Among the most powerful relics of Christian history, the fabled Spear of Destiny is one of the most prized and sought-after.
From its origin in the fabled tale of a Roman soldier piercing the side of Jesus Christ to the myth of the spear granting world-conquering invincibility to its owner, the legends surrounding the Spear of Destiny have been obsessed over by many.
Even infamous leaders like Napoleon were known to be deeply fascinated by the spear and its powers, wishing to possess it at all costs.
But what is the truth behind this fascinating legend? And why do four different versions of the spear exist?
In the Gospel of John, Jesus was arrested by Roman authorities, tried, and sentenced to death by crucifixion, which involved nailing a person to a cross and leaving them to die slowly. As Jesus hung on the cross, the soldiers guarding him planned to break his legs to hasten death.
This would allow his followers to bury him before the Sabbath began and they were prohibited from manual labor including burials.
Jesus, however, already appeared to be dead. To confirm, one of the Roman soldiers, later identified as Longinus, used his lance to pierce the side of Jesus as he hung on the cross causing a miraculous mix of blood and water to flow from his body. Some accounts suggest that Longinus was blind and that some of the blood and water from the wound splashed onto his eyes, restoring his sight and leading to his conversion to Christianity.
Jesus was removed from the cross and entombed, but what happened to the spear used by Longinus? The Bible makes no further mention of the spear, though interest in the spear and other Christian relics begins to grow as the Church expands and becomes a geopolitical force.
This renewed interest ultimately gives rise to four main contenders claiming to be the true lance that pierced the side of Jesus, each with fascinating tales and powers assigned to them. As the legends of each grew, the lance came to be known as The Holy Lance the Spear of Destiny, or the Holy Spear...