Nailed to a cross in Matera.

Jesus was nailed to a cross in Matera, a city in the south of Italy. In a fake sort of way. To make it look realistic. No, not the real Jesus. But an actor. In the controversial  Mel Gibson film, ‘The Passion of Christ.’ I was in Matera last week. With my Italian true love.  And the locals still talk about the making of the movie. Proud that their city was selected for the setting. Because Matera looks very much like Jerusalem. An ancient city. Built mostly of stone. On a steep hill. Over the centuries, the homes have been built on top of each other. And in caverns, too. It’s a fantastic place. Little wonder that Gibson chose Matera. It’s a natural.  All sorts of Biblical films have been shot in Matera. They  include  Pasolini’s ‘The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)’ and Bereford’s ‘King David  (1985)’ and Hardwicke’s ‘The Nativity Story (2006).’ –Jim Broede