“Then the angel said to the women in reply, ‘Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for He has been raised just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.’” – Matthew 28:5
On Easter Sunday, the celebration of the Resurrection comes like dawn breaking the darkness; out of the deep sorrow of the crucifixion comes the triumphant joy of Christ’s victory over sin and death. In His death, He took our sins upon Himself, and through His Resurrection, He offers us eternal life in Him. As we rejoice in the Risen Lord this Easter, we invite you to explore three places where you can find the Resurrection portrayed in the art of the Basilica.
1. The Rosary Walk and Garden
In the first arch of the brilliant Rosary Garden mosaics, you can find the Resurrection portrayed alongside other mysteries of the Rosary. This powerful mosaic shows the guards watching in awe as Christ emerges triumphant from the tomb, victorious over death. As 1 Peter 3:18 declares:
“For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that He might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, He was brought to life in the spirit.”
The gold border on the mosaic indicates that it is one of the Glorious Mysteries.
2. The Resurrection Chapel
In the Glorious Mysteries Chapels of the Great Upper Church, the Resurrection Chapel shows not the risen Christ, but the women who discovered His empty tomb. With glittering tiles, the Chapel depicts the angel’s appearance to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, as they approach the tomb of Jesus. Beneath them is the inscription of the angel’s words: “He is not here, for He is risen, as He said,” from Matthew 28:5-7.
The mosaics of the Glorious Mysteries Chapels each show an event from the New Testament alongside its Old Testament parallel. Here, the Resurrection is juxtaposed with the event of Joseph’s brothers raising him from a cistern (Genesis 37:12–28).
3. The Redemption Dome Mosaic
Spanning 3,780 square feet, the awe-inspiring Redemption Dome has four different sections which each depict a different redemptive act of Jesus: the Crucifixion, the Descent into Hell, the Temptation in the Desert, and the Resurrection. In the South quadrant, the Resurrection mosaic shows Jesus surrounded by golden light, crowned with an aureole and victoriously holding a banner with St. George’s cross, while the Roman guards slumber at His feet. At the entrance of the tomb, the angel rolls away the stone, just as Jesus through His death removed the barrier between us and the Father forever.
Source:
Rohling, Geraldine M., PhD, MAEd. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: Guide and Tour Book. Washington, D.C.: Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 2018.