ABSTRACT
The Synoptic Gospels agree in recording that two marvellous happenings occurred as Jesus died: there came ‘a darkness over the whole land’ from the sixth to the ninth hour, and the Temple veil was rent from top to bottom. St. Matthew’s version adds a number of other happenings of a similarly unusual character: an earthquake took place and dead saints came out of their tombs and were seen by people in Jerusalem. St. John’s Gospel omits all reference to these stories.
