170. As we have already said, the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ occurred at 6 a.m. on Sunday the 27th of March of the year 34. This extraordinary event is narrated, we interpret, in the following texts of Saint Matthew, which we shall set in order with the required linking: «And behold there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven. And His Countenance was as lightning and His raiment as snow, and for fear of Him the guards were struck with terror and become as dead men. And an angel, coming, rolled back the stone and sat upon it» (Matt. XXVIII, 2-5a). His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches <>. Coordinating the sacred texts with the dogmatic Definition we make the following clarification. The Angel of the Lord referred to by the Evangelist is the Most Divine Soul of Christ which, in the fullness of glory, descended to the Holy Sepulchre and was reintegrated into the Deific Cadaver at the same time as were the most sacred particles of Flesh detached and the Deific Blood shed, being then effected the Glorious Resurrection of the Deific Body of Christ: Who, at that instant, with the aspect and agility as of lightning, and with heavenly raiment as white as snow, passed through the stone blocking the entrance to the grotto, amid the fear, admiration and astonishment of the twelve guards keeping watch, who saw the gloriously risen Christ issue forth. In other words, at the very instant that He rose Christ passed through the stone at the entrance to the sepulchre. Hence the earthquake mentioned in the Gospel, and the deafening thunder it produced, occurred at the very instant that Christ rose and simultaneously passed through the stone which sealed the entrance to the sepulchre. Thus we see that the events referred to in the expression «coming, rolled back the stone and sat upon it», cannot be attributed to Him Whom the Evangelist denominates `the Angel of the Lord’, That is why we have inserted that expression, previously in verse 2, into verse 5 where the Evangelist alludes to another angel, who spoke to the pious women, and who was Moses. For Moses, accompanying the Most Divine Soul of Christ in His descent to the Holy Sepulchre, appeared at the entrance thereto an instant before Christ rose and passed through the stone closing it, so as to be present as a witness to His Resurrection; and immediately thereafter Moses rolled back the stone and sat upon it. We make clear that the placing of the phrase «coming, rolled back the stone» in verse 2 instead of verse 5 where it belongs, was due to an error of transcription by one of the early copyists of the sacred text, and that the error cannot be attributed to Saint Matthew. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also teaches that <>. For just as the Universe mysteriously shared in the separation of the three Deific human elements of Christ while He was dead, likewise at His glorious Resurrection it experienced a general revival in vitality, since it also shared in the reintegration of Christ’s Most Divine Soul and the other separated Deific elements into His Deific Body; for as we know, Christ, through His Body, and as well through His Blood and Soul, assumes the three sublime cosmic clements - Air, Fire and Water. But Christ’s Resurrection preeminently affected the consciences of men, who at the least came to the conviction that something of outstanding importance had taken place. As we gather from the sacred text, duly interpreted, the vision of the risen Christ, the mighty earthquake and the sudden appearance of Moses with the semblance of an angel so astonished and terrified the twelve soldiers that in their flight they fell unconscious to the ground, where thus they remained for a good while until returning to their senses. Jesus, in giving the soldiers all those signs, wished clearly to establish His Resurrection, to the benefit of their souls and also in order for them to give steadfast testimony of the truth; and at the same time to accentuate more their baseness should they say anything against what they as eyewitnesses had seen to occur there. While the twelve guards lay unconscious on the ground, somewhat scattered, at 6.07 a.m. Mary Cleophas, Mary Salome, Mary Magdalen, Martha and Joanna Chusa reached the entrance to the Holy Sepulchre and saw that the stone that had sealed it had been rolled back; and that seated upon the stone was a youth with the semblance of an angel, who we know was Moses, according to the dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII. To their astonishment the great Prophet and Lawgiver announced to them the prodigious event of the Resurrection which he himself had seen, as we interpret from Saint Matthew: «And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you; for I know that you seek Jesus Who was crucified. He is not here. For He is risen, as He said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye His disciples that He is risen. And behold He will go before you into Galilee, There you shall see Him. Lo, I have foretold it to you» (Matt. XXVII, 5-7). After hearing Moses’ words the five pious women entered the grotto, as Saint Luke relates: «And going in, they found not the Body of the Lord Jesus» (Luke XXIV, 3); and adds: «And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold, two men stood by them, in shining apparel» (Luke XXIV, 4). Saint Mark completes the passage thus: «And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: and they were astonished» (Mark XVI, 5); the young man was Elias. We teach that the pious women, amidst their astonishment and sadness at the absence of the Deific Body of Christ, saw two men resembling angels, attired in shining apparel, who were seated: one at the head of the sepulchre and the other at the foot. According to a dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII, the former was the Prophet Elias and the latter the Prophet Henoch, both of whom, together with Moses, accompanied the Most Divine Soul of Christ to the Holy Sepulchre, and therefore an instant before Christ rose, in order to be present as witnesses to that admirable event. The youth mentioned by Saint Mark and who, in the light of the papal teaching is the Prophet Elias, bore witness to the pious women in the following words: «Who saith to them: Be not affrighted. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified He is risen: He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee. There you shall see Him, as He told you» (Mark XVI, 6-7). For his part, Saint Luke, though placing the testimony of Christ’s Resurrection which he relates in the mouths of the two men, because of the similarity of what was said by them both, according to our interpretation expressly relate that given by the Holy Prophet Henoch, which was: «And as they were afraid and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead? He is not her, but is risen. Remember how He spoke unto you, when He was yet in Galilee, saying: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again. And they remembered His words» (Luke XXIV, 5-8). When in the sacred texts of Saint Matthew and Saint Mark we read that Jesus’disciples would see Him in Galilee, they are saying, as we stated, that it was in that region He would join with His Apostles more frequently and where He would confer the Primacy on Saint Peter; for it was in the Cenacle that they would first see the risen Christ, and therefore before their journey from Jerusalem to Galilee. Although the five pious women heard the testimony of the three men, Mary Magdalen did not grasp its true import due to her overwhelming affliction of soul at the absence of Christ’s Body. That is why she, as we shall see, first thought It had been stolen.

171. We interrupt the Gospel narrative anew in order now to consider the Divine Mary’s unspeakable joy at Christ’s glorious Resurrection. As we already know, at the sane time as She was physically present in the Cenacle, the Most Holy Virgin was mystically buried with Her dead Son in the Holy Sepulchre. And, as with most vehement longing She had awaited the glorious Resurrection of Her most beloved Son, Her joy was most perfectly fulfilled when in beatific vision and with bodily eyes She contemplated that admirable event, which She shared through a mysterious mystical Resurrection. Besides, apart from the Most Holy Virgin Mary’s witnessing of Christ’s Resurrection at the instant it occurred, He appeared to His Mother in the Cenacle immediately after rising and being seen by the twelve guards. She was, then, before any other wayfarer, the first to be visited by Her most beloved risen Son. Mary Most Holy’s participation in Jesus’ Resurrection also entailed Her being freed for a very short time of the passible state of Her most pure Soul, with the resultant complete glorification of all Her Being, which mystery was concealed from the rest. Also, from then on She was never again deprived of the higher beatific functions of Her most pure Soul, nor therefore of the beatific joy of Her essential Body; though by Her own desire, save in determined moments, Her Soul and accidental Body retained the passible state for the greater part of the rest of Her life on earth, in order to suffer and merit more for us. In Her most loving yearning that all Her chosen children benefit as soon as possible from Christ’s Resurrection and rise mystically with Him, the Most Holy Virgin Mary insistently beseeched the Father to bring that event forward for the consolation and joy of the elect; and Her desire was gratified. It behoves us to clarify that the Lord’s Resurrection was simultaneously contemplated in beatific vision by all who possessed that vision, but in different degrees; and at the same time as they saw it with accidental vision through beatific vision, they saw it with merely accidental vision according to the nature of each. That is why the angelic choirs, the souls of the Blessed and the inhabitants of Mary’s Planet, saw with beatific vision and simultaneously with merely accidental vision, Christ’s Resurrection at the same instant as His Divine Mother, but in the degree proper to the merits of each. The twelve guards of the sepulchre, however, saw the risen Christ an instant after He had risen and passed through the stone. At the instant that Christ rose, countless souls left Purgatory to enjoy heavenly glory; and those that yet remained to be purified had their pains diminished. Also, at Christ’s Resurrection all members of the Church Militant, and the Children of Limbo, were exceedingly comforted, according to the economy of grace of each state and to their personal merits.

172. The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ was followed by other unwonted event, such as the resurrection of many accidental bodies, as told by Saint Matthew; whose text, previously mentioned, we now present for study as chronologically corresponds: «And coming out of the tombs after His Resurrection, came into the holy city and appeared to many» (Matt. XXVII, 53). An instant after the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the accidental body of Saint Joseph rose. Moreover, all who before had been privileged with the resurrection of their essential bodies, were now also privileged with that of their accidental bodies, since each of the latter was attracted by its respective soul united to the corresponding essential body. As we interpret from the Gospel, the risen appeared to many in the city of Jerusalem, as also in other parts of the Holy Land, in order with the glory of their bodies to bear witness to the admirable Resurrection of the Most Divine Messias, sacrificed by that ungrateful people two days before. Moreover, in many cases these apparitions were accompanied by the oral testimony of the risen who, at the same time as making themselves known to the inhabitants, proffered the Onlybegotten of God indescribable praise and invited all to be reconciled with the Father through the Most Divine Victim. Thanks to the testimony of the risen, not a few of the pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, and who had not taken part in the deicide, acknowledged the innocence of Jesus and the perfidy of His enemies, with good fruit in conversions. It is well to state that both the essential bodies risen in glory at the Death of Christ and the corresponding accidental bodies risen in glory after His Resurrection shared in the beatific joy of the soul: the essential bodies, from then on and forever more; the accidental bodies, until the Lord’s Ascension, when they slept until the Assumption of the Virgin. We must clarify that during the time the accidental bodies of the risen were immersed in sleep, they were united to their respective souls, which continued to animate them, communicating natural life. However these accidental bodies were unconscious and deprived of all physical activity; and although they already possessed the natural state of accidental glory, in no wise did they share in the beatific joy of the soul. Thus must be understood the doctrine expounded in Chapter XXX of this Treatise when, on speaking of the dormition of Saint John the Baptist, we said that his soul remained in his body without animating it: that is, without communicating conscious life, physical activity and beatific joy.

173. Before resuming the Gospel narrative it is well first to recall that we left the five pious women who had gone to the sepulchre, listening in amazement inside of the same to the testimony of the Resurrection then given to them by the Holy Prophets Elias and Henoch. But, as Saint Matthew goes on to relate, «they went out quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, running to tell His disciples» (Matt. XXVIII, 8). For his part Saint Mark says: «But they going out, fled from the sepulchre: for a trembling and fear had seized them. And they said nothing to any man: for they were afraid» (Mark XVI, 8). Saint Luke provides other details: «And going back from the sepulchre, they told all these things to the Eleven and to the rest. And it was Mary Magdalen and Joanna and Mary of James and the other women that were with them, who told these things to the Apostles» (Luke XXIV, 9-10). Finally Saint John, referring to Mary Magdalen only, further completes the episode, saying: «She ran therefore and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved saith to them: They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre: and we know not where they have laid Him» (John XX, 2). We teach that the five pious women, inundated with joy and at the same time exceedingly surprised at the strange events, were incapable of reacting with adequate serenity. That is why they hurriedly left the Holy Sepulchre and made for the Cenacle. Along the way they neither commented among themselves nor revealed to anybody what had occurred, fearing to be taken as mad. And as Mary Magdalen, in her irresistible impulse to convey the news to the Apostles, was the first to reach the Cenacle, she burst out saying to Peter and John that the Lord’s Body had been removed. Immediately afterwards the other four pious women arrived and told both Apostles and the others in the Cenacle that the Lord had risen, as had been told them by the three angels they had seen. But, as Saint Luke goes on to say, «these words seemed to them as idle tales: and they did not believe them» (Luke XXIV, 11). In other words, the news caught the eleven Apostles, as well as many others, so completely by surprise that they did not believe what the women had said, because it seemed to them an hallucination; and, while not doubting that Christ’s Resurrection would take place, they deemed it premature since three days had not yet passed - according to their interpretation of what He had foretold. Besides, the eleven Apostles expected that when the event took place, the Lord would appear to them first.

174. Mary Magdalen’s report that the Body of Christ had been removed and the testimony of the other four women that He had risen, so disconcerted the Apostles that, according to the words of Saint Luke, «Peter rising up, ran to the sepulchre» (Luke XXIV, 12a), which he did accompanied by John, who himself says: «Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple: and they came to the sepulchre» (John XX, 3); wherefore both Apostles, not counting with the others, shortly after 6.30 a.m. left the Cenacle for the Holy Sepulchre; and we teach that Mary Magdalen followed them, so that all three ran, though she some distance behind. Let us look at what the Evangelist Saint John relates, in this respect, in the various texts that follow: «Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple; and they came to the sepulchre. And they both ran together: and that other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying: but yet he went not in» (John XX, 3-5). In other words the Apostle John, more familiar with the place, was the first to reach the sepulchre; and, once inside the vestibule, stooped a little to look through the opening that connected with the burial chamber, managing to see the linen cloths in which the Body of Christ had been wrapped. But he did not wish to enter the chamber out of deference to Peter, Chief of the Apostles, who, though he came after, was the first to enter, as we interpret from the following text of the Evangelist Saint John: «Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre: and saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin that had been about His Head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place» (John XX, 6-7). Saint Luke, as we interpret, says that Peter, before entering, bending looked first through the opening to the burial chamber: «stooping down, he saw the linen cloths laid by themselves» (Luke XXIV, 12b), When the Evangelist Saint John says that he saw the linen cloths lying, he is referring to the Holy Shroud folded in two, one part superposed on the other, The napkin referred to in the sacred text is the veil with which the Most Holy Virgin Mary had covered the Most Divine Countenance for Christ’s transfer to the Holy Sepulchre; which cloth later was removed by Joseph of Arimathea who left it folded there. Although the Gospel does not mention it, the bandage or tape that had been used to maintain the Sacred Mouth closed was also there; for at the very instant Our Lord Jesus Christ rose, it automatically fell to the point opposite to where it had been, that is, when the risen Deific Body of Christ reached the vertical position, that bandage came away from His Head and fell forwards to where the feet of the recumbent Christ had been. As we interpret, after Peter had entered the burial chamber, Saint John says of himself that «then that other disciple, also went in, who came first to the sepulchre: and he saw and believed» (John XX, 8). His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly clarifies this verse with the following doctrine: <>. But it must be understood that the background light was not of natural origin, but due to a glorious luminosity emanating from the inside of the holy cloth itself, with such sublime transparency as to allow what was miraculously imprinted thereon to be seen. Correlating the sacred Gospel text with the dogmatic Definition, we teach that when John reached the sepulchre first and, without entering the inner chamber, looked through the entrance opening and saw the Holy Shroud, this had still not been miraculously illuminated: hence the divine impression of Jesus’ Body on it was not yet shown to the Apostle. It was when Peter gazed through the entrance opening that the Holy Shroud suddenly shone with diaphanous transparency, wherefore the Prince of the Apostles entered and in amazement contemplated the sublime mystery of the impression of the Deific Body, then firmly believing that Christ had risen. When Peter entered the burial chamber John followed and saw - after Peter - the same prodigy, he also believing in Christ’s Resurrection. Both Apostles then came to realize the importance to the Church of the miracle of Christ’s Resurrection, being as it is the most convincing proof of His Divinity; for until then they had not paid due attention to the prophecies, nor understood their full significance, as we interpret from the following text: «For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead» (John XX, 9). That is, though believing that Christ would rise, at that time they were unable correctly to interpret what in that respect had been foretold in the Old Testament, as for example by the Prophet Osee (VI, 3), nor even what the Most Divine Master had said about when and how the event would occur. Hence when He rose before three full days had elapsed they found it difficult to accept immediately the testimony of the pious women, and thus it was necessary for them to see the prodigious impression on the Holy Sindone for them to believe and with greater clarity to understand the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection. After that episode, the two Apostles gathered up the Holy Shroud and the other cloths and then returned again to the Cenacle, as we see in Saint John: «The disciples therefore departed again to their home» (John XX, 10). Saint Luke is more exact, saying of Peter that he «went away wondering in himself at that which had come to pass» (Luke XXIV, 12c). The two Apostles arrived at the Cenacle at about 7 a.m.

175. As Peter and John were leaving the sepulchre, at the entrance they saw Mary Magdalen, where she stayed alone as we interpret from the Evangelist Saint John: «But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and she saw two angels in white, one at the head and one at the feet, where the Body of Jesus had been laid» (John XX, 11-12). We teach that after the departure of the two Apostles, Mary Magdalen, who was weeping profusely at the entrance to the sepulchre, entered the outer chamber or vestibule thereof, and there, leaning forward, through the opening she peered inside the burial chamber and again saw, without knowing who they were, Elias and Henoch with the semblance of angels, the former seated at the head of the tomb and the latter at the foot, and who previously had not appeared to Peter and John. The two Prophets, as we interpret from the sacred text, said to her: «Woman, why weepest thou? She saith to them: Because they have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid Him» (John XX, 13). Saint John goes on to relate: «When she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing: and she knew not that it was Jesus» (John XX, 14). We interpret that Mary Magdalen, still stooping, looked back and saw a man outside the sepulchre, but did not realize that it was the Master since He concealed certain features so as not to be known. Hence she thought Him to be the gardener in charge of the property, and went out quickly with the intention of asking if He knew the whereabouts of the Lord’s Body. But He forestalled her words, as we see in the Gospel: «Jesus saith to her. Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, thinking that it was the gardener, saith to Him: Sir, if Thou hast taken Him hence, tell me where Thou hast laid Him: and I will take Him away» (John XX, 15). When putting Him this question she was bathed in tears, her hands covering her face, and was turned somewhat away from the Lord. That is why the Evangelist relates that when «Jesus saith to her: `Mary’, she turning, saith to Him: Rabboni (which is to say, Master)» (John XX, 16); for, recognizing Christ’s voice, she turned to see if it was truly Him, Who then revealed part of His glory to her. This caused Mary Magdalen such admiration and consolation that she fell to her knees calling Him Master, endeavouring at the same time to embrace His most sacred feet with the aim of never again letting go, for she feared that He would disappear without taking her whither He went. But «Jesus saith to her: Do not touch Me: for I am not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brethren and say to them: I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God» (John XX, 17). The following dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII sufficiently clarifies this mysterious passage: <>. From the papal teaching we infer that later on Mary Magdalen would again see Jesus, Who would allow her to touch Him as later we shall mention. The Evangelist Saint Mark completes Saint John’s episode with these words: «But He rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom He had cast seven devils» (Mark XVI, 9); which text lays stress on the Lord’s exceeding good pleasure with those who, previously having been sinners, when converted generously dedicate their lives in loving holocaust to God’s service. When the Evangelist says that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalen, which was at exactly 7 a.m. on Sunday the 27th of March, it must be understood that she saw Him before the Apostles, disciples and the other pious women did. While the episode of the risen Christ’s appearing to Mary Magdalen was taking place, on their way to the sepulchre in all haste were Mary Cleophas, Mary Salome, Martha and Joanna Chusa; they, once outside the city, encountered Mary Magdalen returning from the sepulchre after having seen the risen Christ. It was there, along the way, that at 7.10 a.m. the episode Saint Matthew relates took place: «And behold, Jesus met them, saying: All hail. But they came up and took hold of His feet and adored Him. Then Jesus said to them: Fear not. Go, tell My brethren that they go into Galilee. There they shall see Me» (Matt. XXVIII, 9-10). This glorious apparition was, then, to the five pious women: to four of them as they went to the sepulchre the second time, and to Mary Magdalen as she returned thence the second time. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches <>.

176. For the moment let us leave the five pious women on their way back to Jerusalem, so as to speak of Peter and John’s arrival at the Cenacle after having seen the miraculous impression of the Deific Body on the Holy Sindone and having believed in Christ’s Resurrection. Since the other Apostles and a large part of the disciples and of the holy women were anxiously awaiting the news being brought from the sepulchre by Peter and John, they received them with the eagerness to be expected in such a case. The astonishment of all could hardly be imagined when told of the event of Christ’s Resurrection by the two Apostles, who proved it by showing them the Holy Sindone with the miraculous impression, though not then illuminated. Although the sacred relic was an irrefutable argument for their believing, that was not the case for many, who were blinded by the notion that the Deific Body was not in the sepulchre because Jesus’ enemies had stolen It in order to profane It the more. Concerning this moment His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that <>; but as we know, testi-mony of Christ’s Resurrection was also given to those in the Cenacle by Peter. We teach that the Apostles James the Greater and Andrew did indeed believe, in view of the words and proofs presented by their respective brothers, and so did some of the disciples and in general all the pious women, who were more docile in accepting the truth. However, the discord was such that arguments broke out among them, and not a few of the pious women shed copious tears. Only the Divine Mary was able to console them and confirm the truth for them; although it was not in the divine plan that She intervene directly at that time without Her most wise counsel first being requested, particularly since She was withdrawn from the rest and recollected in the contemplation of God and sharing in the unspeakable joy of the glorious Resurrection of Her Divine Son, though also suffering on account of the unbelief of some at the testimony given by others. As they were unconvinced by the proofs furnished by Peter and John, the other seven Apostles and some of the disciples then waited to confront those proofs with the information being brought to them by the five pious women, who came running to tell them the good news. Mary Magdalen reached the Cenacle at 7.30 a.m., and was the first to arrive since she wished to correct her previous statement that the Lord’s Body had been stolen, as we interpret from the following Gospel texts duly coordinated: Saint Mark, «She went and told them that had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping» (Mark XVI, 10); Saint John, «Mary Magdalen cometh and telleth the disciples: I have seen the Lord; and these things He said to me» (John XX, 18); Saint Mark. «And they hearing that He was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe» (Mark XVI, 11 ). Those that rejected the testimony of Peter and John, then, did not accept the testimony of Christ’s Resurrection given by Mary Magdalen and the other four pious women, who said that they had seen Him alive, that they had touched Him and that He had spoken to them. The incredulous, though knowing the five pious women to be incapable of deceit, took their visions to be mere hallucinations, since they were unable to understand that so astonishing an event could have taken place so simply and unexpectedly; above all, for them it was unthinkable that, were it thus to have taken place, Christ should not have already shown Himself to all. Hence the testimony of the Lord’s Resurrection given by the five pious women, far from bringing peace and joy to all in the Cenacle, occasioned yet more discord and debate. But we make clear that if all the incredulous had promptly gone to seek counsel of the most prudent Mother, the Virgin Mary, the light of truth would quickly have dispelled the confusion reigning in the Cenacle.

177. It is well however now to examine what transpired meanwhile between the Sanhedrin and the soldiers of the sepulchre. Saint Matthew, referring to the five pious women on their return to the Cenacle after seeing the Lord, says that «while they were on their way, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the Chief Priests all things that had happened» (Matt. XXVIII, 11 ). As we interpret, shortly after 7.10 a.m. on Sunday the 27th of March of the year 34, just as me pious women were entering Jerusalem, the twelve sepulchre guards recovered consciousness and spoke amongst themselves of the astonishing things they had seen, and the tremendous impact made on them by Jesus’ Resurrection. As they had not yet come out of their stupor, they entered the sepulchre to verify that the Body, which they had seen risen, was not to be found. Forthwith some of them went into the city to report the event to the Sanhedrin. Although Caiphas and Annas already knew of it through the apparition to them both of the risen Jesus at the right hand of the Father, as we already know, nevertheless in the presence of the sepulchre guards they pretended neither to know nor to believe; endeavouring, besides, to convince the latter that the earthquake and the other great signs they had seen were of natural origin. But the two astute High Priests realized that their words failed to convince the soldiers, and in view of this feared that the latter might be believed should they spread throughout the city the news of Christ’s Resurrection which they had witnessed. So this they attempted to forestall by way of a lucrative bribe, once unanimously approved by the assembled Sanhedrin, as is seen in Saint Matthew, according to our doctrinal interpretation: «And they being assembled together with the ancients, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, saying: Say you, His disciples came by night and stole Him away when we were asleep. And if the governor shall hear of this, we will persuade him and secure you. So they taking the money did as they were taught: and this word was spread among the Jews even unto this day» (Matt. XXVIII, 12-15). As is seen in the sacred text, the High Priests paid the twelve soldiers a large sum of money to say the contrary to what they had seen; and that thus Christ’s Resurrection become discredited. Nevertheless, as the truth of the supernatural event became known in Jerusalem through the testimony of the many that rose from the dead and appeared in the city, the great majority of the Jewish people were fully aware of Jesus’ glorious Resurrection. But not on that account did the Deicide People, ever more obstinate, avail themselves of that decisive opportunity of grace, since they endorsed the malicious purpose of the Sanhedhrin in disparaging events; a deception that yet persists among the Jews until their conversion at the end of time. As is seen in the sacred text, the High Priests not only bribed the twelve soldiers, but also offered them protection, securing them from any possible action taken against them by Pontius Pilate should it come to his notice that they had consented to bribery. On this occasion there was no danger to their lives should they say, albeit falsely, that they had been a sleep while on guard, since they were posted at the sepulchre at the request of the Sanhedrin and as a mere attention to the latter from Pilate.

178. We shall now deal with the apparition of Our Lord Jesus Christ, then risen, to the disciples Luke and Cleophas on their way to Emmaus. As regards this episode the Evangelist Saint Mark restricts himself to saying: «And after that He appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were going into the country» (Mark XVI, 12). However it is the Evangelist Saint Luke, a personal witness, who narrates in detail this most beautiful episode, which he begins thus: «And behold, two of them went, the same day, to a town which was 60 furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmmaus» (Luke XXIV, 13). We teach that the two disciples Luke and Cleophas left the Cenacle at approximately 7.20 a.m. on Sunday the 27th of March of the year 34, and therefore after Peter and John had returned from the sepulchre, and before the five pious women had returned the second time - which was when they had seen the risen Christ. Luke and Cleophas, discouraged and perplexed after not having trustingly accepted the various testimonies concerning Christ’s Resurrection, abandoned the Cenacle in order to hear the comments being made in Jerusalem, and also in order afterwards to set out for Emmaus, today el Qubeibeh, some 12 Kms - the equivalent to the 60 furlongs mentioned in the Gospel - northwest of Jerusalem. As the disciple Cleophas had been born in the said village, where he had a house, there they would await more calmly the unfolding of events. They made the journey slowly, for as Saint Luke relates: «and they talked together of all these things which had happened» (Luke XXIV, 14). When they were nearing the village of Emmaus, and with the sun at its zenith or 12 o’clock midday, Our Lord Jesus Christ presented Himself to them, as we interpret from the same Evangelist: «While they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus Himself also, drawing near, went with them. But their eyes were held, that they should not know Him» (Luke XXIV, 15-16). That is to say, for the moment Christ did not allow them to recognize Him, that they might manifest their feelings more freely. As Saint Luke goes on to relate, Jesus said to them: «What are these discussions that you have one with another as you walk, and why are you sad? And one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answering, said to Him: Art Thou the only pilgrim in Jerusalem that knowest not the things that have been done there in these days? To whom He said: What things? And they said: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, Who was a Prophet, mighty in word and work before God and all the people. And how our Chief Priests and princes delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we hoped that it was He that should have redeemed Israel. And now besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yea and certain women also of our company affrighted us, who before it was light went to the sepulchre and, not finding His Body, returned saying that they had seen a vision of angels there who say that He is alive. And some of our people went to the sepulchre and found it so as the women had said: but Him they found not» (Luke XXIV, 17-24). As we interpret from the sacred text, the apparent ignorance of His Passion and Death which Christ conveyed to His two disciples, made them consider Him as just another pilgrim from distant lands, and not much aware of what had taken place in Jerusalem. Furthermore, as Jesus had followed behind them at a certain distance along the way before approaching them, the two disciples were surprised neither by His reaching them nor by His question; especially since they were sustaining a heated conversation, their perplexity becoming ever greater for not having humbly accepted the testimony of Christ’s Resurrection given by four of the pious women and afterwards also by Peter and John. Besides, the blindness of Luke and Cleophas also fostered in them the mistaken notion, still not completely extirpated, that the Messias would be the temporal liberator of Israel. That is why they gave voice to their disillusionment that such liberation had still not been accomplished; and that the Body of Christ, the third day after being buried, was neither to be found in the sepulchre nor had been seen by them risen, when according as Cleophas and Luke interpreted Christ’s prophecy concerning His Resurrection, the time for Him to rise had already come. The deplorable spiritual condition of the two disciples of Emmaus did not imply a loss of faith in the truths of the Gospel on their part, but rather a temporary obscuration of them. Before they recognized Him, Jesus wished to reproach them for their blindness and lack of faith in view of the evidence they had received concerning His Resurrection, and to give them at the same time a general review of what the Prophets and of what He Himself had foretold about it, as is seen in the sacred text: «Then He said to them: O foolish and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Him» (Luke XXIV, 25-27). The Master’s words, though causing them to wonder, thinking that they came from a pilgrim, so raised the spirits of the two dejected disciples that when He, in order to be hidden, made as if to continue His journey, «they constrained Him, saying: Stay with us, because it is becoming late and the day is now declining. And He went in with them» (Luke XXIV, 29). Hence it was at about 2 p.m., when the sun begins to descend towards the west, that the Lord and the two disciples entered Emmaus and headed for Cleophas’ house. Saint Luke goes on to say that «whilst He was at table with them, He took bread and blessed and brake and gave It to them» (Luke XXIV, 30). As we interpret the verse, after Jesus had dined with the two disciples, at 3 p.m. He celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of Mass in the presence of both, as His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII defines in his infallible interpretation of the Gospel words, «He took bread and blessed and brake and gave It to them» (Luke XXIV, 30); for by that expression the Evangelist indicates that Christ offered, consecrated and immolated the two eucharistic species, and gave the two disciples Communion under the species of bread only. Saint Luke, eyewitness of the events, goes on to say: «And their eyes were opened: and they knew Him. And He vanished out of their sight. And they said one to the other. Was not our heart burning within us, whilst He spoke in the way and opened to us the Scriptures?» (Luke XXIV, 31-32). As we interpret from the sacred text, at the very instant Christ began the Holy Sacrifice of Mass He was transfigured in the sight of the two disciples, who then knew it was Him, and who sincerely repented for their unbelief and were strengthened in the Faith and filled with spiritual consolation. The Eucharistic Sacrifice ended, Christ vanished from their sight.

179. Here we interrupt the Gospel narrative concerning the disciples of Emmaus, in order to speak of the apparition of the risen Christ to Peter, which occurred while the aforementioned two disciples were on their way to the country village and before the Master followed them on the way. Jesus’ apparition to the Prince of the Apostles took place at 11 a.m. on that Sunday the 27th of March of the year 34, when Peter was in the Cenacle, secluded and praying before the Blessed Sacrament. For such was Peter’s desire to see his Beloved Master that he had gone to beseech Him to manifest Himself to him, though considering himself unworthy; but not because he needed to see Him in order to believe. He had also done this so that by his own testimony of having seen Him, those who did not yet believe in His Resurrection might do so more readily. The Lord was not slow to gratify the loving and humble entreaty of the Prince of the Apostles, to whom He appeared filled with majesty and glory. Shortly after Jesus disappeared, Peter made known to the other Apostles, to the disciples and to the pious women, the heavenly visit he had just received. So great was the joy that inundated the Apostle’s heart that it was reflected in the sweet expression on his face for all to see. Thanks to Peter’s testimony, the majority of the incredulous firmly accepted that Christ had risen. Despite the new testimony, the Apostle Thomas and some of the disciples still remained obstinate in their disbelief. Nevertheless, peace and harmony now reigned in the Cenacle after this further confirmation that the Lord had risen.

180. Let us now return to the Gospel narrative concerning the disciples of Emmaus, whom we left at Cleophas’ house after Jesus had vanished from them. According to our interpretation, the Evangelist Saint Luke goes on to say with respect to the two disciples seated at table, that «rising up the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem» (Luke XXIV, 33), which was in order to inform the eleven Apostles and the others in the Cenacle that both had seen and heard the risen Christ, as Saint Mark states: «And they going told it to the rest» (Mark XVI, 13). From Saint Luke we see that when the two disciples of Emmaus reached the Cenacle, which was at 5.15 p.m., «they found the Eleven gathered together, and those that were with them, saying: The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon» (Luke XXIV, 33-34), that is to Peter. But on referring to that moment, Saint Mark, as we interpret, says of the testimony of the two from Emmaus, that «neither did they believe them» (Mark XVI, 13); here alluding to the Apostle Thomas and to one or other of the disciples, who, the more proofs they received, the less they believed that Christ had risen, though not because they lacked faith in His power to so do. Such was Thomas’ confusion and bewilderment that, allowing himself to be carried away by his impetuous and thoughtless temperament, he at once left the Cenacle instead of humbly having recourse to the Most Holy Virgin Mary Who, as we know, was recollected in prayer in Her chamber, for Her most wise counsel would have dispelled the darkness of his disbelief.