"Okay, log that." "What piece ofevidence finally convinced you... that the body found at Giva'at Ha Mivtarwas crucified?" "Well, I suppose ifyou're looking for a dead giveaway..." "I'd really have to say it was the block ofwood and nail in the foot... that really did the trick." "And the Romans were crucifying bodies for around 400 years." "Why have we only found one set ofremains?" "Well, only the lower rungs ofsocietywere crucified." "Then their remains were burned... or fed to the dogs." " Doctor, I really need a cigarette." " Then we must go outside." "Thankyou." "So, it's unlikely thatyou'd find a crucified man in a rich man's tomb?" "Highly unlikely." "Not to mention potentially catastrophic." "Catastrophic?" "The only recorded crucified body in a rich man's tomb was that of..." "Rabbi Yeshu Ben Yosef... known to all ofus ifnot by his Hebrew name... then surely by his Greek one..." "Jesus, son ofJoseph." "Sharon!" "Sharon!" "They're here." " What are all these people doing here?" " Dr. Golban?" "Moshe Cohen, DeputyAttache toJerusalem." " Foryour protection, I assureyou." " Yeah, right." " Now, maywe have a look?" " No." "I can't have amateurs trampling through the dig." "You'll break something." "Okay." "What about a professional?" "A priest has no place on an excavation." "Do I make myselfclear?" "Dr. Golban, Pierre Lavelle." "Dr. Lavelle, I am so sorry." "I had no idea you were a priest." "I am an archaeologist." " Afteryou, Doctor." " Thankyou." "All I wanted to do was dig a basement." "Theywanted to put up fats in about 3 months, so we had to be quick." "Until we remove the body, we're keeping a low profile in security." "Disturbing the dead can getyou killed in this neighborhood." "Father Gutierrez." "Your Eminence." "Not many ofour priests are ex-combat soldiers." "El Salvadorwas a long time ago, Your Eminence." "Military intelligence." "A polite oxymoron." "You have been chosen to investigate a problem for us inJerusalem." "One that will require the wide range ofyour investigative abilities." "" Dr. Sharon Golban."" "An Israeli archaeologist." "It was she who opened the tomb inJerusalem." "Those are photos ofwhat she found." "This is of Pontius Pilate." "So I've been told." "Excuse me, Your Eminence, but this has to be ajoke." "A dangerous one, which is whywe have chosen you to investigate it." "Yeah, but who would believe this?" "It reads like tabloidjournalism... not a serious archaeological report." "Dr. Golban is a serious archaeologist." "So is Fr." "Lavelle." "He's a Dominican inJerusalem." "Lectures at their university." "What is his opinion about this?" "There are many tests to be conducted." "But he has seen the tomb... and the body." "So he thinks... it is possible?" "But Your Eminence..." "I have no qualifications for something like this." "That is not true." "You have told us why in your own words." ""I believeJesus Christ is God because I spoke to Him this morning... in my prayers." "And I've known He was God since I was a boy." "He has always been my best friend... even though I haven't always been His." "In Him, I have peace."" "You were called because ofyour military and investigative experience." "You were chosen because ofwhatyou wrote here." "The ideal solution is to stop rumors and lies at their inception." "Ifnot, a Vatican denial would be interrupted by some... as merely the Vatican covering up the truth." "We must stop this before it lets loose its poison." "We are counting on you to protect the Church." "Protect the faith." "They're synonymous." "Protect the Church, you protect the faith." "Your Eminence, what if the body they found" "There is no "what if," Father." "This is not the body ofChrist." "I understand." "Matt Gutierrez?" " That's you?" " That's me." "Sharon Golban, right?" " Is this your bag?" " Yes." " I'll carry it." " Short trip, huh?" "Beforeyou get us killed, I think there is something I'd better clear up." " I am not an archaeologist." " What?" "The road, please." "Just look at the road." "I'm looking at the road." "You have a doctorate, don'tyou?" "In Roman history." "Anything relevant?" "Anything useful?" "Well, theology." "So, what areyou, a priest?" "Yes, I'm a priest." "A priest who is about to give himselfthe last rites." "So, you're a priest who's not an archaeologist... sent by the Vatican to investigate an archaeological dig... that is going to fuck up the Church for the rest oftime... and I'm expected to believe thatyou don't have an agenda?" "I have no expectations ofyou other than keeping your eyes on the road." " Please." " Well, I have been ordered... to obeyyour every command." "Ordered?" "Bywhom?" "DeputyAttache toJerusalem, Moshe Cohen." " You guys should get along well." " Hey, what areyou doing?" "Know this." "I am not gonna lie foryou." "Whywould I askyou to lie?" "'Cause my archaeological facts will confict with your religious beliefs." "Don'tyou forget that." "Areyou trying to get us killed?" "I thought that was yourjob." "Listen, I'm" "I'm sorry I came down on you so hard." "No, you're not." "That's okay." "What I would really like is some sympathy... for scaring me halfto death with your driving." "You better get used to it." "All Israelis drive like this." "Then all Palestinians have to do is giveyou faster cars... and wait for the inevitable." " I'll pickyou up at 6:00." " 1 1 :00." " Time to unpackyour bags?" " 1 1 :00." "You must be Patch's nephew." "Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets an advance like this." "Not even for the second coming." "Oh, and this arrived foryou about an hour ago from Tel Aviv." "Looks important." "You're here for the pope." "Actually, I am the pope's nephew." " It'sJerusalem, isn't it?" " May I see my room now, please?" "Pope's nephew, eh?" "Saint Peter's suite." "This way." " What is your name, Father?" " Winstead." "Is Fr." "Lavelle in his room?" "Yes, he is." "It's up the stairs to the left and across the bridge." "Ignoring warnings ofarmedintervention by the Israelis... the Palestinian NationalAuthority announcedtoday... thatit will declare EastJerusalem the capitalofPalestine." "Raising thespecter ofabiblicalarmageddon..." "Christian fundamentalists predict the destruction... oftheirmostholyshrines... ifthe Via Dolorosashouldcome underPalestinianrule." "This isJohnJays reporting live fromJerusalem." "I don't have any money." "I don't wantyour money." "Just drive." "Fr." "Lavelle?" "Father, I am Matt Gutierrez." "Oh, soyou are the chosen one." "Yes, the chosen one." "Does that disturbyou in some way?" "In the hierarchy ofmy pain, Father, that is hardly a novitiate." "I have a few questions, ifyou don't mind." "All right." "Let me see what we have in here." "So, Father, when you entered the tomb... you believed in the resurrection." "When you left, you did not." "What was it, ten minutes, halfan hour?" "How long wereyou there?" "No, no, no, it was not that I-- I didn't believe." "It was that I realized it was possible that I didn't believe." "The oxidation on the wrists and the legs." "A crucifixion in a rich man's tomb." "I know, but Romans gave out crucifixions like parking tickets." "Yeah, but never rich people." "Only criminals or political enemies." ""There came a rich man from Arimathea namedJoseph." "AndJoseph took the body ofJesus and laid it in his own new tomb... hewn out ofthe rock, and rolled a stone against the entrance."" "And that is a picture ofa rich man's tomb." "But... so then I understand no firm date has been established... for the body or the tomb, correct?" "You're forgetting the coin she found." "It was a Pilatus." "Father, isn't it possible the body in the tomb is that ofa Christian?" "I mean, a follower ofChrist and not Christ himself?" "Yes, it is possible." "In that case, it would have been buried... with some Christian symbol to illustrate the fact." "Ifnot in the open, then hidden... on the inside ofthe ossuary or at the bottom ofajaryou would have found... three concentric circles... or an antique cross... or a fish." "So... it was Dr. Golban who asked you to come to the tomb, correct?" "It was Moshe Cohen from the prime minister's office." "Did he call others?" "Did he call Armenians..." "Orthodox, Protestants?" "Why did he call you, Father?" "What is all this?" "Am I supposed to doubt them because they areJews?" "Father, I understand that you are in great pain." "Butyou have to let me carry this now." "This is mine." "The Holy Father has given it to me." "I don't like it, but I have to take it." "But why areyou asking me all these questions?" "Who said what, who did what, who intended what!" "Don'tyou realize... what it means ifit is He in that tomb... the unrisen Christ?" "The end ofChristianity." "That someone likeyou, Father, could believe that... is exactlywhy the Church wants to know who said what and why." "Come on." "Believe me." "We want to know every speck ofdust in that tomb." "We don't wanna lose one soul because ofthese things." "I mean, not one!" "And ifwe have lostyou" "We don't wanna loseyou, Father." "What will you do,Jesuit... ifyou discover that it is Christ in that tomb?" "A man like all ofus?" "I will turn to God for the answer." "You know, I think it's enough for today." "I am sorry I interrupted you." "One more thing." "For security reasons, I think it would be better... to moveyou someplace where you can continueyourwork in private." "All right." "Doyou know who I am?" "Yes." "You are Abu Yusef." "Let's have some tea and talk." "Please." "So, Mr. Hamid... what can you tell me about the excavation... behind your store?" "I was digging a basement... when they found an ancient tile foor." "And now,just waiting to dig a basement." "All that over a foor?" "I heard Dr. Golban, the archaeologist, say something... about the tiles being from the 1 2th century." "Then why the Shin Beth is so interested in it?" "The secret police is interested in my hardware store?" "And the Vatican state." "The Vatican?" "You will find out more." "How?" "I'm just a simple shopkeeper." "And I wasjust a simple teacher." "Ifit's important toyou" "Toyou too." "To the fate ofJerusalem." "Nothing must prevent us from making it our capital." "Doyou think my" "Anything that brings Israelis and Rome togetherworries me." "That's the reason I need you to be my eyes and ears." "Watch everything." "Who is going in, who is coming out... what they bring in, what they take out." "You should contact me immediately." "Thanks." "They've only been told we're protecting the body from religious extremists." "Doyou want 'em to stay?" "It's your call." "Let them go." "Now we have our first major archaeological decision." "Who goes first, Church or infidel?" "Areyou nervous?" "Take one ofthese." "Right here is where we found the Pilatus coin." "The coin." "It's a very convenient way ofdating a tomb, right?" "Yes, but not the only one." "Now, notice something?" "Well, it's empty." "Exactly." "They peered into the tomb, and it was empty." "Matthew 27, Mark 1 5, Luke 23." "Yes." " So?" " That's until you get to the claywall." "Why doyou think the wall was put up in the first place?" "To hide something much more valuable... than a coin." "What are these orange marks?" "That is oxidized iron." "I think they used smaller spikes than usual... because although iron rusts... it usually survives as long as bone in these conditions." "You'll notice here... that these bones aren't broken." "Now, the Romans... usually break the bones ofthe legs... to speed death." "These things came to pass that scripture might be fulfilled." "Not a bone of His shall be broken, or something like that." "Exactly like that." "And you know it." "From this you determined those were the bones ofJesus Christ, right?" "I didn't say that." "What I said was the discovery at this point conforms to the Gospels." "I knew this wouldn't work." "It'll work." "It'll work ifyou-- ifwe stop playing games with each other." "Mr. Hamid, Ibelieveyouhave a visitor." "And you didn't think to call your friends in Gaza." "I was going to, but" "In the name ofAllah, I'm a Palestinian." "Ifwhat's in the tomb causes the Vatican to side with Israel onJerusalem... the other Catholic nations will follow." "And that, my friend, will deprive us from our birthright." "Listen, I" "I swearyou will hear from me very soon." "Very soon." "I want all correspondence with theJesuit courier in code." "Well, ifyou insist." "But it won't doyou any good." "Any hackerwith half-an-hour's experience and a modem could crack it." "Such as?" "Arabs, Israelis, CNN, MTV." "It's like one big party line out here." "Who's the biggest party guest?" "A week ago, we heard the PFJ were listening in, but why I don't know." " The PFJ ?" " The Popular Front ofJerusalem." "They're some ex-intifadas out ofGaza, run by some bloke called Abu Yusef." "Postcards to God." "Doyou want to send Him a note, tell Him you arrived safely?" "Or for luck?" "Maybe later, ifI really need it." "Let's go." "Peace at any price is not peace." "It's a sacrilege." "Mr. Cohen." "Moshe, please." "Why did you ask Fr." "Lavelle to look at the body?" "He was an obvious choice." "He's an expert in the field." "He's a Catholic priest, and he was here." "And you knew bringing him in would involve the Vatican... even though there were many other choices." "I thought the Church might appreciate the gesture." "But it seems you look a gift horse in the mouth." "Look?" "I didn't come here just to look." "You are the most formidable Christian sect." "To have the state ofIsrael involved in something so potentially dangerous... to the Christian faith could have serious... repercussions for us." "So, any other agendas I should be aware of?" "Well, quite frankly, our only agenda... was to dump this problem in the Vatican's lap." "We've done that, so now I'm just here to assist." "All right." "Dr. Golban's preliminary report... the one I saw in Rome... has that been published yet?" "No." "Probably later this week." "Stop it." "Stop the publication." "And ifyou don't have the authority to stop it... you tell me who does." "I have the authority." "I have the authority for that." "And much more." "I'm sureyou do." " Morning." " I broughtyou one ofthese." "Wasn't sure ifcaffeine's a sin on a Tuesday morning." "As long as there is no more than three lumps, I am safe." "Thanks." "I hopeyou don't mind, but I thought it best to... postpone publishing your report in the archaeological journals." " You did what?" " I saw Moshe Cohen this morning... and he agreed that" "You had a meeting with Cohen without me and decided to censor my report?" "Yes." "I suggested it." "Could you forget your ego for a while?" "You think I filed those reports for the thousands who fock to newsstands... to read the latest edition ofthe ArchaeologicalReview?" "What ifI woke up and decided it's not a good idea foryou to say Mass today?" " I stopyou." " Listen to me." "Making your speculations public-- and that's all you have, speculations-- is not gonna help the investigation." "My saying Mass harms no one." " Maybe it does." " Really?" "Maybe it threatens me in the same way this archaeological find... is threatening your religion." "I am not threatened." "I am just concerned about knee-jerk reactions." " And I thinkyou should be too." " It's your reaction." "It's the Vatican meddling in places... where religion has no place that's concerning me." "Bullshit." "This is more about religion than anything else and you know it." "Especially here inJerusalem." "You're suggesting we throw science, religion and politics into a mess." "A mess ofunpredictable consequences." "I don't like to work like that." "Bullshit is the language ofthe new Ecumenical Church, is it?" "The coffee's great." "Areyou enjoying the show?" "It'sjustyour subtle style of Jesuitical debate." "It's very impressive." "Have fun." "You're taking this personally." "You're bloody right I'm taking it personally." "I should have called you." "I apologize for that." "I don't apologize for delaying the publication." "All you had to do was ask." "Would you have agreed?" "Now we'll never know, will we?" "We're taking a break." "They're inside." "What is next?" "Well, I have to dust off every single one ofthese bones... polyvinyl them and then we can move them." "All right." "There is a body in the tomb, and old bones." "The man is a Catholic priest from America." "No, not the same one that was here before." "I will, as soon as I know something new." "What areyou looking for?" "A spear mark?" "Would I find it?" "Probably." "But the pathologist would be more accurate." "Right." "Christ was run through with a spear, wasn't he?" "Listen." "You said something about... other sources ofdating besides the coin." "Yes, we may find seeds in the claywall." "And we can compare the style ofthe oil lamp with other contemporary examples." " Will you hold this for me?" " Sure." "Areyou okay?" "Can you get that box for me, please?" "Yeah, sure." " What does this say?" " It'sjust random lettering." "They used to practice their handwriting... on pottery before they transferred it to parchment." "Could thisjar have been used for anointing?" "Yeah, but we won't know for certain until the analysis... on the residue comes back from the lab." "Why?" "Well, according to the Gospels... the two Marys never finished preparing Christ's body for burial." "That's why they came back the next morning, morning ofthe resurrection." "But, ofcourse, you know that." "Yeah, I know that." "But thejar is kiln-fired so we can use it for thermoluminescent dating." "All we have to do is find one other piece that we know to be from 32 AD... and then we match the glow curves." "So, how can we do that?" "We find a piece that says, " Dear Pontius Pilate... here are some cleansing oils forwashing offdirty hands."" "You're getting funnier and funnier." "It's not ajoke, actually." "One call from Moshe Cohen to the National Museum and it's done." "Whywon't they leave me alone?" "They took thejar." "I know." "I know who they are and Cohen can help us get it back." " Areyou okay?" " Yeah." "Areyou hurt?" "It'sjust a scratch." "Why did they attack us?" "The Orthodox attack any archaeological dig... where they think bodies have been found." "What's going on?" "Theywon't speak to me because I'm a woman." "Do they speak English?" "Do they speak Spanish so I can communicate with them?" "We have to wait for Cohen." "Areyou okay, Father?" "We know the group." "They're troublemakers." "Followers ofthe Reb Nechtal." "Doyou think they'll give it back?" "Who knows?" "Excuse me, sir." "Those men over there." "Theywere supposed to be guarding the tomb, correct?" "You two, back to the dig." "Come with me." "You wait here." "You're bleeding again." "I'm fine." "We can go inside." "Will you wear this, Father?" "Right." "Ask him ifSharon could be admitted... as our scientific authority." " Areyou serious?" " As a heart attack." "He says the law is the law." "Theywon't return thejar because... we disturbed the dead." "And according to the Talmud... the dead are sacred." "Tell him the Talmud... is not an absolute instrument... but a subjective one that needs man." "That is what they teach." "The Talmud needs man... as much man needs the Talmud." "Tell him." "Look." "These men live by the Talmud." " I don't thinkyou understand." " Say it." "Wait, wait, wait." "What did he say?" "He says, the rabbi is right." "Which rabbi?" "You." "Reb Nechtal will return thejar." "But the bones must remain in the tomb until we can confirm... whether or not the deceased man was a Gentile." "Tell him that he has myword." "That shoulder is bothering you." "Why can't we do something about it?" "It's all right." "Taking thejar is one thing." "But as far as removing the body is concerned... these guys would rather eat pork than disturb the dead." "Satisfied?" "Can we go now soyou don't bleed on the foor and contaminate my dig?" "Hey." "Where's the lamp?" "Petty thieving." "Happens all the time." "These are the conditions I have to work under." "Every link in the chain is relevant." "There was lettering on thejar." "Maybe there is something written on the lamp too." "You can try and buy it back on the Via Dolorosa tomorrow ifyou like." "You know what I just realized?" "That someone besides you, me and Lavelle has seen the body." "I know." "I'm gonna takeyou inside and do something with your shoulder." " I'll just take a taxi." " Let me have a look atyour shoulder." " Am I gonna get some chicken soup?" " Ifyou're lucky." " I'm so sorrywe're so late." " That's all right." "You look exhausted." "Have my children been tiring you out?" "My children wore me out long beforeyours." "Don't worry." " And who areyou?" " I am Matt Gutierrez." "Gutierrez." "Sephardic." "SephardicJesuit." "Matt's a priest from America." " You don't look like a priest." " I know that." "He knows that." "Well, now I understand thoseJews forJesus." " Good night." "Thanks, Mrs. Kahn." " Seeyou tomorrow." " Nice meeting you." " Same here." "Makeyourselfat home." "Go into the living room." "Mrs. Kahn's a professional matchmaker." "Did she askyou for I D?" "No." "She was satisfied when I showed her my cross." "I understand theywork on vampires too." "My husband, Yaron." "He was killed in Lebanon." "I'm sorry." "You know, they can take care ofthis at the monastery." "Soyou keep saying." "Now go and sit down." "You are stubborn." "So, was he a professional soldier?" "No, he was a poet." "We met at university." "He taught a very pretentious course called Pushkin to Perestroika." "I'm sorry." "It must be hard to talk about that." "I found the most amazing pathologist from London to study our body." "Dr.Jonas Sproul." "So, I understand that only from the bones... they can determine what a person did for a living... orwhat ethnic group or how old he was" "I thoughtyou didn't know anything about archaeology." "Well, ifit wasn't for the Discovery Channel, I wouldn't." "Those letters on thejar, doyou have a hard copy ofthem anywhere?" "Can I have one, please?" "What areyou plotting?" "Come on." "Humor me, okay?" "But ifI'm gonna treatyour shoulder, I'm gonna need to see some skin." "Come on." "Think ofme as your sister." "I don't seeyou as a nun, actually." "I am a confirmed widow." "What happened toyour back?" "El Salvador." "Theywere tough on priests?" "Tough on enemy soldiers." "I was with military intelligence." "Military intelligence had to fight?" "They don't have to fight." "Just like poets." "You have some blood in your hair." "Who's there?" "Go back to bed." "Come on." "I'm sorry." "I should" "You know, I should go too." " I'm sorry." " Thankyou anyway." "Areyou okay?" "Well, I missed the chicken soup, but some other time." " Bye-bye, little one." " Say good night, Dorene." " Fr." "Gutierrez, please." " I'll get him foryou." "Thanks." " Yes?" " Dr. Golban's here." "Coming right down." "I'm sorry." "I forgotyou're a priest." "I'm sorry." "Be right back." "Sorry." "It's the piece from the museum dated 32 AD... theyear Christ was crucified." "So Moshe came through." "How do we know this piece has an exact date?" "It's a tributaryjar, a Caiaphas piece... and the lettering on it refers to the earthquake of32 AD." "And could thejar have been kept around for 20 years and then used?" "Unlikely." "It would be sacrilegious to use an oldjar in a temple offering." "And here's the hard copy ofthe lettering on the oil jar... you asked for, by the way." "Nothing they don't need to know, okay?" "It's a lovely piece." "I've only seen one like it in the National Museum." "You say it's authenticated?" "All right, I'm going." "Name ofthe dig, please?" "It's Dr. Golban's." "I don't know ifI should." "I have to identify thejob with some name... any name." "I don't know." "Call it..." "Massada." "They're running a spectograph on the oil." "Doyou want to come and look?" "I would." "I'd rather talk to Hamid about the lamp." "I don't think he's involved." "He's a good man." "I know, but I have a hunch he might know something about it." "I'll pickyou up afterwards." "I'm sorry." "I wish I could helpyou." "But as soon as you and Dr. Golban ran out..." "I thought it would be safer ifI closed the shop for the day and went home." "Why safer?" "I'm a Palestinian, Mr. Gutierrez... with a shop near an Orthodox neighborhood... where they stone people for driving on the Sabbath." "Yet alone disturbing their dead." " I'm sorry." " It's okay." "It's all right." "I'm very sorry." "Listen to me." "There is no reason to be afraid ofme." "No one can punish you for something you know nothing about." "Keep moving." "They've arrived." "The chemical analysis ofthe oil leaves us in no doubt." "It was definitely used for anointing." "And the carbon fourteen dating?" "Theyear 1 , plus or minus 80." "Same as the seeds in the claywall." "Here's a list ofthe things I'll need." "So, according to our measurements... this man was five foot five... which is a good five inches shorter." " Five inches shorter than what?" " The image ofChrist... in the Holy Shroud ofTurin." "You'rejoking, right?" " What?" " I said, you'rejoking, right?" "I am not." "Congratulations, Father." "You came to prove something, nowyou proved it." "Pax vobiscum, Sursum corda, whatever." "Wait a second." "Sharon, please." "Wait, wait." "Wait." "Wait, wait, wait." "Can we discuss this?" "Just tell me what's on your mind." "Go back to Rome." "I don't have time." "That is not fair." "I came here for the truth, likeyou." "So tell me." "The Turin Shroud is a proven fake, soyour supposition is ridiculous." "Not even your Church will take a position on it." "And even ifit would, the image cannot be that ofthe Christ." "It could." "It could be." "That is enough to include it in the investigation." " Read the Gospels, Father." " Believe me, I have." "Well, read them as a scientist, not as a believer." "As a scientist?" "I am not a scientist." "I am a priest." " I cannot fightyour faith!" " I came here with a specific purpose." "Ifyou behave like a mystic, go back to the Middle Ages... because I cannot do this with you here." " Areyou all right?" " Yes." "Come here." "The tomb." "Stop it!" "No!" "Don't!" "Don't shoot!" "No." "In the name ofGod, please don't shoot him!" "Don't shoot him!" "Thankyou." "Thankyou." " Good morning, Father." " Good morning." "Any news?" "You all right?" "I have been better." "Well, ifyou're talking aboutyesterday, nobody's taking credit for anything." "Which around these parts is like the soccer player shagging a movie star... and not telling anyone about it." "Which means?" "Which means, there's more to it than meets the eye." "Like this." "Look." "Some sort ofcode?" "I don't know." "You're the expert." "This is a very nice outfit." " Thankyou, Father." " I am impressed." "When the Vatican recognizes an undivided Jerusalem as the capital ofIsrael... thebones willbereleased." "The poison spreads." "Does the prime minister know about this?" "But ifhe did, he'd probably pin a medal on me." "Aren'tyou sticking your neck out?" "A faint heart neverwon a battle, Avi." "Or a seat in the cabinet." "Even ifit means destroying a religion?" "Don't be an idiot." "This won't be the end ofChristianity or the Catholic Church." " How can you know that?" " Look." "Religion is not based on a rational system ofproofs." "It survives because ofhuman need." "We offer proof that Christ has not risen... those who believe are not gonna believe us." "Some may fall away, butyou know what?" "I think Christianity's gonna survive." " Whatdoyou think?" " Idon't think Cohenisbluffing." "No." "The body." "Doyou really believe it is He in that tomb?" "I don't concern myself with that very much." "My concerns are for the Church and her real problems." "Matt, I don't understand... why it's such a disaster for the Catholic Church... ifthese are the bones ofChrist." "Isn't it enough that He was an exceptional man... who founded an exceptional way oflife... that's good and compassionate and understanding?" "Right." "The power of His message is love." "You're right with that." "But at the same time salvation and resurrection, He's God." "He's not only God for me." "He's God for millions ofpeople." "You know, when I left the army..." "I swore I would never again do ajob that could harm people." "So I chose an archaeologist." "That's a pretty safe bet, you might think." "Now all ofa sudden, I'm... being blamed for destroying a world religion." "Ifyou take away His resurrection... you kill the GodJesus... and with Him the dream ofmillions of people who believe He's all they have." "Areyou manipulating me, Matt?" "Areyou trying to make me feel?" "But I wouldn't call that manipulation." "No." "I don't want to feel responsible for this." "It's not my fault." "What about the truth?" "Christ said the truth will setyou free." "The truth will setyou free." "You asked me to seeyour truth... to think like a scientist." "Now..." "I askyou to experience my truth... to thinkwith your heart." "Can you do that for me?" "No, I can't." "You don't know my truth." "And I am afraid ofit." "All we can do is offer it up to a higher power... and pray that in time all will be revealed." "Did you read that in a fortune cookie?" "No." "It's a proverb." "In time, all that is hidden will be revealed." "It's the Bible." "It's a big book, but it's a crackin' read." "Mr. Hamid is waiting foryou on the veranda." "He says it's very important." "Hamid?" "Here?" "I cannot believe thatyou were able to find it." "Jerusalem is small." "For every oil lamp a thiefand for every thiefa buyer." "Please." "And you expect me to believeyou, a known terrorist?" "I do not expectyou to believe me." "But I do expectyou to believeyour ears." "When the Vaticanrecognizesan undivided Jerusalem as the capitalofIsrael... thebones willbereleased." "That's immaterial." "On the contrary." "IfCohen succeeds in this blackmail... there will be a bloodbath." "With you at the spigot." "I didn't inviteyou here to exchange insults." "In fact, you didn't invite me here." "You lured me here under false pretenses." "I broughtyou here to provide us both a way out." "Remove the body from the tomb... and I will helpyou get it toyour embassy in Syria." "Soyou can blackmail the Vatican, like Moshe Cohen?" "Mr. Yusef..." "I believe God has no place in politics." "Mine, yours." "That's what I believe." "Then the blood will be on your hands, not on mine." "Even you don't believe that." "I believe this is yours." "Soyou got a special body thatyou want me to examine." "500 BC." "Is that correct?" " What makes you think it's special?" " That." " There was a terrorist attack." " No, what makes the body interesting... is the fact that it was crucified." "Did the Babylonians crucify?" "I think not, Sharon, no." "Twenty-five hundred years is a long way down." "Now, I prefer to examine bodies in a lab." "The darkness ofa tomb breeds fights ofimagination." "So, shall we have a look atyour fellow?" "What areyou so nervous about?" "I told him the bodywas 500 BC." "I lied foryou." "Now, this is unusual." "Minor indentations... from the coronal suture... along the frontal." "Now, the skin was pierced with something right to the skull... pointed objects ofsome kind, but not--yes, not metal." "There's no oxidation." "All the way along to the supraorbital notch." "Our fellow was obviously male, yes, and... certainly crucified." "But I'm not sure about this date, 500 BC." "It appears Roman." " Why?" " Ifyou see this mark on the ribs... looks like they finished him off with a round spear." "Build-up ofright forearm." "A mason." "A carpenter." "Just like Christ." "Shall we continue this conversation outside?" "Father, we've got to talk." "Yes, fine, good." "I have found something." "Daniel 7 and 8, about the coming ofthe Antichrist in the 70th week." " No, please, Father." " Which is not a week, butyears." "This is serious stuff." "Thousands." "And exactly correlates... with Nostradamus and Revelations." "Dr. Sproul said to me that the body had" "Exactly." "The body." "See?" "Mark 1 8, verse 21 ." "And ifany man shall say untoyou... here, lo is Christ or lo, He is there, believe him not." " Please, Father." " Daniel predicted... that the false prophet would come as a man likeyou or I." "But he was wrong." "It is the body." "Dr. Sproul found scratches on the rib cage from the legionnaire's spear." " Irrelevant." " Irrelevant?" "He knew his age, that he was a carpenter." "That is not irrelevant." "Butyou're not listening." "It doesn't matterwhat he said." "He has no authority in matters ofthe faith." " But I thoughtyou were a scientist." " I am." " In the service ofGod." " For heaven's sake, put God aside... and let me talk to the scientist." "Please tell me!" "Give me something we can use, something we can hold on to." "But I already have." "Mark 1 3, verse 21 ." "The body in the tomb is the false prophet." "You accept him and you summon the Antichrist." "What about the crown ofthorns, Father?" " What doyou mean, crown ofthorns?" " Yes." "The one that pierced the forehead ofa carpenter in his mid-'30s." "With unbroken legs, oxidation marks on the wrist and feet and a heart wound." "What do we do about that?" "What do I do, Father?" "Yes, yes." "I" " I seeyour point." "Please... give me a few moments alone." "Ofcourse." "I'm sorry." "Ofcourse." "What areyou doing here?" "What happened?" "I've been looking foryou everywhere." "Fr." "Lavelle is dead." "He killed himself." "And he did that after I told him about..." "Dr. Sproul's findings." "I'm sorry." "Shit." "I can't... do God's work anymore." "When I was 1 4 years old..." "I had a rife hanging on my shoulder." "No hopes, no future, no nothing." "There was this man, this priest... called Manuel Arrerra." "He was one ofthose liberation priests... revolutionaries ofGod." "In some way he was a father to me." "One day..." "I was standing in the middle ofthe church, and he came up to me and said..." ""You would be a great soldier ofChrist."" "And I believed him." "It became my ambition." "My countrywas in the middle ofa war... and he was working for the guerillas, and... he convinced me that... the best way I could help our cause was... working undercover... for military intelligence." "On the 1 4th ofJune, 1 981 ..." "I made a terrible mistake." "My most reliable source... gave me information I absolutely believed to be true." "I passed it to..." "Fr." "Manuel." "And I sent him to his death." "These two deaths are unrelated." "And neither ofthem was your fault." "Theywere my family." "They are my family." "That's... all I have." "Ifthat" " Ifthat is the body ofJesus Christ..." "I sent Fr." "Lavelle to oblivion, to nothingness." "I need to know ifthat body there... is Him." "Can you get that?" "Galit, from the lab." "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait." "Could you repeat that?" "Areyou sure?" "No doubt?" "Thankyou." "God bless you." "Bye." " What did she say?" " It is not Him." "It's not Christ." "70 CE." " Something about a perfect glow." " Great." "I gotta go." "I gotta go." "I have to write the report and fax it right away to Rome." " Okay, let's go." " Wait." "I'm sorry." " I am sorry." "I'm such an idiot." " I don't understand." "This was your big discovery." "I don't know what to say." "I'm sorry." "I'm happy, you're happy." "And I'm not gonna burn in hell, so let's go." "Come on." "Jacket, keys.Jacket." " Yourjacket." " Oh, yes." "Yes." "All the cross-checks andduplicationsare there." "Thoughtit was quitestraightforward." "I just don't follow howyou managed to establish a precise date... based solely on the glow curves." "We didn't." "We still have to match it to a known date." "Then how did you get 70 CE... from a piece that's 32 CE?" "You didn't say 32 CE." " I didn't say anything." " Yes, you did." "You did." "You said Massada." "You did!" "I only said Massada as a name for a file." "I didn't giveyou the date." "I didn't." "All right." "Was the date ofthe matching piece 32 CE?" "Yes." "Then your date is 32 CE." "It's a perfect match." "Father, a message has come through for you on the Net." "Cardinal Pesci's office." "Hello, Father." "It's urgent." " Can you read it to me?" " It's marked foryour eyes only." "What's it say?" "And don't go through the motion ofopening the envelope." " I knowyou did it already." " I may have caught a peek." "It goes something along the lines of..." ""Cardinal Pesci and Moshe have spoken." "And they concur that it's time foryou to bring your friend to Rome."" "I booked you a fight for tomorrow morning." " Shall I tell Dr. Golban?" " No, no." "I'll do it myself." "And, Father..." "I'm sorry about not being able to crack that code ofyours." "It's all right." "It's not important anymore." "Thanks." "Hello, Abu Yusef." "Theysaid thebody was Christ." "He said Christ?" "Ifthat's what they think, Rome will do anything to get it back." "Wemustactimmediately." " Stop." " What's wrong?" "I forgot to say good-bye to the Easter Bunny." "Don't tell me." "The Red Queen has invited you to her birthday party." "Not exactly." "You were right." "It was a prayer." "The bloody code ofyours." " We have a plane to catch." " Excuse me." "How is that?" "I ran a program to search for keywords like "please," " Father," "God," "Amen."" " And they all came up?" " No, not exactly." "But two and three-quarters." "" Please" and " Father."" "And then three letters from the word "God."" "Which means our man is aJew." "AJew will not write out the full word "God" on anything that may be destroyed." "Could even be a follower ofChrist." " In the wall." " What is this about?" "There is a prayer in the tomb." " What letter's missing?" " Fav." " The dig is over." " Hold on." " Take a look." " Bingo." " The oil lamp from the dig." " It's got to be in the tomb." "I have to find Sharon." "Let's go." " Excuse me." "Dr. Golban?" " Hamid." "Is everything all right?" "I don't know." "It's Mr. Gutierrez." "He took a pick from the store and disappeared into the tomb." "He seemed very disturbed." "I thoughtyou would want to know." "Yes." "Yes." "Let's go." "The van is over here." "It's okay, Hamid." "I'll take my car." "What's going on?" "Hamid, why didn't youjust call me?" "Hamid, what's going on?" "We mean you no harm." "Unless you do what I say, the children will be executed." "Theywant what's in the tomb." "Can you hear me?" "Message for Fr." "Gutierrez." "Dr. Golban" "I can't hearyou." "Talk slower." "You're breaking up." "They've taken the children." "It's only a body." " They're only bones." " Father!" "Father!" "Dr. Golbanjust called." "She's freaking out." " Her kids have been kidnapped." " What?" "The line was bad, but I'm sure she said bones." " Give meyour car keys." "Just bones." "Call Moshe Cohen and tell him exactlywhat Sharon said." " What's happening?" " Call him." "The body is missing." "Yes." "The red car!" "Follow the red car!" "Why doyou stare like that?" "Theywould have killed my family ifI didn't cooperate." "And my family's disposable just because we're Israeli?" "Ofcourse not." "But it's ofno consequence, as no one will be killed." "Soyou say." "I swear it." "On my life." "Everything will be fine now." "You will see." "This is Abu Yusef." "Where are my children?" "Soyou are the one who started all the trouble." "Nowyou have whatyou want, so she will have the car to take the children." "You gave meyourword." "The children will be released." "Children, run inside." "Go away." "Run in." "You can't kill the children." "I swore my life!" "I won't have it!" "What haveyou done?" " You okay?" " Yeah." " The bones." "He went that way." " Where?" "Where?" "He went up the stairs." "Look after them." " I may hit the priest." " IfYusefmakes it out, he's in Syria." "Give it up." "As you said..." "God... has no place in politics." "Not mine." "Notyours." "The Cardinal wants this incidentburied." "Tohave thestate ofIsrael involvedinsomething... sopotentially dangerous to the Christian faith... wouldhaveserious repercussions forus." "This isnot thebodyofChrist." "When the Vaticanrecognizes an undividedJerusalem... as the capitalofIsrael, thebones willbereleased." "Godhasnoplaceinpolitics." "Christsaid the truth willsetyoufree." "The truth willsetyoufree." "What's this doing in thehouse?" "Well, itbelongs tomy friendMatt." "But it's a cross." "Well, you see Matt is a Christian, and he wears a cross... likeyou wear your daddy's Magen David." "But there's this man on the cross." " And who doyou think that might be?" " I don't know." "What would you say ifI told you that that was their god?" "They can see their god." "Wow." "They're lucky." "Doyou think it matters that we can't see our god?" "Don't be sad, Mommy." "Daddy can see God." "Doyou think he can?" "I think he can too." "We're verypleasedthatyour recuperationisgoingso well." "Is thereanything we can do foryou?" "Yes, Your Eminence." "I would likeyou to listen to me." "Ofcourse, Father." "Ofcourse." "Your Eminence, when I was chosen to go toJerusalem..." "I asked you why." "Why me?" "Why not an archaeologist?" "Someone more... qualified for the task." "And when you told me it was because ofmy faith..." "I believed you." "Because for me... yourword was as good as..." "God's." "But now, Your Eminence-- now I know the real truth." "You needed a puppet to doyour bidding." "The body is not Christ, you said." "And that is exactly what I went to prove." "Whether it was true or not." "No matter how many innocent lives it cost in the process." "I knowyou don't believe this, Father." "But in timeyou will come to see it was not Him in that tomb." "Ofcourse." "I already know that." "I thought I had lost my faith in Christ, in God." "My savior." "My... friend." "But I hadn't." "I have lost my faith in serving men... likeyou or Moshe Cohen... who use God tojustify their material agendas." "That is why I now choose to serve God in my own personal way." "As a priest, you are sworn to silence." "Fr." "Gutierrez?" "Remember, Sharon... howyousaid the truth wouldsetme free?" "Well, ithas." "The Churchmademeapriest... butit was ourordealtogether thathasmademeaman ofGod." "Maybe forthe fiirst time." "WhereverIgo, I willkeepyouin myheart... andalsoin myprayers." "Godkeepyouandblessyou."