I.N.R.I. on Crucifixes
Author: Colin B. Donovan, STL
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews. Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. (John 19:19-20)
The Latin text of the titilum, or title, placed on the Cross is Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum. INRI is shorthand for that.
One possible appearance of the titilum, using a best guess Hebrew, the Greek of John 19:19 and the Latin of the Vulgate would be:
