It May Come As A Surprise

Your history lesson for today:

                Did you know that both the Coptic (Egyptian) Orthodox Church and the Abyssinian Orthodox Church venerate Pontius Pilate as a saint?

                His feast day is June 25.   Roman Catholics do not observe this feast.   

   Why do the orthodox consider this Roman a saint?

                Pilate showed some respect to Jesus while questioning Him.

                Pilate declared “Behold, your king!” to the Jews.  He was the only one in the gospel to make this affirmative statement.

                Pilate ordered  the sign reading “Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews” and insisted it stay on the cross when antagonists badgered him to change it so as not to declare Jesus as King.

                Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” which may not have been badgering a prisoner but an earnest desire to seek the truth of Jesus message.

Pilate may have seen that Jesus was more than just a man when he declared, “Behold, the man!”

                Pilate may have been converted by his encounter with Jesus and what he heard transpired on Mount Calvary and the Resurrection.