The Crucifixion of the Church    75 

until the ninth hour.  (Mt 27:45). Add to these hours the time it took to nail 

Jesus to the Cross, and the result is over three hours. 

    Blessed Anne Catherine describes the process by which Jesus was nailed 

to the Cross. She does not give the amount of time, but from her description 

it is clear that it was a lengthy process, taking no short amount of time.

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Therefore, the Crucifixion of Jesus (including the nailing to the Cross) lasted 

over three hours, and perhaps as long as 3  hours. The over three hours of 

Jesus' Crucifixion foreshadows the 3  years of the Church's Crucifixion 

(the last half of the nearly seven years). 

    In this way, Holy Scripture has marked off two periods of time relating to 

Jesus' Crucifixion. The whole time, lasting nearly seven hours, begins with 

the scourging and ends with Jesus' death on the Cross. But Holy Scripture 

emphasizes the last part of Jesus Passion, His Crucifixion. This period of 

time, lasting over three hours, includes only the time of the Crucifixion 

itself, from the nailing of Jesus to the Cross to Jesus' death on the Cross. 

These few hours saw the most intense of Jesus' suffering. 

    This division of Jesus' suffering into two periods of time is an image of the 

time of the Church's great suffering. Just as Jesus suffered for nearly seven 

hours, the Church will suffer for nearly seven years. And just as Jesus' most 

intense suffering on the Cross lasted over three hours, so will the Church 

suffer most intensely during the last half of those nearly seven years. These 

3  years of the Church's greatest suffering is clearly described in the book of 

Daniel and in the book of Revelation. The nearly seven years, which 

includes the 3  years, occurs in the 25th century (in the 2430's), during the 

Antichrist's reign. 

    One more point: All of these events that occurred to Christ during the 

Passion and Crucifixion are a foreshadowing of specific events that will 

occur to the Church during the time of the lesser tribulation (i.e. the First Six 

Seals and the First Six Trumpets of the Seventh Seal) and, even more so, 

during the greater tribulation, i.e. the time of the ten kings and the reign of 

the Antichrist. 

    The Church will reaffirm the Eucharist before Her Passion, just as Christ 

celebrated the Last Supper before his  Passion. The Church will pray in 

agony as it anticipates its Passion and Crucifixion. Some Church leaders will 

betray the Church, just as Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ. The Church will be 

condemned by Jewish leaders, just as Christ was. Some Church leaders will 

deny the faith, just as Peter denied Christ. The Church will be scourged, 

ridiculed and mocked, crowned with thorns. The Church will be condemned 

by government leaders, just as Christ was. The Church will carry its Cross 

amid great suffering. Some non Christians will help the Church carry its 

Cross, just as Simon the Cyrene helped Christ carry His Cross. The Church 

will be crucified, just as her Lord was crucified. The abomination of