The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, has recorded an Easter video reflection on four paintings from the permanent collection of London’s National Gallery.
The four paintings featured are: 'The Crucifixion' attributed to Jacopo di Cione; 'The Entombment' by Dirk Bouts; 'Noli me Tangere', The Master of the Lehman Crucifixion and 'Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven' by Fra Angelico.
The paintings have been chosen to help Catholics and other Christians prepare for Holy Week ceremonies and the feast of Easter.
Eternal Life
In his introduction to the Easter video, Archbishop Nichols said: 'We will look at the scene of Our Lord’s death on the Cross; we will look at a scene of His entombment, of the first glimpse of the Risen Christ and finally a painting of the glory of heaven, the promise of eternal life that is held before us all.'
'As we enter into Holy Week, we prepare to celebrate the mysteries of the Lord’s death and Resurrection and one thing is important to remember that in the Liturgy the power of those events is open to us now. Through Liturgy, we become participants not spectators and the same is true for these paintings.'
'Here the artist is a witness, not just a craftsman, and they are witnessing to the truth of Christ, to the truth contained in his death and Resurrection and that is a truth that is offered to us.'
