The Words Inscribed on the Cross, INRI

Many paintings of the Crucifixion of Jesus include the letters INRI somewhere on or near the Cross. People often ask what that means.

The Bible actually tells us. Matthew 27:37 says that, on the Cross, over the head of Jesus, was a sign that said "This is Jesus the King of the Jews." (KJAV) Mark 15:26 and John 19:19 say essentially the same thing.

Romans had crucified many thousands of people in the 70 years before the Crucifixion. They had established patterns for much of the procedure. It was common for those who were about to be executed / crucified to be part of a procession, moving from the court in the city to the place of crucifixion outside of the city. As part of the procession, one of the guards commonly carried a sign that announced the crime that the person was condemned for. In the case of Jesus, no actual crime had been determined, so His official crime was in claiming to be the King of the Jews, even though He never actually made that claim.

At that time (the Middle Ages), all (Roman Catholic) Church Masses were conducted in Latin, and nearly everything associated with Christianity was written and spoken in Latin. VERY few books existed (before the printing press was invented) and only the Church and government normally had them, so virtually no people in a Congregation had any books, including the Bible. However, a number of Christian phrases WERE commonly known by the people, and one was Jesus' official crime, commonly referred to by four Latin words, IESVS NAZARENVS REX IVDAEORVM, the painters all apparently chose to simplify their paintings by only including the initials of the four Latin words, I N R I.