Hi, it’s Katrina!
From centuries-old blood that unexplainably liquefies, to a piece of jewelry that made
one of history’s most notorious emperors fall in love with whoever wore it, here are
eight artifacts reported to have supernatural powers.
8.
Buddha’s Tooth
Siddhārtha Buddha reached ‘Maha-pari-nirvana’ and left this Earth (or more simplistically
died) around 483 at the age of 80.
It was believed that he passed away from food poisoning and was cremated in northeast India
on a pyre of sandalwood.
Before the process was complete, Buddha’s disciples began arguing over who would keep
portions of his ashes and bones.
Amidst the squabble, one of his favorite disciples, a woman named Khema, grabbed a single upper
canine tooth from the flames.
Following the cremation, that single tooth became known as Buddha’s only remaining
intact body part.
Khema took it to the Hindu King Brahmadatta in the southeastern coastal kingdom of Kalinga.
For more than 800 years, the tooth remained in the capital city, Dantapuram, which translates
to “Tooth City.”
During the fourth century, the Hindu King Pandu ordered for the tooth to be destroyed
on a bed of hot charcoals, despite the artifact’s overwhelming power to convert even a loyal
raja and his army to Buddhism.
The tooth survived the ordeal, however, and King Pandu eventually caved to its persuasive
powers and accepted the teachings of Buddhism.
Legend has it that anyone who possesses the tooth has the divine right to rule.
Naturally, therefore, the tooth was fought over many more times throughout history.
In 1268, it was smuggled into the Sri Lankan city of Kandy.
Then, in 1560, the tooth was stolen, along with other valuables, by Portuguese Christian
colonizers.
It was ordered to be destroyed by a Catholic archbishop and once again survived - this
time, by magically reappearing in Kandy, where it remains to this day, minus being briefly
smuggled during an invasion by British forces.
The tooth permanently resides within the Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth.
7.
The Foundation Stone
The Foundation Stone forms the foundation for Temple Mount, also known as the Noble
Sanctuary - a place in Jerusalem that is considered highly sacred by the religions of Islam, Judaism,
and Christianity.
At first glance, the Foundation Stone is nothing more than a slab of limestone.
However, for centuries, this seemingly inconsequential stone slab has been the site of much warfare,
controversy, and debate.
The Foundation Stone is where Muhammad ascended and where all the world’s freshwater originated,
according to Islam tradition.
There’s a well beneath the stone that’s rumored to be bottomless, and legend holds
that all souls go there to be judged.
According to Jewish tradition, creation began at the Foundation Stone.
It was also the site of the Ten Commandments and the Ark of the Covenant, and where all
living creatures could be touched by God’s power.
Jacob slept at the Foundation Stone, and it’s here that he dreamed of a ladder that connected
all living things.
6.
Charlemagne’s Magic Love Ring
During his reign, it is said Charlemagne fell so deep in love with a German princess, that
he forgot to take care of himself, and affairs of state.
It was as if the typically bloodthirsty and well-groomed emperor had become bewitched
by a supernatural force.
Legend goes that a snake had gifted the King a diamond and he had it made into a ring for
his princess.
She became ill, and not wanting Charlemagne to fall in love with another, she slipped
the ring from her finger and put it under her tongue.
After her death, Charlemagne refused to bury her body and continued worshipping her.
While he was away one day, Archbishop Turpin entered Charlemagne’s bedroom and removed
the precious ring from beneath the corpse’s tongue.
When Charlemagne returned, he expressed disgust at the remains in his bed, which he didn’t
seem to recognize, and ordered for the body to be buried.
Oddly, he began showing an affinity for the Archbishop Turpin, who still had the ring
in his possession.
The archbishop began to feel that something wasn’t right about the piece of jewelry.
Charlemagne wouldn’t leave him alone and they had to do everything together!!
Knowing something wasn’t right about the ring, he threw it into a lake.
Next, according to legend, Charlemagne fell head-over-heels for the lake the ring had
been thrown into.
In what would later become the city of Aix-la-Chapelle and his final resting place, he ordered a
magnificent palace to be built on the banks of the lake.
Despite all this Charlemagne united much of Europe under his rule and spent the majority
of his time in battle, earning his ruthless reputation.
5.
Blood of St. Januarius
St. Januarius was a bishop of Beneventum in Italy who died a martyr around the year 305
AD.
To this day, a preserved relic of his dried blood is kept in a sealed glass ampoule in
the Cathedral of Naples, where he is the patron saint.
On three separate annual occasions, the blood liquefies on its own while thousands of spectators
gather at the cathedral to witness the miracle firsthand.
This typically occurs on September 19, December 16, and the Saturday before the first Sunday
in May.
The blood has failed to liquefy on some occasions, and this is perceived as a sign of an impending
catastrophe.
These occasions include a famine in 1559, a cholera outbreak in 1833, the beginning
of World War II and the occupation of Italy by Nazi Germany.
In 1973, the failure of the blood to liquefy was associated with a subsequent cholera epidemic
that swept through Naples later in the year.
When the blood failed to liquefy in 1980, it was connected with the deaths of 2,900
people resulting from an earthquake in Irpinia in southern Italy.
It was considered the worst natural disaster in Italian postwar history.
The blood failed to liquefy again in December of 2016.
At first, the Abbot of the Chapel, Monsignor Vincenzo De Gregorio, asked people to continue
praying, in hopes that the blood would transform.
When the blood remained dry, the Abbot reminded the faithful to keep praying and to avoid
thinking of tragedies.
In a strange turn of events, in September 2018, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the Archbishop
of Naples, fell ill as the blood was liquefying.
He felt faint and had to sit down.
On the bright side, at least the blood liquefied.
It is said to spontaneously liquefy at certain other times, such as during papal visits.
4.
The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan
The most precious treasure of the Clan MacLeod of Scotland is its Fairy Flag.
By all appearances, the tattered, faded-brown silk flag, which is on display in the drawing
room at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, doesn’t seem like much.
Its history, however, proves otherwise.
And remember, looks are often deceiving, especially when it comes to historical artifacts.
King Harald Hardrada of Norway set out to conquer England in 1066 with a magic flag
called the “Land Ravager,” which guaranteed victory to its possessor.
However, the King was killed and the flag vanished at the battle of Stamford Bridge.
The MacLeods of Dunvegan, who can trace their ancestry to King Harald, came to possess their
Fairy Flag by secretive means.
Legend goes that the Clan Chief and a Fairy Princess had a child, who was taken to be
raised by the humans.
The fairy princess gave her child a shawl which became the flag that would protect the
clan.
Tradition holds that the flag is good for three uses of making the MacLeods invincible
in battle.
The flag’s magical powers have been employed twice thus far.
In a desperate battle against the MacDonald clan in 1490, the MacLeods raised it for the
first time and emerged victorious.
At Waternish in 1520, the flag was used for the second time, once again against the MacDonalds.
And, once again, the MacLeods one.
During World War II, many Scottish clansmen carried photographs of the flag as a good
luck charm.
In 1938, Dunvegan Castle was seriously damaged by a fire while the Fairy Flag was inside.
Perhaps the flag prevented the castle from being completely destroyed.
3.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
This relic continues to baffle scientists, despite being the subject of extensive studies
and evaluations since 1751.
In Mexico in 1531, the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared several times to a 57-year-old Aztec
peasant named Juan Diego.
Proof of his vision was imprinted on his cactus fiber cloak, or “tilma,” and the image
came to be known as “The Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Some experts claim that certain qualities of the image are impossible to replicate.
Over time, duplicates of the image deteriorated; however, the original remains in perfect condition,
despite being made of a material that typically decays within decades.
The image has survived a few incidents that should have destroyed it, contributing to
the widespread view among devout Catholics that it is virtually indestructible.
For example, in 1921, an explosion inside the Basilica at Guadalupe destroyed practically
everything except the tilma.
The image remains on display at the Basilica in Mexico City for all to see.
2.
The Lia Fail Stone
Ancient Irish kings were crowned at the Lia Fail, also known as the Coronation Stone,
which is located on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland.
According to Irish folklore, whenever a king of true Irish or Scottish descent stood or
sat on the stone, it shouted joyfully.
Legend also holds that the stone possesses the ability to rejuvenate the king and provide
him with a long reign.
The stone reportedly stopped crying out when it was split by the sword of a legendary hero
named Cuchulainn, who was angry that it hadn’t made any noise for his protegee, Lugaid Riab
nDerg.
Sorry guys im not a pro with Irish names.
It only made noise on two subsequent occasions.
The stone was supposedly originally brought to Ireland from Scandinavia.
According to some Scottish writers, after the stone was removed from Ireland, it spent
time in both England and Scotland.
On the other hand, accounts of native Irish authorities hold that the stone was never
removed from Tara and that the aforementioned story is a myth.
In any case, it is still cool to imagine a happy, shouting rock!
1.
The Cloak of Muhammed
The most prized relic of the Islamic religion is located in Kandahar, Afghanistan, at Kharka
Sharif, or the Shrine of the Cloak of the Prophet Muhammad - one of the country’s
holiest places of worship.
It ended up there while in the possession of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the first king of the
Afghan state.
He found the cloak in modern-day Uzbekistan and, knowing its symbolic importance, brought
it to Kandahar.
To convince the cloak’s keepers to let him take it, Ahmad Shah asked if he could borrow
the item.
Thinking he might steal it, they were hesitant at first.
Ahmad Shah pointed to a stone in the ground and said he would not take the cloak very
far from it.
In keeping his promise, he also had the stone taken from the ground and transported with
the cloak.
Muhammad’s cloak is only shown to the public during times of crisis.
At all other times, it’s locked away in an ornate building within the shrine, which
also houses Ahmad Shah Durrani’s remains and the stone that was meant to remain near
the cloak for eternity.
A single family of respected custodians are in charge of the cloak, and they have been
targeted by many who have tried - and failed - to steal it.
Thanks for watching!!
Which relic do you think is the most powerful??
Would you like to learn more about ancient relics with supernatural powers?
Let me know in the comments below.
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Bye!