The Christogram Julia Latronilla Sarcophagus

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Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem Location: Rome, Italy Period: Roman Empire, approximately 330 - 340 CE Dimensions: length 208 X 208 X 76 cm Material: Marble This massive Roman sarcophagus once belonged to a devoted Christian woman named Julia Latronilla, who passed away in about 330 C.E.—just after Constantine's Edict of Toleration gave Christians the freedom to worship openly. The intricately carved sarcophagus showcases a series of dramatic scenes from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, such as Abraham's heart-stopping near sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22), Jesus' miraculous turn of water into wine at Cana (John 2:1-11), and Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem (e.g., Matthew 21:1–11). The central circle is one of the earliest known representations of the christogram, a powerful symbol that combines the first two letters of the Greek name for Christ, chi (X) and rho (P).