Although a majority have been lost to history, some of the earliest relics of the Church still survive to this day. Those associated with Jesus Christ Himself have been the most studied and fascinating of them all.
Some of these include the Holy Sponge, True Cross, and the Holy Robe. While most are familiar with these relics, many are probably unfamiliar with the Holy Lance.
The Holy Lance
The Holy Lance is an Instrument of the Passion, Arma Christi, mentioned in the Gospel of John as used by Saint Longinus to pierce the side of Christ while on the Cross to make sure He was dead.
“but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.” – John 19:34
The first historical reference to the Holy Lance comes from the Piacenza Pilgrim who traveled to the Holy Land during the height of the Byzantine Empire around 570 A.D. In Jerusalem at the Basilica of Mount Zion, he writes he saw “the crown of thorns with which Our Lord was crowned and the lance with which He was struck in the side.”
Later, the Holy Lance was moved to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as attested by Saint Gregory of Tours and Cassiodorus. In 615, when Jerusalem was captured by the Persian Khosrow II, the lance was taken to the Hagia Sophia and the broken-off point later sold to Louis IX of France. However, after the French Revolution the point was lost to history.
As for the the larger portion of the Holy Lance, it remained in Constantinople as attested by Pedro Tafur in the 1430s who saw “the lance which pierced Our Lord’s side.” In 1492, when Constantinople fell to the Turk, Sultan Bayezid II sent it to Pope Innocent VII. Pope Benedict XIV later obtained a drawing of the point still kept in France to compare the two pieces and determine its authenticity.
Today, the Holy Lance is housed beneath the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica, despite the Church making no official claims to its authenticity. Not available to the public, it is sometimes shown during celebrations to the Faithful in the Basilica.
Editorial credit: Rostislav Ageev / Shutterstock.com
Lesser known? I thought it was one of the best known “lost” artifacts! As I understand, it had been kept in a museum in Vienna for many years, and then in the 1930s it drew the interest of a certain central European Leader who was intrigued by its reputed power to give the bearer the might to conquer the world.
It also played a central role in Wagner’s epic opera “Parsifal” (Percival) which was a story of the Knights of the Round Table. (Being an opera, they dance whene’er they’re able.)
The Lance also played a central role in what many consider one of the best Japanese anime series/movies ever done, bearing the unlikely name “Neon Genesis Evangelion”. (The original Japanese title literally translated to “A Gospel for the New Millennium”, but the series has since adopted the quirky English title across all languages, including in Japan.) In NGE, the Lance is a gigantic space-based weapon which is needed for Earth to fight the invasion of giant creatures dubbed “Angels”. The Lance is wielded by giant piloted robots called EVAs. It has the twin points ascribed to the real Lance, and the shaft is configured as a double helix: DNA.
Yes, there is a very pervasive religious/mystical theme throughout the series which some could find disturbing, even shocking, or more. However, the entire must be seen to understand the context. As I’ve put it once or twice before, NGE cane be disturbing, not because it’s blasphemous, but because it ISN’T. The Lance in NGE, in lunar orbit: https://www.evageeks.org/ANF-Archive/images/L629TR64J24JK3V155FCLCS9J-Ep24'_12.jpg
Oops, what, no edit function? “Can”, not “cane”.
[…] of these include the Holy Sponge, True Cross, Holy Robe, Holy Lance, Holy Prepuce, the Virgin’s Girdle, and the Holy Ring. While many are familiar with these […]