GIUSEPPE da ARIMATEA. - Member of the Sanhedrin, native of Arimathea (v.). He was rich, good, and just (Lk. 23, 50 ff.). A disciple of Jesus in secret, for fear of the Jews, when the other members of the Sanhedrin condemned the Saviour to death he did not consent, without however revealing himself openly (Lk. 23, 51; Jn. 19, 38). After the Crucifixion, “he dared to go to Pilate and ask him for the body of Jesus” (Mk. 13, 43). With the help of Nicodemus shroud (v.), and placed it in his new tomb, hewn out of the rock of Calvary, and rolled a great stone over its entrance (Mt. 27, 59; Mk. 15, 46; Lk. 23, 53).
Legends concerning him are contained in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus. According to these, G. d'A. is said to have founded the church of Lidda. He is said to have collected in a chalice the blood that flowed from the side of the Crucified One.
The Greek Church celebrates him on 31 July, the Roman Church on 17 March. He has been included in the Martyr. Romanum since 1585.
A Georgian apocryphon concerning G. d'A. was translated into German by A. von Harnack in Sitzungsberichte d. Preuss. Abad., Berlin 1901, p. 920 ff.