Jesus wears the scarlet cloak and the crown of thorns. The soldier on the right leans on the 'fasces' - the Roman symbol of authority. In the background a slave carries a bowl of water in which Pilot washes his hands.
"Pilate brought Jesus outside and said to the people, "Look at your king!" At this they shouted, "Away with him! Crucify him!" Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified."
The eyes of Jesus are full of sadness. In the background a worried Pilot rests his chin in his hands.
"Jesus was led away, and carrying the Cross by himself, went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, Golgotha."
Exhausted by his trial and his scourging, Jesus falls under the weight of his cross. Mercilessly his guards beat and pull at him to force him onwards.
"Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden light"
Dressed in traditional blue and white, Mary reaches out to her condemned son while the Holy Women look on. The guard in the background seems to be less demanding that Jesus move on.
"This child is destined to be a sign that is rejected - and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
Realising Jesus is too weak to carry on without help the Romans force Simon of Cyrene to help Him. The Holy Women can only watch and weep.
"A man named Simon of Cyrene, was coming in from the fields, and they pressed him into service to carry the Cross."
In a moment of compassion, and at great risk to herself, St Veronica tries to help Jesus by wiping the sweat off his face. The sacred image is left imprinted on her cloth.
"As long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me."
Growing weaker by the minute, Jesus falls again, infuriating the guards who continue to pull and beat at him with their whips.
"We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all"
Even in this darkest of moments, with compassion Jesus finds time to speak to some Jewish women and warns them of future troubles.
"Large numbers of people followed him, and women too, who moaned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children."
Even the soldiers seem to realise that Jesus is at the end of his strength. In the background, the walls of Jerusalem rise above the Holy Women who stayed with Jesus until the end.
"They who hope in the lord will renew their strength; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint"
The blood-soaked garments are ripped from his skin as onlookers rush forward to buy whatever bits and pieces are available. The executioner already has his hammer in his hand.
"They stripped off his clothes and
began to mock him saying:
"All hail, king of the Jews!"
Jesus' wrists are tied to the cross before his hands are nailed to the wood. One executioner is using an auger to make a hole in the wood to make it easier for the nail to pass through, while another leans on the spade he used to dig the hole in which the cross would be dropped. In the background two rich Jews are watching the proceedings with interest.
"After carrying his Cross, Jesus came to the Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they crucified him and two others with him."
Jesus breathes his last in the company of his mother and friends. Above his head is the notice that Pilot, greatly upsetting the Jews, had ordered be placed on the cross - INRI 'Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm' (for the Romans - 'I'='J' and 'v'='u') - "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". In the background the soldiers are dividing Jesus' clothes between them.
"Jesus said, "I thirst!" and they gave him wine. "It is finished"!" he cried, and gave up his spirit."
After Jesus died Joseph of Arimethea (in the background) prepared a cave for his burial and Jesus was taken down. We can see the wound in his side where the soldier stabbed him to make sure he was dead. Discarded on the ground are some nails and the crown of thorns.
"When the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers thrust a lance into his side, and blood and water flowed out."
Joseph of Arimethea took a great risk in offering to place Jesus in a new tomb - he was a secret admirer of Jesus, but was very afraid of the Jews and the Romans. Again we see the crown of thorns discarded on the ground.
"Joseph of Arimethea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, and wrapped it in perfumed oils. Then he buried Jesus in a tomb close at hand."