Stanley Warren and the Changi Murals - The Crucifixion

The Crucifixion was the third of Stanley's murals to be completed.  He deliberately chose slaves to depict people carrying out the crucifixion as, `after all we don't know the full details of who crucified Christ, merely, "they took him and crucified him".' 

The slaves wore loincloths, a direct reference to the prisoners' own experience, but in choosing to represent those carrying out the action as slaves, he was also saying that the ordinary Japanese soldiers were slaves of their commanders when carrying out atrocities.  Indeed, many of the individuals carrying out atrocities were Indian and Korean conscripts. 

This work continued the themes of peace and reconciliation, with Stanley appearing to forgive his captors for the way he and his fellow POWs were being mistreated.  He noted that many of the guards showed a great interest in the progress of this particular mural, probably being very aware of the significance of its message.

He painted Jesus' eyes closed, as he thought it an `impertinence' to look into the eyes of Christ.

The message, `FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO' comes from Luke 22:34.

I find this the most moving of all of the Changi Murals, as it gets to the heart of how Christian faith was able to overcome the abomination of the treatment of FEPOWs in many cases.  It is the message of universal love and forgiveness, which Christ showed on the cross and set as an example for all his followers in the centuries to come.