Improperia (Popule Meus)

The Improperia are a series of antiphons and responses, expressing the remonstrance of Christ with His people. In the Catholic liturgy they traditionally are sung as part of the observance of the Passion, usually on the afternoon of Good Friday, during the so-called 'Adoration of the Cross'.

In their present form in the Roman Rite, the first part consists of three reproaches, adapted from passages of Scripture, followed by the Trisagion being repeated after each in Latin and Greek by two halves of the choir. The second part, meanwhile, is composed nine other lines sung by the cantors, with the full choir responding after each with the refrain "Popule meus, quid feci tibi?..." (which also begins the series) After the last Improperium and its refrain, the hymns Crux fidelis and Pange lingua follow.

The Improperia appear in the Pontificale of Prudentius (846-61) and gradually came into use throughout Europe in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, finally being incorporated into the Roman Ordo in the fourteenth century.

The Catholic Encyclopedia notes (from the article 'Good Friday'):

They are not found in the old Roman Ordines. Duchesne (249) detects, he thinks, a Gallican ring in them; while Martene (III, 136) has found some of them alternating with the Trisagion in ninth century Gallican documents. They appear in a Roman Ordo, for the first time, in the fourteenth century, but the retention of the Trisagion in Greek goes to show that it had found a place in the Roman Good Friday service before the Photian schism (ninth century).

This piece (sung by Chanticleer) consists only of the first part.

"My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me." (Micah 6:3)

1.) "For I led you out of the land of Egypt," (Micah 6:4) but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Agios o Theos!
Sanctus Deus.
Agios Ischyros!
Sanctus Fortis.
Agios Athanatos, eleison imas.
Sanctus Immortalis, miserere nobis.

2.) For I led you through the wilderness forty years,
And fed you with manna, and brought you into a land exceeding good; (cf. Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 7)
But you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Agios o Theos...

3.) "What more ought I have done for" you that I have not done? (Isaiah 5:4)
Indeed I planted you, my most beautiful vineyard,
and you have become exceeding bitter to me;
"In my thirst you gave me vinegar to drink," (Psalm 69:22)
And with a lance you have pierced the side of your Savior.

Agios o Theos...

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[EatSpanikopita]

Hi, I am a music history graduate student and I'd like to request your permission to use this video in a public presentation I am giving on the Reproaches. Very nicely done!

[flyingblackboard]

@EatSpanikopita I'd allow you to use the video itself, but please note that the music is not mine.

[Celestiaetterra]

Any non-Christians including Jews are not members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Your Johnny-come-lately 19th c. Dispensationism with all its heresies falls much short of 2,000 year old confessions of the Church. Wake up and stop playing a Jew when you are not a Jew but a Christian.

[Menechem]

@polemeros All you need to do is study and logically disperove my claims.One can see quite clearly in Rome's history,doctrines,actions,and words,speak louder than your false accusations!Study the facts,the institution was not around untill the 400's.Need I remind you of the Schisms that took place between your cult and the east because of you inventing non Biblical doctrine(purgatory, Luke 23:40-43 disproves this),adding to the creed,& to Scripture. Maccabbees, etc. is not Scripture!

[polemeros]

I think Catholics can be grateful that Menachem left their 2000 year old, 1 billion member "cult" and they don't have yet one more inflated neurotic to listen to. And the Orthodox Jews can join them in celebrating your departure.

Menachem is a little one-man anti-Semitism factory: taking every attempt to be NON- anti-Jewish and insulting and demeaning the speaker with name calling and condescension, thereby embodying the stereotype of the arrogant, obnoxious, hostile Hebrew.

Poor Baptists...

[Menechem]

@TRINITYisLOVE Would you stop bullshitting yourself? The Catholic encyclopedia backs me up and yet you try and twist fact! Go read a book! You are twisting the reason of why it was written, it was written as another for of hatred towards us! Stop trying to defend something that you know nothing about! You're 24 and your lack of knowledge in the subject goes to show that you should not be commenting! '...the liturgy of the Office of Good Friday the Saviour is made to utter against the Jews...'.

[TRINITYisLOVE]

@Menechem : When there is something we've learnt from the bible exegesis of the church fathers, it is the very fact that the salvation from Egypt, the fight against the cananeans and the whole hisory unobediance of Israel applies allegorically to every christian, who has been delivered from the enslavement to sin, but who has to face the challenges of freedom and therefore who will continuosly fail and be responsable for the death of christ. It is only by grace that we live.

[Menechem]

The Improperia are the reproaches which in the liturgy of the Office of Good Friday the Saviour is made to utter against the Jews, who, in requital for all the Divine favours and particularly for the delivery from the bondage of Egypt and safe conduct into the Promised Land, inflicted on Him the ignominies of the Passion and a cruel death. (Taken from Catholic Encyclopedia @ newadventdotorg) This is why Karol Wojtyla put a stop to it (he loved us).

[Menechem]

@TRINITYisLOVE Do not B.S. yourself! 'My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!

I led you out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom, but you led your Saviour to the cross. Holy is God! Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us. Holy immortal One, have mercy on us.[3' A direct translation and reference to the Jews!

[TRINITYisLOVE]

@Menechem We have leant to read this hymn as a reproach to our own sins against Christ.

[Menechem]

@Almeriac More anti-semetic spewings from an unsaved fool!The catholic cult is nothing more then a brood of idol worshiping vipers! You're in direct violation of Romans 11!

[Menechem]

@Almeriac What blindness? I have looked on Him whom I pierced (Zechariah 12.10) and I have been baptized into Eternal Life! If I was so blind, than Why would I be filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaim Jesus is LOD, something that Paul says that can only happen by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12.2-4). I have confessed with my heart and I do believe in my heart that Yeshua is LORD, which according to Paul, I am saved (Rom.0.9).I am called to be a Missionary and a Pastor, Missionaries are not blind.