“This man said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”

But Pilate refused and responded with a phrase that has gone down in history:

“What I have written, I have written.”

The sign remained as it was.

Interpretations that emerged over time
Over the centuries, many people began to search for hidden meanings in INRI. In mystical and alchemical traditions, an alternative phrase appeared:

“Igne Natura Renovatur Integra” (Nature is completely renewed by fire)

Although it sounds profound, it has no historical or biblical connection to the inscription on the cross. It is a later symbolic reinterpretation, not the actual meaning.

Historically, INRI is simply the Latin abbreviation for the reason for execution.

What INRI Represents Today

Although it began as a political indictment, over time INRI transformed into a powerful spiritual symbol.

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