91Èȱ¬

First broadcast during Holy Week 2008 on 91Èȱ¬ ONE

As the afternoon wears on, Mary, Mary Magdalene and Mina keep a grim and lonely vigil at the foot of the cross.

Joseph of Arimathea petitions Pilate to allow him to bury the body. Caiaphas is outraged at this blatant act of insubordination but a defiant Joseph has Jesus's body carried to a cave. Mary and Mary Magdalene begin a vigil outside the tomb, expecting the disciples to join them. The disciples however, are too frightened. There are soldiers everywhere, and John's news that Jesus is dead has filled them with dread. Why didn't God save him?

Caiaphas, fearful that Jesus's followers will remove the body then claim he has risen from the dead, sends two of his men to guard the tomb. The Guards force Mary Magdalene and Mary from their vigil. On hearing the news, the disciples are torn - some want to stay, others want to leave the city as soon as the Sabbath is over.

The morning after the Sabbath Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb and is stunned to discover it empty. She returns with John and Peter who find nothing there but the discarded shroud. Peter suspects the body has been stolen by the Temple Guards.

When Caiaphas is told the news he summons Joseph of Arimathea and accuses him of having stolen the body. He is visibly shaken when Joseph raises the possibility that Jesus may have risen from the dead.

As Mary Magdalene weeps outside the empty tomb, she is approached by a man who asks her why she is crying. His demeanour is both comforting and familiar and when he calls Mary by her name she is seized by an impossible hope - could this be the risen Jesus?

The disciples grill her on what she saw, their scepticism reinforced by the idea that Jesus would appear first to a woman. Mary Magdalene believes it was him, even though there was no physical resemblance, but her words fail to convince the others. Philip and James have had enough and leave the city for Emmaeus. As they walk, they are joined by a traveller. They discuss the events of the past few days and Philip invites the man to share their meal. At dinner, the traveller breaks bread, echoing both the act and the words spoken by Jesus at the Passover meal. When James and Philip look up, it is Jesus they see.

Philip and James rush back to Jerusalem to share the news that Jesus has risen with the other Disciples. As they do so, Jesus appears to them all. At almost the same moment, Caiaphas's wife gives birth to his first son. Caiaphas joyfully takes this as a sign from God.

Pilate and Claudia are leaving Jerusalem to return to their home in Caesarea. They have patched up their differences, aided by a mutual relief that Pilate has staved off a near crisis. Elsewhere in the city, Peter washes the feet of a leper. As he does so he chats with Jesus, although none of the bystanders seem aware of Jesus's presence. Jesus tells Peter to preach the gospel of love to all people everywhere and makes his farewells. Peter watches as Jesus moves among the crowd, passing out of sight, reappearing, then finally passing into the people once more.