The Holy Nail
There are few things more popular throughout history than the Holy Grail, that simple chalice that is said to have collected the Blood of Christ during the Crucifixion. Legend tells that the Holy Grail can grant life, so on and so forth. It is quite literally the “Holy Grail” of all antiquities. It also happens to be the key feature of several of my favorite pieces of entertainment, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to the Da Vinci Code.
Yesterday I was browsing through the news when I came across a fascinating article from London’s Daily Mirror. The article is about an archaeological dig on a tiny island off the coast of Portugal, where a burial sight was found containing three bodies that are presently believed to be members of the Knights Templar. Nestled amongst these bodies was what was described as an ornate box that contained a single nail that is believed to date back to the time of the Crucifixion. This would not be altogether noteworthy as these nails are fairly common in the world given the fascination that the Romans had with that particular means of torture and execution, but what does make this find potentially remarkable is that this particular nail was seemingly being guarded by three members of the organization that is said to have tasked itself with the protection of the some of the most important relics of the Christian religion, including portions of the Holy Cross, the Holy Grail, as well as a variety of decapitated heads and other materials.
The fact that this nail was found in such company shows that it was held in reverence, and quite literally so; The nail is worn smooth, likely from being handled by countless people over centuries. Acids from their hands would gradually wear down the rough surface of the iron, polishing it into what it is today. That this particular was passed from person to person while under the watchful eye of the Order of the Temple, should mean something if its authenticity is verified. Even if it is truly deemed to be from that time period, there’s really no tangible way to prove that it was used in Crucifixion, but alas, that’s where the matter of faith comes in.
Reading this article instantly brought to mind a few classics, movies such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and books such as The Da Vinci Code. Not to mention the whole Arthurian legend of Galahad, son of Lancelot (which believe it or not, I live on a street called Lancelot Lane, with Galahad Drive intersecting two houses down from me). I decided to watch the Last Crusade today, as it’s been a couple of years since I’d last watched my favorite archaeologist in action. Through the course of the movie, our faithful protagonist leads us on an adventure from a stormy Pacific Ocean off the coast of Portugal, to a college campus in the U.S. of A, and across to Venice, Italy where we encounter our first member of the Knights Templar: The tomb of Sir Richard, whose shield holds a clue to the location of the Holy Grail.
As Indy continues his adventure through Austria, Germany, and down to what is now a part of modern day Turkey, my own anticipation and I’m sure yours as well, grows as though I myself am getting closer and closer to the legendary artifact. When we do eventually arrive at the hidden temple, we follow as Indy successfully passes through the final tests, and eventually comes across the final Knight Templar guarding the Holy Grail, kept alive by its restorative properties. Indy and his German enemies are posed with the task of picking the correct cup from a selection of many, and the Nazi representatives pick the solid gold, gem encrusted goblet, believing it be “fit for the King of kings.” Of course, the choice is wrong and Indy chooses the correct, humble looking chalice as the cup of Christ, which he uses to save his father’s life. The Holy Grail is then lost into the abyss during the penultimate scene, as an Earthquake swallows the German contingent whole.
The beauty of Indiana Jones (minus the Temple of Doom) is that it never gets old for me, it will always be an amazing series of adventures, and that some of the most time tested paranormal themes in our culture are the primary focus points of them.
The real Holy Grail, of course, remains a mystery. Some people believe that it resides in the United States, secreted away to some cold, isolated location in Minnesota or Wisconsin, and protected by Irish partisans. Another belief is that it lies buried in Oak Island, in Nova Scotia. Yet another belief is that the cup itself is in use to this very day out in the open, in a cathedral in Valencia, Spain, and was most recently used by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. If that is indeed the case, then we can likely hang our heads and do away with the fantastical legends of eternal life springing from a simple chalice.
There can be hope, however, that the Grail of legend does exist. If this Holy Nail proves to be genuine, then it must lend a bit of optimism to the historical romantics, as there is no telling what else can be found buried under the eternal watch of the Knights Templar.
Perhaps it’s not buried at all. Maybe it’s right out in the open, where we would least expect to see it.
nails like the one dicovered , had many different uses other than crucufixion,
could it have just as well came from the planking of a building or being discovered on an island some remnant of a lost or forgotten ship?
The nail could have come from anywhere, certainly. I doubt there’s any way possible for it’s actual origins to be revealed. The only thing that makes it significant to me is that the Knights who were buried with it believed it to be significant to themselves and Christendom. It makes for a fun story, regardless of where it came from!