Bible Encyclopedias

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Improperia

(Lat. taunts).

(1.) Reproaches of Jesus against the Jewish people. (See CAPERNAUM); (See JERUSALEM).

(2.) In the Roman Catholic ritual, certain verses which reproach the Jews with ingratitude, and which, while the priest and other ecclesiastics present kiss the cross, are chanted by two singers personifying Christ, in such a manner that after each verse one chorus replies in the Greek and another in the Latin, praises to God; or the accusation as uttered by the priests is repeated on the part of the choir. — Pierer, Univ. Lex. 8, 838. (J. H.W.)