A series of fifteen (15) oil paintings are being displayed in an historic Herefordshire Church until the end of May. The paintings by former vet, Dan Adams, depict the Easter story in a very modern and radical way.

The pictures are on the walls of St Mary the Virgin Church in Burghill, just north of Hereford, from now until the feast of Pentecost at the end of May. They show the story of the trial and death of Jesus and unlike a usual fourteen Stations of The Cross found in many traditional Roman Catholic churches, this set contains a fifteenth celebrating the Easter Day resurrection.

“These are no ordinary Stations,” said the vicar of Burghill, Jimmy Morrison, “and these are no conventional images of Jesus either. They are powerful contemporary depictions of those terrible events seen through the eyes of a thoughtful 21st century agnostic.”

The paintings reflect some of the usual themes of the Stations such as the trial or condemnation to death, His first fall and meeting the women of Jerusalem. They also contain Mr Adams’ own interpretation of the Gospel story by including the nailing to the cross in close-up, the people of Jerusalem with masks to show their two faced approach to the Crucifixion, a slick teddy boy figure who is the historic Caiphas, the High Priest and a very angry Mary, the mother of Jesus.

“They are very radical pictures,” added Jimmy. “They will touch the hearts and minds of everyone who sees them. You may love or hate them but you will not be unmoved.”

There has been a church at Burghill since the 12th Century. It is built on an elevated site set amongst some fine examples of yew trees. The font dates from around 1180 while the porch early 16th Century. It has a 15th century oak screen between the chancel and the nave which was heightened, moved and added to for the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria.

The pictures will be on display until the end of May 2009 and the church is open every day.

Note to editors:
Stations of the Cross is the name used to signify either a series of pictures or tableaux representing certain scenes in the Passion of Christ, each corresponding to a particular incident, or the special form of devotion connected with such representations. They normally comprise 14 scenes as below
1. Christ condemned to death;
2. The cross is laid upon him;
3. His first fall;
4. He meets His Blessed Mother;
5. Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross;
6. Christ's face is wiped by Veronica;
7. His second fall;
8. He meets the women of Jerusalem;
9. His third fall;
10. He is stripped of His garments;
11. His crucifixion;
12. His death on the cross;
13. His body is taken down from the cross;
14. It is laid in the tomb.