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| '''Pontius Pilate's wife''' is ] in the ], but |
''']'s wife''' is ] in the ] (] 27:19), but alternate Christian traditions gave her the name ('''Saint''') '''Procula''', '''Procla''', '''Prokla''', '''Perpetua''' or '''Claudia'''. Sometimes combinations in the vein of '''Claudia Procles''' are also used. | ||
| ⚫ | ===Biblical references=== | ||
| No verifiable biography exists on the life of ] wife. Some scholars have theorized she may have been the illegitimate daughter of ], the granddaughter of ], but this has not been determined.<ref>Historian.net essay on Pilate </ref><ref>NationMaster.com encyclopedia article on Claudia </ref> It is also believed that she walked out on her marriage to Pilate following the Resurrection and became a Christian missionary, but outside of a brief mention by ], there is no independent verification to confirm this.<ref>Origen, ''Homilies on Matthew,'' 35. See also the .</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | Of the ], only ] mentions Pilate's wife once. According to the ] 27:19, she sent a message to her husband asking him not to condemn ] to death: ''‘While Pilate was sitting in the judgment hall, his wife sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, because in a dream last night, I suffered much on account of him”’.'' | ||
| ⚫ | The name Claudia only appears in 2 ] 4:21. ‘''Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia send their greetings, and so all the other Christians’.'' However, there is nothing to suggest that this Claudia was Pilate's wife. | ||
| ⚫ | ==Biblical references== | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | ===Early Christian references=== | ||
| Pilate, did not heed his wife’s warning, but the evangelist does not record why he chose to ignore her. The Gospel of Matthew 27:20 abruptly switches from the plea by Pilate’s wife to the successful efforts by chief priests and the elders to persuade the crowds to rally for the release of ] and the death of Jesus. | |||
| According to a second century account by ] (''Homilies on Matthew'', 35) she became a Christian.<ref>''Catholic Encyclopedia'', entry: .</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | Pontius Pilate's wife is mentioned in the apocryphal ] (Gospel of Nicodemus, probably written around the middle of the 4th century)<ref>''Catholic Encyclopedia'', entry ""</ref>, which tells the episode of the dream comparable to the version in Matthew 27:19.<ref>, translated by M. R. James</ref><ref>, from ''The Apocryphal New Testament'', M.R. James (translation and notes). Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | ==Early Christian references== | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | ===Sainthood=== | ||
| ==Letters of Claudia Procula== | |||
| ⚫ | Procula (Procla, Prokla) is recognized as a saint in two churches within the ]: the ] and the ]. In the Greek Orthodox Church, she is celebrated on ]. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates Pilate and Procula together on ].{{fact}} | ||
| Three letters survive purporting to be written by Claudia Procula, relating to her time living in Judea. These manuscripts were found in a ] monastery in Bruges and placed within the ] archives. American literary scholar Catherine van Dyke was the first person to translate the letters into English. They were first published in ''Pictorial Review'' Magazine, April 1929. The entire text of Claudia's Letter is now published by Issana Press under the title of "Relics of Repentance." | |||
| ⚫ | Other churches, for instance the ],<ref></ref> did not canonize her. | ||
| The letters written from "a little Gallic mountain town" and are addressed to a woman named Fulvia. In their text, Claudia Procula describes the circumstances surrounding her failed attempt to secure Jesus’ release. The letters claim that Claudia had previously encountered Jesus and sought his aid to heal the crippled foot of her young son, Pilo. <ref>http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,828101,00.html</ref> According to the letters, to Claudia's deep satisfaction, Jesus was able to child. This satisfaction was destroyed by Pilate’s decision to condone the execution of Jesus. The letters end with Pilate and his wife living in poverty and exile as their fortunes crumbled following the crucifixion of Jesus.<ref>"Relics of Repentance" </ref> | |||
| ===Purported letter of Procula=== | |||
| ⚫ | ==Sainthood== | ||
| A letter, purportedly written by Procula, was published in '']'', April 1929.<ref> - this company published Claudia's purported letter ("A Letter from Pontius Pilate's Wife") in the booklet ''Relics of Repentance'' ISBN 0-9625158-2-5</ref> The English version of the Latin manuscript of this letter was provided by writer Catherine Van Dyke.<ref>], ]: </ref> | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ===Literature and movies=== | |||
| Neither the ], the ], nor that other branches of the ] faith have recognized Pilate’s wife with sainthood. | |||
| The poem "Pilate's Wife's Dream," written in 1846 by ], is believed to be the first English-language literary effort to honor Claudia Procula.<ref> by Charlotte Brontë</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | The Biblical scholar ], in ''Pontius Pilate: A Novel'' (1968) , attempts to take what is known from the documented record and from there construct a fictional narrative as connective material. Maier refers to Pilate's wife as "Procula" arguing that the name "Claudia" only comes from a later tradition. ''Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire'' or ''Claudia - Daughter of Rome'' (2006) by Antoinette May is one fictional account of the life of Claudia Procula. ''The Bride of Pilate'' by Esther Kellner is another, using the name Claudia and depicting her as the daughter of Julia the Elder.{{fact}} | ||
| ==In popular culture== | |||
| ⚫ | In theater, the life of Claudia Procula has been the subject of these dramas: “A Play for Easter” by Jewell Ellen Smith <ref>http://www.missionaryclinicbelize.org/usa/claudia.html</ref> and “Claudia Procula” by Curt M. Joseph <ref>http://www.bible-dramas.com/words2-excerpt.php</ref>. | ||
| Throughout the years, Pilate’s wife has been occasionally featured in literature and popular entertainment based on the life of Jesus. | |||
| ⚫ | In films, Claudia was called “Proculla” in the 1927 ] epic '']''; Majel Coleman played the role. Other notable cinematic references include ] in the 1954 ''Day of Triumph,'' ] in the 1961 '']'' (where she is identified as the daughter of the Roman emperor ]), ] in the 1962 Italian film ''Ponzio Pilato,'' and Angela Lansbury in the 1965 epic ''].'' Also in comedy Pontius Pilate's wife appears: ] played her in ]'s 1979 '']''.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0036034/</ref> | ||
| The poem "Pilate's Wife's Dream," written in 1846 by ], is believed to be the first English-language literary effort to honor Claudia Procula. The Biblical scholar ], in ''Pontius Pilate: A Novel'' (1968) , attempts to take what is known from the documented record and from there construct a fictional narrative as connective material. Maier refers to Pilate's wife as "Procula" arguing that the name "Claudia" only comes from a later tradition. | |||
| ⚫ | In the 2004 movie '']'' she is known as Claudia Procles (played by ]). In this film, she is placed in a pivotal and compassionate role: in one scene she admits that she is capable of knowing truth when she hears it, in another she consoles Jesus' mother Mary, while Mary Magdalene generously hands them towels to clean up the blood from his scourging.{{fact}} | ||
| ⚫ | ''Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire'' or ''Claudia - Daughter of Rome'' (2006) by Antoinette May is one fictional account of the life of Claudia Procula. ''The Bride of Pilate'' by Esther Kellner is another, using the name Claudia and depicting her as the daughter of Julia the Elder. | ||
| ⚫ | On television, Pilate’s wife was played by ] in the 1951 “Family Theatre” production “Hill Number One” and by ] in the 1952 ] production “Pontius Pilate.” ] played her in the 1980 made-for-television film “The Day Christ Died.” More recently, Claudia is featured in the 2008 TV serial '']'', played by ].{{fact}} | ||
| ⚫ | In theater, the life of Claudia Procula has been the subject of |
||
| ⚫ | The character of Claudia was also included in the Dorothy L Sayers radio-play cycle '']''.{{fact}} | ||
| ⚫ | In films, Claudia was called “Proculla” in the 1927 ] epic '']''; Majel Coleman played the role. Other notable cinematic |
||
| ⚫ | In the 2004 movie '']'' she is known as Claudia Procles (played by ]). In this film, she is placed in a pivotal and compassionate role: in one scene she admits that she is capable of knowing truth when she hears it, in another she consoles Jesus' mother Mary, while Mary Magdalene generously hands them towels to clean up the blood from his scourging. | ||
| Ironically, Pilate’s wife is not included among the characters in the one film based solely on the Gospel where she is cited, the 1964 ] film ''].'' | |||
| ⚫ | On television, Pilate’s wife was played by ] in the 1951 “Family Theatre” production “Hill Number One” and by ] in the 1952 ] production “Pontius Pilate.” ] played her in the 1980 made-for-television film “The Day Christ Died.” More recently, Claudia is featured in the 2008 TV serial '']'', played by ]. | ||
| ⚫ | The character of Claudia was also included in the Dorothy L Sayers radio-play cycle '']''. | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| *]: | *At ]: ] (], ed.), (in this account of ]'s ]s the name of Pilate's wife is Claudia Procles, as in ]) | ||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| {{New Testament people}} | {{New Testament people|collapsed}} | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 05:31, 14 May 2008
"Procula" redirects here. For the ladybird genus, see ].| Saint Prokla (Claudia Procula) | |
|---|---|
| File:October27.jpgPilate's wife, Saint Prokla (right), in a Greek Orthodox icon. | |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | Unknown |
| Venerated in | Greek Orthodox Church Ethiopian Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 27 October (Greek Orthodox) 25 June (Ethiopian Orthodox) |
Pontius Pilate's wife is unnamed in the New Testament (Matth. 27:19), but alternate Christian traditions gave her the name (Saint) Procula, Procla, Prokla, Perpetua or Claudia. Sometimes combinations in the vein of Claudia Procles are also used.
Biblical references
Of the Four Evangelists, only Matthew mentions Pilate's wife once. According to the Gospel of Matthew 27:19, she sent a message to her husband asking him not to condemn Jesus Christ to death: ‘While Pilate was sitting in the judgment hall, his wife sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, because in a dream last night, I suffered much on account of him”’.
The name Claudia only appears in 2 Timothy 4:21. ‘Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia send their greetings, and so all the other Christians’. However, there is nothing to suggest that this Claudia was Pilate's wife.
Early Christian references
According to a second century account by Origen (Homilies on Matthew, 35) she became a Christian.
Pontius Pilate's wife is mentioned in the apocryphal Acts of Pilate (Gospel of Nicodemus, probably written around the middle of the 4th century), which tells the episode of the dream comparable to the version in Matthew 27:19.
Sainthood
Procula (Procla, Prokla) is recognized as a saint in two churches within the Eastern Christian tradition: the Greek Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In the Greek Orthodox Church, she is celebrated on 27 October. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates Pilate and Procula together on 25 June.
Other churches, for instance the Coptic Church, did not canonize her.
Purported letter of Procula
A letter, purportedly written by Procula, was published in Pictorial Review Magazine, April 1929. The English version of the Latin manuscript of this letter was provided by writer Catherine Van Dyke.
Literature and movies
The poem "Pilate's Wife's Dream," written in 1846 by Charlotte Brontë, is believed to be the first English-language literary effort to honor Claudia Procula.
The Biblical scholar Paul Maier, in Pontius Pilate: A Novel (1968) , attempts to take what is known from the documented record and from there construct a fictional narrative as connective material. Maier refers to Pilate's wife as "Procula" arguing that the name "Claudia" only comes from a later tradition. Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire or Claudia - Daughter of Rome (2006) by Antoinette May is one fictional account of the life of Claudia Procula. The Bride of Pilate by Esther Kellner is another, using the name Claudia and depicting her as the daughter of Julia the Elder.
In theater, the life of Claudia Procula has been the subject of these dramas: “A Play for Easter” by Jewell Ellen Smith and “Claudia Procula” by Curt M. Joseph .
In films, Claudia was called “Proculla” in the 1927 Cecil B. DeMille epic The King of Kings; Majel Coleman played the role. Other notable cinematic references include Barbara Billingsley in the 1954 Day of Triumph, Viveca Lindfors in the 1961 King of Kings (where she is identified as the daughter of the Roman emperor Tiberius), Jeanne Crain in the 1962 Italian film Ponzio Pilato, and Angela Lansbury in the 1965 epic The Greatest Story Ever Told. Also in comedy Pontius Pilate's wife appears: John Case played her in Monty Python's 1979 Life of Brian.
In the 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ she is known as Claudia Procles (played by Claudia Gerini). In this film, she is placed in a pivotal and compassionate role: in one scene she admits that she is capable of knowing truth when she hears it, in another she consoles Jesus' mother Mary, while Mary Magdalene generously hands them towels to clean up the blood from his scourging.
On television, Pilate’s wife was played by Joan Leslie in the 1951 “Family Theatre” production “Hill Number One” and by Geraldine Fitzgerald in the 1952 Studio One production “Pontius Pilate.” Hope Lange played her in the 1980 made-for-television film “The Day Christ Died.” More recently, Claudia is featured in the 2008 TV serial The Passion, played by Esther Hall.
The character of Claudia was also included in the Dorothy L Sayers radio-play cycle The Man Born to be King.
See also
References
- Catholic Encyclopedia, entry: "Pilate".
- Catholic Encyclopedia, entry "Acta Pilati"
- The Acts of Pilate, translated by M. R. James
- "THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS, OR ACTS OF PILATE", from The Apocryphal New Testament, M.R. James (translation and notes). Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924
- The Coptic Church position on Claudia Procula’s sainthood
- Issana Press - this company published Claudia's purported letter ("A Letter from Pontius Pilate's Wife") in the booklet Relics of Repentance ISBN 0-9625158-2-5
- Time Magazine, 1963-04-12: "Gospel According to Claudia"
- "Pilate's Wife's Dream" by Charlotte Brontë
- http://www.missionaryclinicbelize.org/usa/claudia.html
- http://www.bible-dramas.com/words2-excerpt.php
- http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0036034/
External links
- At Project Gutenberg: Anne Catherine Emmerich (Clemens Brentano, ed.), The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 1904 (20th edition, first publication was 1833) (in this account of Emmerich's visions the name of Pilate's wife is Claudia Procles, as in Mel Gibson's film)