The Empty Tomb at St Mary’s Churchyard

INRI - Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.

Meaning “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”.

The inscription placed over 

Jesus'

 head by Pontius Pilate

to mock 

him during the crucifixion.

An Empty Tomb created by Frank Osborne has been installed in the Churchyard at St Mary's, Upchurch, in-time for Easter.

Behind the tomb are three crosses representing the cross of Jesus and the crosses of the two thieves crucified on either side of him. 

The thief to Jesus' right has become known as Saint Dismas the “Good Thief” while the one to his left is referred to as Gestas the “Unrepentant Thief”.

The stone will be rolled back on Saturday the 3rd of April when people invited can bring along potted plants to place at the tomb to create a glorious Easter Sunday Garden when Christians celebrate Jesus, their risen saviour. 

The importance of the Empty Tomb

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead has been at the heart of the gospel message from the beginning.

The Empty Tomb is the Christian tradition that on the morning of the first day of the week (Easter Sunday), women followers of Jesus went to the place where he had been buried and found his body gone.

The Empty Tomb points to the bodily resurrection of Jesus and holds promise for believers that they will also have victory over death like Jesus when he bodily rose from the grave, showing it could not hold him.

Because Jesus has risen, believers can look forward to their own resurrection as well. The Empty Tomb is a symbol that death is not the end of the journey. There is much more to come.

Upchurch Matters