So ends my mortal life.

But now another life begins
for Mary, and for Magdalen,
for Peter and for John, and you.

My life's work is done.
My work within and
through my church
must now commence.

I look to you, my other self.

Day in, day out, from this time forth,
be my apostle -- victim -- saint.

O Lord, for three days you laid in that darkened tomb before emerging triumphant over mortal death. How long have you waited as we -- I and those who seek to follow you -- find true faith within their hearts? Yet, your faith and love in us never falters.

Teach me O Lord, to let my heart speak louder than my faltering. Guide me to carry on thy work as you would have.

O God, your blessed Son as laid in a tomb in a garden, and rested on the Sabbath day: Grant that we who have been buried with him in the waters of baptism may find our perfect rest in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever.Amen

An eerie silence settles over Calvery. The spur of Ghareb is now deserted. Soldiers have returned to barracks, elders to their homes and the people have returned to prepare to celbrate the Pesah.

The women, accompanied by John, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus came down from Calvary bearing Jesus body to the tomb Joseph had offered to bury him in. It was just below Golgotha in his garden.

They could not afford to take the body very far from here or they'd not make it before the start of festivities.

As they moved down towards the tomb, they noticed several soldiers still around and following them. Why?

Arriving at the tomb, only Joseph and John enter bearing the body of Jesus. They laid him on the rock bench in the burial chamber. Only Mary's sobs could be heard in the silence of the garden as the men moved the big boulder in front of the entrance.

As they turned, the soldiers approached. The reason for them being there was queried. They had orders to guard the tomb. The members of the Sanhedrin had asked for these measures to ensure that no one dared to steal his body. The soldiers orders had come from high up.

Another strange situation created by the death sentence carried out in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

The soldiers felt that the elders had gone too far but orders were orders and they settled down to a night of joking, playing and wine drinking by the tomb of Jesus in the Garden of Joseph of Arimathea.