தலைமைச் சங்க உறுப்பினர் எனவும், இறையாட்சியின் வருகைக்காகக் காத்திருந்தவர் எனவும் குறிக்கின்றது.

மத்தேயு 27:57 இவர் இயேசுவுக்குச் சீடராய் இருந்தார் எனக்குறிக்கின்றது.

யோவான் 19:38 இவரை இயேசுவின் சீடர்களுள் ஒருவர் எனவும் யூதருக்கு அஞ்சியதால் தம்மைச் சீடர் என்று வெளிப்படையாகக் காட்டிக்கொள்ளாதவர் எனவும் குறிக்கின்றது.

இதன்படி இவர் இயேசுவின் உடலை எடுத்துக் கொண்டுபோகப் பிலாத்துவிடம் (Pilate) அனுமதி கேட்டார். பிலாத்து நூற்றுவர் தலைவரிடமிருந்து கேட்டு இயேசுவின் இறப்பை உறுதி செய்தபின்பு யோசேப்பிடம் இயேசுவின் உடலை அளித்தான்.

“நிக்கதேம்” (Nicodemus) துணையோடு “கொல்கொதாவில்” (Golgotha) இவர் இயேசுவின் உடலை சிலுவையிலிருந்து இறக்கி யூத அடக்க முறைப்படி நறுமணப் பொருட்களுடன் துணிகளால் சுற்றிக் கட்டினார். ஒரு புதிய கல்லறை ஒன்றில் அவரின் உடலை அடக்கம் செய்தார் என விவிலியம் கூறுகின்றது.

கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை, கிழக்கு மரபுவழி திருச்சபை, லூதரனியம் மற்றும் சில ஆங்கிலிக்கம் சபைகள் இவரை புனிதர் என ஏற்கின்றன.

† Saint of the Day †

(August 31)

✠ St. Joseph of Arimathea ✠

Secret Disciple of Jesus:

Born: Not known

Died: Not known

Venerated in:

Roman Catholic Church

Eastern Orthodox Church

Oriental Orthodox Church

Anglican Communion 

Lutheranism

Feast: August 31

Patronage: Funeral Directors

Joseph of Arimathea was, according to all four canonical Christian Gospels, the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. A number of stories that developed during the Middle Ages connect him with Glastonbury, where the stories said he founded the earliest Christian oratory, and also with the Holy Grail legend.

Joseph of Arimathea was quite an enigma! From history, we learn that he was previously known as Joseph de Marmore as he lived in Marmorica in Egypt before he moved to Arimathea.1 There is speculation that Joseph of Arimathea, or Joseph of Glastonbury as he later became known, was the uncle of Mary, mother of Jesus. The relationship with Mary made him a Great Uncle of Jesus. From this, we may presume that he was an elderly man at the time of the crucifixion. We have a few verifiable details about Joseph except that he was quite wealthy. Some claim that Joseph of Arimathea was a merchant in metals and took young Jesus with him on his business trips to England, India, and even to South America. It is a well-documented fact that Britain led the world at this time with its tin mining. Joseph of Arimathea was referred to by the Romans as 'Nobilis Decurio' or Minister of Mines to the Roman Government.

Joseph of Arimathea was not one of the original 12 apostles, but he was a disciple of Jesus and was an important man in his own right. He is mentioned in all four gospels (Matthew: 27:57-60; Mark 15:43-46; Luke 23:50-55; John 19:38-42). He was a high counselor, a voting member of the Sanhedrin2 which officially wanted Jesus condemned to death. We may speculate that he had not consented to, or agreed with, the decision to push Pontius Pilate to impose the death penalty upon Jesus. In spite of his relationship with Jesus, his loyalty to Him was largely kept secret (John 19:38). Jesus was obviously unpopular with the elders of the church, and to outwardly support Him did not bring favor in their eyes (John 19:38).

Even though Joseph of Arimathea had attempted to keep his love for Jesus a secret, he boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus to be placed in his trust. This is significant in and of itself. Joseph of Arimathea, not Mary Jesus' mother, not Mary Magdalene, or any of the apostles were entrusted with the act of taking Jesus down from the cross. Most of the apostles had fled anyway. Joseph took the body and put it in his own tomb. According to various historical sources, Joseph's actions provoked both the Roman and Jewish elders and he eventually did spend time in prison for his support of Jesus.

Other historical sources report that Joseph of Arimathea went on a preaching mission to Gaul with the apostle Phillip, Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, and others sometime between the years A.D. 37 and A.D. 63 (the year is in dispute). At Marseilles, Lazarus and Mary parted company with the main group who continued on further up North. When Joseph's party reached the English Channel, Phillip sent Joseph with 12 disciples to the furthest corner of the Roman Empire, the Island of the Britons. Legend has it that Joseph sailed around Land's End at the southern tip of England with the intent of catching up with old business acquaintances in the lead and tin mines. They ran aground in the Glastonbury marshes. Once again, it is reported that after climbing a nearby hill to survey the countryside, they were exhausted and Joseph thrust into the ground a staff made from the 'Holy Crown of Thorns' worn by Christ. He announced that he and his traveling companions were all weary. It is legendry that the thorn staff immediately took root and the thorn bush can still be seen today on 'Wearyall Hill.' Joseph built a church (Vetusta Ecclesia)5 of mud and wattle on the site and decreed that 12 monks should always reside in that most sacred place. It is interesting to note that a spirited shrub that grows near the now ruined Abbey is of the same type that grows in the Eastern Mediterranean and flowers only twice a year - Christmas time and Easter.

It is also claimed that Joseph collected some of the blood and sweat of Christ after His side was pierced as He hung on the cross. The chalice or cup which Joseph used to collect the fluids is reported to be the same one used during the last supper. Joseph took the cup with him on his voyage to England and is said to have hidden it on the site at Glastonbury, at the bottom of a deep well, called the 'Chalice Well', or the 'Blood Well.' The well is a rather curious place, 25 thousand gallons of red-tinted water pass through the good area each day. The red tint is caused by the high iron content in the water.