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The following play is about the Lord JesusChrist’s Glorious Resurrection. It is taken fromthe Holy Gospel of St. John. There are sevencharacters, including the narrator. This play goeswith the puppet theater activity found at the endof this article. You will need to make a MaryMagdalene finger puppet, two Angel fingerpuppets, one Lord Jesus finger puppet, one StPeter and one St John finger puppet for this play.

Each part has the name of the characterunderlined and in italics. Bold letters signify theaction of the character. It is recommended thatyou read the Holy Gospel of St. John, Chapter20: 1-18 prior to beginning the play. We hopeyou have fun creating the finger puppets andperforming the play for your family and friends!

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The Empty TombWritten by: A Southern Diocese Mom

Narrator:Narrator:Narrator:Narrator:Narrator:The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the livingGod, had died a terrible, shameful death onthe Holy Cross. Before they crucified Him theymade fun of Him and they whipped Him 39times. They placed a crown of thorns on Hishead and mocked Him by pretending toworship Him. Yet with His last minutes of lifeHe prayed that His Father in Heaven forgivethese people all the bad things they had doneunto Him.

Then He died.

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea tookdown the Lord Jesus’ body and wrapped it incloth and placed it in a new tomb. MaryMagdalene and the other women saw wherethe Lord Jesus Christ was placed. But becauseit was the Day of Preparation they had to gohome before they finished preparing the LordJesus Christ’s body for burial.

Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:(As she walks towards the stage where thetomb is located she says)

It’s still very early out and very dark but I knowI can find my way to the tomb where theyburied my Master. I wonder how I will get thestone to roll away so I can get in with my

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spices? I’m sure God will help me find a way.

Oh my, the stone is rolled away. Who couldhave done that?

(When she reaches the tomb she looks insideand says)

Where is He? Where did they take the LordJesus? I must go and tell Peter.

(She runs towards St Peter and St John whoare in a closed room. She knocks on the doorand St Peter opens it. Next to St Peter is StJohn)

They have taken away the Lord out of the tomband we do not know where they have laid Him.

(St Peter and St John run to the tomb with StJohn reaching the tomb first. St John looks insidethe tomb before St Peter gets there. When StPeter arrives He goes inside the tomb and St Johnfollows him inside.)

Narrator:(While St Peter and St John are inside the tomb)

St Simon Peter and St John, the disciple whomthe Lord loved saw that the linen clothes werelying where the Lord Jesus Christ was laid butthe cloth that was wrapped around His headwas wrapped together and placed away fromthe rest of the linen. Then St John believed butas yet they did not know the Holy Scripture,

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that He must rise again from the dead. Thenthey went back to their homes.

(As the narrator says the last sentence, St Peterand St John come out of the tomb and walkslowly back to the closed room)

But Mary Magdalene stood outside the tombweeping.

Angel:Angel:Angel:Angel:Angel:(Mary looks into the tomb and sees twoAngels. One Angel is sitting at the head andthe other at the feet where the body of theLord Jesus Christ had lain. The person incharge of changing the set removes the tissuethat looked like the linen clothes around theLord Jesus and places the two finger puppetsin the tomb)

Woman why are you weeping?

Mary Magdalene:Because they have taken away my Lord and Ido not know where they have put Him?

(Turning back around from the tomb she seesthe Lord Jesus Christ)

The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:Woman, why are you weeping? Whom areyou seeking?

Narrator:Mary Magdalene did not recognize the Lord

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Jesus Christ but believed that He was thegardener taking care of the garden where thetomb was.

Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Mary Magdalene:Sir, if you have taken Him from here, tell mewhere you have put Him and I will take Himback.

The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:The Lord Jesus Christ:Mary

Marry Magdalene:Marry Magdalene:Marry Magdalene:Marry Magdalene:Marry Magdalene:(With surprise and joy she says)

Rabboni? Master!

(Then she moves a little closer to the LordJesus)

Jesus Christ:Jesus Christ:Jesus Christ:Jesus Christ:Jesus Christ:Do not touch Me for I have not yet ascendedto my Father. But go to my brothers and sayto them I ascend to My Father and to yourFather, to My God and to your God.

(Mary goes back to the closed room)

Narrator:Narrator:Narrator:Narrator:Narrator:Mary Magdalene did as she was told and wentand to tell the disciples that she had seen theLord and that He had spoken these things toher.

All Say:The Lord Jesus Christ has risen. Truly He isrisen.