From Roman spear to saintly fire: Discover the epic life of Saint Longinus—the centurion whose lance pierced Jesus' side, only to heal his blindness & spark a conversion that shook the Empire!
https://assemblybethesda.com/from-roman-spear-to-saintly-grace-the-remarkable-life-of-longinus/
And a #HolyLance described as "the spear which pierced Jesus" in a 13th century manuscript comes from the monastery of #Geghard in #Armenia.
Enshrined in a 17th-century reliquary it is on display at the #ManoogianMuseum in #Vagharshapat (previously: #Echmiadzin) today.
Another of these #HolyLance relics, first mentioned in AD 570, was stored in #Constantinople for a long time. Its tip has been sold to Louis IX of #France, but later disappeared.
The larger part ended up in #Rome and is kept underneath Saint Peter's Basilica today.
One such #HolyLance is said to have been discovered by a monk (after the location allegedly was revealed to him in a vision) during the Siege of #Antioch in 1098.
Sources mentioning such an object go back as far as the 10th century, but its whereabouts today are unknown.
"Wait, what #HolyLance?!" you ask? 🤔
Well, yes - *that* #lance of the Roman soldier #Longinus which, according legend and lore, once pierced 🩸 the side of Jesus at the Crucifixion:
Holy Lance, also called Spear of Destiny, a legendary Christian relic that pierced the side of Jesus Christ at the Crucifixion. It was reportedly discovered in June 1098 during the First Crusade at Antioch by Peter Bartholomew, a Christian Crusader, but was discredited.
Assembly Bethesda
Jens Notroff