Christ's Cause of Death During Crucifixion Explained by Doctor-Turned-Priest

A priest explains how the mystery of the death of Jesus Christ took place during the crucifixion. In a new study, the man of faith gathered scientific evidence to point out the most plausible reason for how the son of God departed from his human form.

Jesus of Nazareth's Mysterious Death

Patrick Pullicino was the expert that led the new study on Christ's death. The priest was a former neurology consultant at the East Kent Universities Hospitals NHS Trust. When Pullicino retired from his career, the expert began to specialize in the priesthood.

Pullicino investigated and collaborated with the medical and forensic scholars that analyzed the 'Shroud of Turin.' This piece of cloth is believed to be a part of a linen fabric that covered the body of Christ during his burial. The cloth included several markings that make what appears to be the Messiah's physical features.

The London-based doctor-turned-priest theorized that the cloth, which had been preserved since the 16th century, has an image of an individual with one of his shoulders dislocated.

Based on the print's placement data, the buried man had his arm pulled out from the shoulder's socket. The displacement was evident through the right hand attached to the affected limb, which stretched at least four inches lower than the left hand.

Pullicino explained that the excessive stretching of the arm for the crucifixion likely caused the subclavian artery of a person to rupture.

The subclavian artery is a large blood vessel located in the thorax. It serves as a pathway for the blood supply toward the head, neck, arms, and shoulder. When this artery explodes, an affected individual may experience internal bleeding. The case commonly leads to the halt of circulatory functions and even death.

Christ's Cause of Death, According to Scientific Perspective

According to a report, Puliccino said that a ruptured subclavian artery could produce three pints or approximately 1.7 liters of blood from the thorax to the upper torso, between the ribcage and the lung organ. This would explain the accounts from the scriptures that showed the excessive blood and water coming out of Christ's body after a Roman soldier pierced him to the body, the priest continued.

In the research, Pullicino said that the intensive stretching of the right arm could highly result in the subclavian/axillary artery stretching as well. The conclusion is likely to be the cause of Christ's death as the particular artery is among the major structures between the connection of the main body and arms.

The priest said that the body weight transfer possibly contributed to additional pull and damage to Christ's right subclavian artery. According to Pullicino, the stretch can be reversed if the person's weight is transferred to the legs and through exhalation.

However, the damaged subclavian artery will move to the rib surface when the person exhales, creating friction between the large vein and the protective bones.

During the first three hours of crucifixion, the research finds that Christ's subclavian artery was inflicted with abrasion, injured, and lost its functions before ultimately rupturing and excreting a large volume of blood.

The study was published in the Catholic Medical Quarterly, titled "Was a tension haemothorax the cause of Christ's effusion of blood?"

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