Discovered by chance in the 1970s, a document that lay undiscovered for nearly 1,700 years emerges today as the “The Gospel of Judas”, which will be first presented in a press conference at the National Geographic Society in early April.

On Sunday, April 9th, 2006 at 8pm ET, repeating at 10 pm ET, the National Geographic Channel premieres the first documentary look at the Gospel of Judas. “The Gospel of Judas” is an exclusive, two-hour worldwide event that traces the incredible story of what has happened to the document since it was found, recent authentication process and analysis, and key insight gleaned from its laborious translation and interpretation. Dramatic recreations portray and clarify the complex story of intrigue and politics of the earliest days of Christianity, and portray the contents of the Gospel itself.

The Gospel of Judas presents a newly discovered account of the life of Jesus Christ. But how can its authenticity be verified? When was this gospel written and by whom? The research and documentary will reveal fascinating details contained within the document as well as key sections translated from its ancient Coptic script. It will also examine the modern history of the document since it was found, including the exhaustive restoration and conservation process. The manuscript will be returned to its country of origin, Egypt.

The Gospel of Judas is produced by National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F) for National Geographic Channels International. Executive Producer is John Bredar. James Barrat is producer & director. For National Geographic Channels International, Executive Vice-President of Content is Sydney Suissa.