When the fresh band of soldiers left Ophel, I saw those disciples who had gathered together disperse; some went one way, and some another.  The Blessed Virgin and about nine of the holy women, being filled with anxiety, directed their steps towards the Valley of Josaphat, accompanied by Lazarus, John the son of Mark, the son of Veronica, and the son of Simon.  The last-named was at Gethsemani with Nathaniel and the eight Apostles, and had fled when the soldiers appeared.  He was giving the Blessed Virgin the account of all that had been done, when the fresh band of soldiers joined those who were leading Jesus, and she then heard their tumultuous vociferations, and saw the light of the torches they carried.  This sight quite overcame her; she became insensible, and John took her into the house of Mary, the mother of Mark.

The fifty soldiers who were sent to join those who had taken Jesus, were a detachment from a company of three hundred men posted to guard the gates and environs of Ophel; for the traitor Judas had reminded the High Priests that the inhabitants of Ophel (who were principally of the labouring class, and whose chief employment was to bring water and wood to the Temple) were the most attached partisans of Jesus, and might perhaps make some attempts to rescue him.  The traitor was aware that Jesus had both consoled, instructed, assisted, and cured the diseases of many of these poor workmen, and that Ophel was the place where he halted during his journey from Bethania to Hebron, when John the Baptist had just been executed.  Judas also knew that Jesus had cured many of the masons who were injured by the fall of the Tower of Siloe.  The greatest part of the inhabitants of Ophel were converted after the death of our Lord, and joined the first Christian community that was formed after Pentecost, and when the Christians separated from the Jews and erected new dwellings, they placed their huts and tents in the valley which is situated between Mount Olivet and Ophel, and there St. Stephen lived.  Ophel was on a hill to the south of the Temple, surrounded by walls, and its inhabitants were very poor.  I think it was smaller than Dulmen.9

The slumbers of the good inhabitants of Ophel were disturbed by the noise of the soldiers; they came out of their houses and ran to the entrance of the village to ask the cause of the uproar; but the soldiers received them roughly, ordered them to return home, and in reply to their numerous questions, said, ’We have just arrested Jesus, your false prophet—­he who has deceived you so grossly; the High Priests are about to judge him, and he will be crucified.’  Cries and lamentations arose on all sides; the poor women and children ran backwards and forwards, weeping and wringing their hands; and calling to mind all the benefits they had received from our Lord, they cast themselves on their knees to implore the protection of Heaven.  But the soldiers pushed them on one side, struck them, obliged them to return to their houses, and exclaimed, ’What farther proof is required?  Does not the conduct of these persons show plainly that the Galilean incites rebellion?’