The Resurrection of Christ (Matthew 28:1-20)

This brightly-coloured window pictures the Resurrection of Christ in glory on Easter Sunday. The details of the stricken Roman soldiers, who were keeping guard at the tomb, show that the scene is based on St Matthew’s gospel – who alone records their presence. The Risen Christ is shown in a manner that has a long history in Christian art. In his left hand, he holds a red cross banner as a symbol of victory over death.

This traditional depiction filled in the blanks left by the secrecy of Christ’s triumph over death. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “No one was an eyewitness to Christ’s Resurrection and no evangelist describes it. No one can say how it came about physically. Still less was its innermost essence, his passing over to another life, perceptible to the senses. Although the Resurrection was an historical event that could be verified by the sign of the empty tomb and by the reality of the apostles’ encounters with the risen Christ, still it remains at the very heart of the mystery of faith as something that transcends and surpasses history.” (647)

The window, which dates to 1910, is by the Arts and Crafts artist Paul Woodroffe. It’s found within the Sacred Heart chapel of Digby Stuart College, which is part of the University of Roehampton. The Risen Christ is pictured barefoot, almost as a Celtic warrior. The window is typical of Woodroffe’s style, with intricate trellis-work and long eyelashes on the face of Christ.

The banner at the base of the window reads Defende quaesumus Domine, ista ab onim ad nobis gaudia vuae per resurrectionem apervisti. This means ‘We beseech you, Lord, to protect us. You have opened the joys of life to us through your resurrection.’

See the full image:

Where to find this work of art
Sacred Heart Chapel, Digby Stuart College

Read the relevant passage
Matthew 28:1-20

On a similar theme

• From the Old Testament: Christ described the story of Jonah and the Whale as a sign of his resurrection after three days (Matthew 12:40).
• From the New Testament: By rising from the dead, Christ proved that he was indeed ‘the Resurrection and the Life‘.