|
Spear of Destiny
The Spear of Destiny, sometimes
known as the Holy Lance, Lance of
Longinus, or Spear of Longinus, is claimed to be the spear that pierced
the side of Jesus when he was on the cross (John 19:31-37). Later
Christian tradition named the soldier that pierced Christ's side as
Gaius Cassius, and he is later called Longinus. It should be noted that
there is a historical figure named Gaius Cassius Longinus, one of the
conspirators responsible for the death of Gaius Julius Caesar (died
March 15, 44 BC). This should not necessarily be viewed as "too
coincidental," since Roman names held little variety, especially among
members of the same family. There are many prototypes and analogues of
the spear in other legends, it can be compared to the ancient Irish
weapon, the Spear Luin, and is similar to the Bleeding Lance of Grail
mythology, which was eventually claimed to be the Spear of Destiny.
According to its legend, it has passed through the hands of influential
world leaders throughout the ages including Constantine, Justinian,
Charlemagne, Otto the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Kaiser Wilhelm II of
Germany, the Habsburg Emperors, and Adolf Hitler.
Source:
Wikipedia.org |
