"My People, What Have I Done to You?": The Good Friday Popule meus Verses in Chant and Exegesis, c. 380–880
Armin Karim
The Roman Catholic Good Friday liturgy includes a
series of chants known today as the Improperia
(“Reproaches”) beginning with following text: Popule
meus, quid feci tibi? aut in quo contristavi te? responde mihi.
Quia eduxi te de terra Egypti, parasti crucem Salvatori
tuo (“My people, what have I done to you, or have
I grieved you? Answer me. Because led you out land of
Egypt, prepared a cross for your Savior”). earliest witness
to is Carolingian liturgical book from around 880, but
it agreed among scholars that their history extends back farther
than this.Employing comparative analysis Biblical exegesis,
chant texts, and chant melodies, this study suggests the
initial verse, Micah 6:3–4a plus Christianizing addendum
(“My people... prepared...”), originated northwestern Italy
between end 4th century 7th century
and carried associations Last Judgment, Passion, and
Christian works, penitence, forgiveness. Although previous
scholarship has sometimes pointed Reproaches key text
of Christian anti-Jewish history, it clear initial
three verses, Popule meus originally
held allegorical rather than literal meanings.The fact there
are several preserved across
various repertoires and, moreover, sets of
Popule verses smaller subset these
repertoires—in northern Italy, southern France, Spanish
March—bespeaks pre-Carolingian origins Popule
meus raises question why verses
appear when they do. This proposes
that were incorporated
into at Abbey Saint-Denis under the
abbacy Charles Bald (867–77). In Adoration Cross
ceremony adopted Rome, paired Greek Trisagion, and
carrying Gallican melody meaning, Carolingian
Popule would been an ecumenical
declaration, spread, expediency crucified
Christ penitent even face impending
political disintegration.