The great Roman poet and statesman Cicero once wrote that the punishment of Crucifixion was the most brutal and the most degrading manner of execution, and wished that no mortal eye may see one. The Stoic Philosopher Seneca on the other hand wrote in his “Consolation to Marcia” that although the cross and the crucifixion had been widely regarded as a symbol of shame, nevertheless, it is also an emblem of hardship and courage in the face of suffering. In the eyes of a Catholic, these two seemingly opposing perspectives find a common ground, a fertile one, where grows the contemporary notion and universally accepted meaning of the crucifixion.

The year of our Lord 2004 saw the rise of the film “The Passion of the Christ” directed by award-winning filmmaker Mel Gibson. Although scorned by Hollywood, the film garnered thirty wins and twenty four nominations. This film, although released more that two decades ago, still carries an unparalleled depiction of Our Lord’s Passion and death, that carries in itself an enormous effect on the human emotion and stimulates mercy and compassion towards the God-man who suffered two thousand years ago.

The film starts with the passage from the prophet Isaiah much recognized by its title, “The Suffering Servant”. The Garden of Gethsemane, sitting under the light of the full moon is a perfect, chronologically correct introduction. Jesus’ countenance as he prays in the garden of his suffering is a most poignant illustration of his psychological and mental torture. Judas’ however, in the following scene displays in his face the fear and discomfort caused by him betraying his master. Any expression of pleasure, delight, or excitement for his thirty pieces of silver can nowhere be seen; a good personification of the state of his conscience during that hour. The use of Aramaic and street Latin in the film, which is constantly harmonious with that of Sacred Scripture all the more exacerbates the finesse and excellence of the work, as well as shows the Romanization of Judaea during the time. In addition, the costume added a definitive accent in giving justice to the cultural exactitude of Christ’s era. The “unnecessary” slow motions, especially during the arrest, adds a more dramatic air to the troubled garden on the night of Holy Thursday. The Christ all throughout the film, shifts from attitude to attitude, setting the moods of pity, desolation, utter suffering, but also, unearthly authority. Truly, Jim Caviezel was the perfect choice for the person of Jesus of Nazareth. One feature of the film that separates it from other biblically based films is the juxtaposition of the Passion with Our Lord’s hidden life in Nazareth with his Blessed Mother before his public ministry, and scenes from the last supper with his chosen band.

An observant eye may say, after all these details, that this certain film somehow elevates the plain language of the Passion accounts provided by the four evangelists. Moving along, the Scourging at the Pillar is perhaps the most brutal, the most bloody scene in all of the film. The Roman Flagrum, the instrument used during the whipping, ripped off pieces of the skin and flesh of the Redeemer, but as per the direction of Gibson, Christ never cried out loudly or screamed from the pain of the lacerations; 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙢 𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧, 𝙚𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙨𝙞 𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙗𝙢𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙩. 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩. (𝘐𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘢𝘩 53:7)

When presented to Pilate, the Roman consul was astonished that Christ responded in Latin. The judge’s merciful mood, though scarce in his facial features, is evident in his discourse. 𝙑𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙩, says the old hymn. The Royal standard was raised – the cross amidst the tumult of the city of Jerusalem that drowned the sighs of the suffering Lord as he carried the instrument of his own death to the hill of Calvary. The noise of the Jews is interrupted by the most heartbreaking scene of all time – when Jesus meets his Mother. The affectionate gaze, the dramatic rise from the fall are like arrows that pierce the hearts of the viewer, compelling them to throw even a bit of compassion to these two inseparable hearts.

The cruel crucifixion depicts the very horrors of the Passion. The Lord’s figure, stripped of all comeliness still shines with mystic, surreal beauty even though he was drenched in blood, covered in sorrow and anguish – a crushed man, tormented 𝙥𝙧𝙤 𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨, for the sins of his own nation.

The androgynous figure of the devil, constantly present throughout the film, cries out in a loud voice of despair as Christ breathed his last, as a tear from the sky fell down to the ground. It was a cry of despair, as the devil finally discovered that through the tree, God conquered death by death. It was the devil’s great confoundment, as the Almighty God used the tree against him – the very instrument the devil used in the garden to bring about death and human perdition.

And so, the scene of the Pieta closes the episode of suffering. The drama of salvation is now consummated. The film culture finally gave the best possible tribute to the Lord of History, we have been redeemed at a great price, says the Holy Writ, and I should say, the film industry also bled, to give us a great and noble work, a work of true artistry, penetrating the soul – as it should.

𝑨𝑽𝑬 𝑪𝑹𝑼𝑿 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑺 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑪𝑨!

𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑳 𝑶 𝑪𝑹𝑶𝑺𝑺 𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑶𝑵𝑳𝒀 𝑯𝑶𝑷𝑬!

– 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝑅𝑢𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑙 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑡, 17 𝑑𝑒 𝐴𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑙 2025, 𝐽𝑢𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑆𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑜.

Photos courtesy of: Mel Gibson of Icon Productions