The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Anne Catherine Emmerich, first published in 1833. The account details the events leading up to the Crucifixion of Christ as seen by Emmerich, a 19th-century German stigmatic and visionary. Previously obscure, this book gained significant attention after it inspired Mel Gibson's controversial film, 'The Passion of the Christ.' Emmerich's narrative offers a vivid, firsthand experience of this crucial event, filled with intricate details often missing from the Gospels.

The book recounts Emmerich's ecstatic visions, which she experienced alongside painful and mysterious physical afflictions. Despite being nearly illiterate, Emmerich dictated a remarkably coherent narrative, enhancing its compelling nature.

Some modern readers may find certain passages to be anti-Semitic, especially in the depiction of the Jewish population's collective responsibility for Christ's death. While not condoning these views, it's important to understand that anti-Semitism was commonly accepted by both religious and secular institutions of the time. Nevertheless, Emmerich's account treats each character—Christian, Jewish, or Roman—as an individual with distinct motivations, strengths, and weaknesses.

Anne Catherine Emmerich was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 2004, marking the final step before sainthood. Her feast day is observed on February 9th, the anniversary of her death in 1824.