1 00:00:01,917 --> 00:00:03,917 [dramatic music] 2 00:00:04,292 --> 00:00:07,042 - Tonight, powerful artifacts from one 3 00:00:07,042 --> 00:00:10,000 of history's most significant events, 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,417 the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 5 00:00:13,417 --> 00:00:15,458 - Any physical remnants of this cross would be 6 00:00:15,458 --> 00:00:19,292 among the most highly valued artifacts in human history. 7 00:00:19,292 --> 00:00:22,542 - It could take up to four days of someone hanging there 8 00:00:22,542 --> 00:00:26,375 to finally succumb, but Jesus dies in a matter of hours. 9 00:00:26,375 --> 00:00:29,083 - [Dennis] From the nails that pierced Christ hands. 10 00:00:29,083 --> 00:00:32,292 - Imagine the power of these nails. 11 00:00:32,292 --> 00:00:35,500 They were literally embedded in the body of Christ, 12 00:00:35,500 --> 00:00:37,375 soaked in his blood. 13 00:00:37,375 --> 00:00:40,417 - [Dennis] To the crown of thorns placed on his head. 14 00:00:41,708 --> 00:00:44,375 - In their attempt to hurt and humiliate Jesus, 15 00:00:44,375 --> 00:00:47,708 the Romans create one of the most powerful images 16 00:00:47,708 --> 00:00:48,667 in Christianity. 17 00:00:49,958 --> 00:00:52,458 - [Dennis] And even the cross itself. 18 00:00:52,458 --> 00:00:55,750 - They touch a piece of wood to the sick woman, 19 00:00:55,750 --> 00:00:58,792 and she gets miraculously better. 20 00:00:58,792 --> 00:01:00,375 - [Dennis] These incredible relics 21 00:01:00,375 --> 00:01:03,333 have fascinated the faithful for centuries, 22 00:01:03,333 --> 00:01:07,708 but do they still exist, and if so, where could they be? 23 00:01:07,708 --> 00:01:09,667 - The Christians have hidden anything they 24 00:01:09,667 --> 00:01:11,000 can from the Romans. 25 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,375 There's a real fear that relics and treasures 26 00:01:13,375 --> 00:01:16,083 of the church are going to be lost forever. 27 00:01:16,083 --> 00:01:18,792 - Sacred objects have inspired awe 28 00:01:18,792 --> 00:01:20,542 for thousands of years. 29 00:01:20,542 --> 00:01:23,333 Now the remarkable stories behind history's 30 00:01:23,333 --> 00:01:26,583 most compelling holy marvels. 31 00:01:27,542 --> 00:01:30,333 [dramatic music] 32 00:01:39,625 --> 00:01:43,500 Today, nearly every Christian Church holds a cross 33 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:47,333 meant to evoke the one that Christ died on. 34 00:01:47,333 --> 00:01:50,167 But what happened to the original cross? 35 00:01:50,167 --> 00:01:54,208 The one commonly known as the true cross? 36 00:01:54,208 --> 00:01:56,708 The story of this legendary relic 37 00:01:56,708 --> 00:01:59,417 begins some 2000 years ago. 38 00:02:00,250 --> 00:02:01,875 - The cross is a symbol synonymous 39 00:02:01,875 --> 00:02:03,750 with Jesus Christ himself 40 00:02:03,750 --> 00:02:06,708 because as we know, Jesus was sentenced by the Romans 41 00:02:06,708 --> 00:02:09,125 to death by crucifixion. 42 00:02:09,125 --> 00:02:11,125 Crucifixion is a punishment intended 43 00:02:11,125 --> 00:02:14,000 to maximize pain and suffering. 44 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,250 In fact, the word excruciating 45 00:02:16,250 --> 00:02:19,708 stems from the Latin word for crucify. 46 00:02:19,708 --> 00:02:22,208 It's about killing somebody in the most horrible, 47 00:02:22,208 --> 00:02:25,750 brutal, humiliating way possible. 48 00:02:25,750 --> 00:02:29,375 - This form of execution was reserved for the poor, 49 00:02:29,375 --> 00:02:31,708 for those who were enemies of the state. 50 00:02:31,708 --> 00:02:35,167 It was not necessarily for those of the upper class. 51 00:02:35,167 --> 00:02:37,208 - Crucifixions are carried out in public 52 00:02:37,208 --> 00:02:39,333 to discourage anyone else who's thinking 53 00:02:39,333 --> 00:02:41,167 of stepping out of line. 54 00:02:42,583 --> 00:02:44,208 - [Dennis] Before Jesus is killed, 55 00:02:44,208 --> 00:02:47,583 he is brutally tortured by the Romans. 56 00:02:47,583 --> 00:02:49,833 - Jesus is scourged, which means whipping him 57 00:02:49,833 --> 00:02:53,208 with a special device made with strips of leather 58 00:02:53,208 --> 00:02:54,583 and iron balls. 59 00:02:54,583 --> 00:02:58,542 It's designed to tear the skin to shreds. 60 00:02:58,542 --> 00:03:01,167 - After the brutal whipping, 61 00:03:01,167 --> 00:03:04,292 Jesus is forced to drag part of his own cross, 62 00:03:04,292 --> 00:03:09,875 which likely weighs somewhere between 75 to a 100 pounds 63 00:03:09,875 --> 00:03:13,625 all the way to the crucifixion site outside the city walls. 64 00:03:16,083 --> 00:03:17,542 - [Dennis] A cross for crucifixion 65 00:03:17,542 --> 00:03:20,750 would be made out of two thick beams of wood. 66 00:03:20,750 --> 00:03:24,250 There is a tall center pole called the stipes, 67 00:03:24,250 --> 00:03:27,667 permanently mounted as a stake in the ground. 68 00:03:27,667 --> 00:03:30,958 Then a horizontal crossbar, the patibulum, 69 00:03:30,958 --> 00:03:33,458 which is about six feet long, 70 00:03:33,458 --> 00:03:35,875 the width of your spread out arms, 71 00:03:35,875 --> 00:03:39,417 and it's fixed to the center pole towards the top. 72 00:03:39,417 --> 00:03:42,250 - We're pretty familiar with the classic T-shaped cross, 73 00:03:42,250 --> 00:03:44,917 although occasionally the Romans would use 74 00:03:44,917 --> 00:03:46,583 an X shape instead. 75 00:03:47,708 --> 00:03:49,583 - In Jerusalem, crucifixions are carried out 76 00:03:49,583 --> 00:03:52,250 on top of a hill known as Golgotha. 77 00:03:52,250 --> 00:03:54,125 In the Aramaic language of the region, 78 00:03:54,125 --> 00:03:55,750 Golgotha means place of the skull, 79 00:03:55,750 --> 00:03:58,250 partly due to the way that the rocky cliff there 80 00:03:58,250 --> 00:04:00,542 sort of resembles a human skull. 81 00:04:02,917 --> 00:04:04,542 - Once at the crucifixion site, 82 00:04:04,542 --> 00:04:07,125 Jesus is nailed to part of the cross 83 00:04:07,125 --> 00:04:09,917 while it's still on the ground, 84 00:04:09,917 --> 00:04:12,042 then it's hoisted up 85 00:04:12,042 --> 00:04:14,167 and attached to the rest of the wood. 86 00:04:14,708 --> 00:04:17,083 - Crucifixion is actually a slow process. 87 00:04:17,083 --> 00:04:20,875 It could take up to say four days of someone hanging there 88 00:04:20,875 --> 00:04:22,500 in order to finally succumb. 89 00:04:22,500 --> 00:04:25,167 What we hear from the gospels is that Jesus dies 90 00:04:25,167 --> 00:04:28,375 relatively quickly, in a matter of hours. 91 00:04:28,375 --> 00:04:29,708 While he's hanging on the cross, 92 00:04:29,708 --> 00:04:31,208 according to the gospel of John one soldier 93 00:04:31,208 --> 00:04:34,042 even pierces Jesus on the side with a spear. 94 00:04:34,042 --> 00:04:35,833 He wants to make sure that he's dead. 95 00:04:40,375 --> 00:04:42,292 - According to the beliefs of Christianity, 96 00:04:42,292 --> 00:04:44,583 by willingly dying on the cross, 97 00:04:44,583 --> 00:04:46,792 Jesus atones for the sins of humanity 98 00:04:46,792 --> 00:04:50,292 and he opens a pathway for all humankind 99 00:04:50,292 --> 00:04:54,375 to receive redemption with God and reach heaven. 100 00:04:54,375 --> 00:04:56,375 - The cross used in the crucifixion of Christ 101 00:04:56,375 --> 00:04:58,708 is known as the true cross, 102 00:04:58,708 --> 00:05:02,167 and Christians have been practically obsessed with it 103 00:05:02,167 --> 00:05:04,292 for 2000 years. 104 00:05:04,292 --> 00:05:05,583 Think about it. 105 00:05:05,583 --> 00:05:08,542 The wooden beams of this cross would be soaked 106 00:05:08,542 --> 00:05:11,917 with the blood, sweat, and tears of the Son of God, 107 00:05:11,917 --> 00:05:15,167 shed during the moment of his excruciating death 108 00:05:15,167 --> 00:05:17,875 and ultimate glory. 109 00:05:17,875 --> 00:05:21,542 Any physical remnants of the cross would be among the most 110 00:05:21,542 --> 00:05:23,875 highly valued artifacts in human history. 111 00:05:25,625 --> 00:05:27,250 - [Dennis] But finding the true cross 112 00:05:27,250 --> 00:05:30,958 is like the proverbial needle in a haystack. 113 00:05:30,958 --> 00:05:34,333 - The Romans loved crucifixion. 114 00:05:34,333 --> 00:05:36,750 They crucified tens of thousands of people. 115 00:05:37,792 --> 00:05:40,000 - The ancient historian Josephus writes 116 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,625 that the Romans carry out so many crucifixions, 117 00:05:42,625 --> 00:05:46,083 but not only do they run out of room for crosses, 118 00:05:46,083 --> 00:05:48,542 but they also run out of wood. 119 00:05:48,542 --> 00:05:51,292 Because of this, the Romans are very resourceful, 120 00:05:51,292 --> 00:05:53,625 and they tend to reuse the center poles 121 00:05:53,625 --> 00:05:58,333 of crosses over and over again for multiple crucifixions. 122 00:05:58,333 --> 00:06:01,042 - There was no standard for bringing bodies down 123 00:06:01,042 --> 00:06:02,250 and burying them. 124 00:06:02,250 --> 00:06:04,375 The bodies stayed on the cross. 125 00:06:04,375 --> 00:06:06,583 They were intended to decay there, 126 00:06:06,583 --> 00:06:09,167 and they were left as a revolting reminder 127 00:06:09,167 --> 00:06:10,958 of what happens when you cross Rome. 128 00:06:10,958 --> 00:06:15,250 So we don't know exactly what becomes of Jesus' cross 129 00:06:15,250 --> 00:06:17,583 after his body is taken down. 130 00:06:18,792 --> 00:06:20,625 - [Dennis] According to the Bible, 131 00:06:20,625 --> 00:06:24,375 there might be one man who does. 132 00:06:24,375 --> 00:06:27,250 - In all four gospels, a wealthy follower of Jesus 133 00:06:27,250 --> 00:06:28,875 named Joseph of Arimathea 134 00:06:28,875 --> 00:06:32,833 is quickly allowed to take Jesus' body after he dies. 135 00:06:33,708 --> 00:06:35,542 He bribes the authorities to let him go 136 00:06:35,542 --> 00:06:37,375 to the site of the crucifixion 137 00:06:37,375 --> 00:06:40,792 and carefully pulls Jesus down from the cross. 138 00:06:40,792 --> 00:06:43,375 He prepares Jesus' body with great respect 139 00:06:43,375 --> 00:06:46,708 and lays him to rest in a rock cut tomb, 140 00:06:46,708 --> 00:06:49,042 which is said to be near Golgotha. 141 00:06:49,042 --> 00:06:51,583 - The Bible doesn't specifically say what happens 142 00:06:51,583 --> 00:06:54,875 to the cross, but the great care and reverence 143 00:06:54,875 --> 00:06:58,583 that Joseph of Arimathea showed towards the body of Jesus 144 00:06:58,583 --> 00:07:01,625 suggests to many that he might have kept it, 145 00:07:01,625 --> 00:07:03,625 and brought it to the tomb. 146 00:07:03,625 --> 00:07:06,875 As well as other mementos from the event. 147 00:07:06,875 --> 00:07:09,000 - If the cross wasn't just discarded, 148 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,792 if it somehow survives, Joseph is our best hope. 149 00:07:12,792 --> 00:07:16,583 So researchers as far back as the third or fourth century AD 150 00:07:16,583 --> 00:07:19,708 believe the true cross is buried in a tomb 151 00:07:19,708 --> 00:07:21,792 somewhere near the crucifixion site. 152 00:07:23,042 --> 00:07:25,500 - [Dennis] Unfortunately, the exact location 153 00:07:25,500 --> 00:07:28,167 of this tomb is intentionally hidden. 154 00:07:30,208 --> 00:07:32,125 - After the execution of Jesus, 155 00:07:32,125 --> 00:07:35,500 Christianity continues as a small sect of Judaism. 156 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:38,875 The Romans see it as a dangerous cult. 157 00:07:38,875 --> 00:07:40,875 Some of its practices and beliefs 158 00:07:40,875 --> 00:07:43,625 are mistaken as cannibalism or incest. 159 00:07:43,625 --> 00:07:45,875 So, the Romans cracked down hard on Christians. 160 00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:48,667 - In the first century AD, 161 00:07:48,667 --> 00:07:52,083 the emperor Nero is particularly harsh. 162 00:07:52,083 --> 00:07:55,375 One source says he publicly tortures Christians. 163 00:07:55,375 --> 00:07:58,208 So the Christians avoid revealing themselves 164 00:07:58,208 --> 00:07:59,833 and their sacred sites. 165 00:07:59,833 --> 00:08:02,375 They resort to secret symbols and codes 166 00:08:02,375 --> 00:08:03,958 to be able to identify one another 167 00:08:03,958 --> 00:08:08,000 and maintain their faith without tipping off the Romans. 168 00:08:09,375 --> 00:08:11,583 - [Dennis] Many believe that a cross becomes 169 00:08:11,583 --> 00:08:13,708 one of these symbols. 170 00:08:13,708 --> 00:08:16,833 - By about 200 AD, it's thought that some Christians 171 00:08:16,833 --> 00:08:18,542 are using the sign of the cross 172 00:08:18,542 --> 00:08:21,000 as something of a secret handshake. 173 00:08:21,958 --> 00:08:23,792 - [Dennis] The secrecy continues 174 00:08:23,792 --> 00:08:26,208 until the early fourth century. 175 00:08:27,917 --> 00:08:31,458 - During the battle of the Milvian bridge in 312 AD 176 00:08:31,458 --> 00:08:33,792 the Roman Emperor Constantine has a vision 177 00:08:33,792 --> 00:08:36,083 of something floating in the sky 178 00:08:36,083 --> 00:08:37,667 above his army's encampment. 179 00:08:38,875 --> 00:08:41,292 Some versions of the legends say he sees the early 180 00:08:41,292 --> 00:08:44,625 Christians symbol known as the Chi-Rho or Ci-Rho, 181 00:08:44,625 --> 00:08:46,667 Greek letters that spell out the beginning 182 00:08:46,667 --> 00:08:48,625 of the name Christ. 183 00:08:48,625 --> 00:08:52,542 In other versions, he sees a cross of light in the sky, 184 00:08:52,542 --> 00:08:56,708 accompanied by the words "conquer by this". 185 00:08:56,708 --> 00:08:58,167 Taking it as a sign, 186 00:08:58,167 --> 00:09:01,375 he orders his soldiers' shields to be marked 187 00:09:01,375 --> 00:09:03,875 with this religious symbol, 188 00:09:03,875 --> 00:09:06,375 and when they emerge victorious in battle, 189 00:09:06,375 --> 00:09:09,917 he becomes a true believer and converts, 190 00:09:09,917 --> 00:09:14,000 making Constantine the very first Christian emperor. 191 00:09:17,083 --> 00:09:20,625 - The following year in 313 Constantine issues 192 00:09:20,625 --> 00:09:24,167 the Edict of Milan, which legalizes Christianity. 193 00:09:24,167 --> 00:09:26,708 Christians are now free from persecution. 194 00:09:26,708 --> 00:09:30,417 10 years later he begins to outlaw paganism, 195 00:09:30,417 --> 00:09:33,708 so that Christianity goes pretty quickly from being outlawed 196 00:09:33,708 --> 00:09:38,667 to being the preferred religion of the Roman empire. 197 00:09:39,417 --> 00:09:42,208 - [Dennis] Then around 324 AD, 198 00:09:42,208 --> 00:09:47,042 Constantine sets his sights on finding the true cross. 199 00:09:47,042 --> 00:09:49,917 - Constantine wants to be able to quickly convince 200 00:09:49,917 --> 00:09:54,000 his subjects of his power and his newfound faith 201 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,208 by proving that Jesus has made the ultimate sacrifice, 202 00:09:57,208 --> 00:10:00,583 by dying on the cross to save mankind. 203 00:10:00,583 --> 00:10:03,000 But he wants evidence. 204 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,667 What better way to do that than to find the actual cross? 205 00:10:06,667 --> 00:10:10,292 So he becomes obsessed with any and all artifacts 206 00:10:10,292 --> 00:10:11,750 related to the crucifixion. 207 00:10:12,917 --> 00:10:15,625 - At this point, it's been nearly 300 years 208 00:10:15,625 --> 00:10:18,625 since the death of Jesus, and in those 300 years, 209 00:10:18,625 --> 00:10:19,917 Christians have hidden 210 00:10:19,917 --> 00:10:21,875 everything they can from the Romans. 211 00:10:21,875 --> 00:10:24,917 Constantine has his work cut out for him. 212 00:10:24,917 --> 00:10:27,667 So what does he do? He asks his mom for help. 213 00:10:31,458 --> 00:10:33,958 - [Dennis] In 326 AD Helena, 214 00:10:33,958 --> 00:10:36,958 the mother of Roman emperor Constantine, 215 00:10:36,958 --> 00:10:40,333 is scouring Jerusalem in search of the true cross 216 00:10:40,333 --> 00:10:44,042 used to crucify Jesus. 217 00:10:44,042 --> 00:10:46,667 - Helena thinks the most likely resting place for relics 218 00:10:46,667 --> 00:10:49,250 of the crucifixion would be Jesus's tomb, 219 00:10:49,250 --> 00:10:51,667 and she hears a rumor that a local Jewish man 220 00:10:51,667 --> 00:10:53,958 knows where to find it. 221 00:10:53,958 --> 00:10:56,833 Ironically, his name is Judas. 222 00:10:56,833 --> 00:10:59,375 In some versions of the story, Judas is helpful. 223 00:10:59,375 --> 00:11:02,792 In others, Helena has to torture the information out of him 224 00:11:02,792 --> 00:11:05,250 by putting him in a well for seven days 225 00:11:05,250 --> 00:11:08,375 and starving him before he'll finally give up the secret. 226 00:11:09,708 --> 00:11:12,042 - Judas divulges that the burial site of Jesus 227 00:11:12,042 --> 00:11:15,417 is located under what is now a pagan temple 228 00:11:15,417 --> 00:11:18,417 dedicated to the Roman goddess Venus. 229 00:11:18,417 --> 00:11:21,417 So she has the building demolished, 230 00:11:21,417 --> 00:11:23,917 and the ground underneath excavated. 231 00:11:27,542 --> 00:11:30,000 - Helena begins what is really the first 232 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,375 Christian archeological excavation in history. 233 00:11:34,917 --> 00:11:39,458 - They find what seems to be remnants of three crosses, 234 00:11:39,458 --> 00:11:43,958 and so now for Helena, the issue is how do you tell 235 00:11:43,958 --> 00:11:47,333 which cross belong to Jesus? 236 00:11:48,833 --> 00:11:53,875 - So a very sick woman is brought in and they think, 237 00:11:53,875 --> 00:11:58,000 okay, the real piece of wood is going to produce miracles. 238 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,542 So, they touch a piece of wood to the sick woman 239 00:12:01,542 --> 00:12:05,208 and she gets miraculously better. 240 00:12:05,208 --> 00:12:09,042 What this demonstrates is that the wood has divine powers. 241 00:12:09,042 --> 00:12:13,375 This is it. Helena has found the true cross. 242 00:12:14,917 --> 00:12:17,000 - The legends say that Helena divides up the sacred wood 243 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,917 and leaves some of it there in Jerusalem. 244 00:12:19,917 --> 00:12:22,250 Over the side of the crucifixion and the tomb. 245 00:12:22,250 --> 00:12:26,000 A new church is built: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 246 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:30,042 which houses one part of the true cross. 247 00:12:30,042 --> 00:12:32,250 - Helena also takes a section of the cross 248 00:12:32,250 --> 00:12:34,792 back to Constantinople. 249 00:12:34,792 --> 00:12:37,625 The story goes that Constantine has a large piece 250 00:12:37,625 --> 00:12:42,125 of that wood encased inside a giant bronze statue of himself 251 00:12:42,125 --> 00:12:46,250 standing atop a column that's over 120 feet tall. 252 00:12:46,250 --> 00:12:49,375 It's a major symbol of the emperor's power. 253 00:12:50,875 --> 00:12:52,708 - [Dennis] The rest of the wood from the true cross 254 00:12:52,708 --> 00:12:56,458 is allegedly scattered across Rome's empire. 255 00:12:56,458 --> 00:12:58,417 - Some believe the fragments of the true cross 256 00:12:58,417 --> 00:13:00,875 bring protection or good health or heal the illness 257 00:13:00,875 --> 00:13:03,458 of any person lucky enough to touch one. 258 00:13:03,458 --> 00:13:04,958 So over the next few decades, 259 00:13:04,958 --> 00:13:08,042 the cross fragments are dispersed as holy relics 260 00:13:08,042 --> 00:13:10,292 to churches and cathedrals. 261 00:13:11,375 --> 00:13:13,583 - [Dennis] But not every alleged piece 262 00:13:13,583 --> 00:13:16,583 of the true cross ends up in a church. 263 00:13:16,583 --> 00:13:18,417 - As is often the case with desirable 264 00:13:18,417 --> 00:13:20,292 and valuable artifacts, 265 00:13:20,292 --> 00:13:22,292 a few end up in the hands of the era's 266 00:13:22,292 --> 00:13:24,500 most rich and powerful. 267 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:26,958 Popes, kings, nobles. 268 00:13:26,958 --> 00:13:29,750 Some of them will fashion special gold jewelry 269 00:13:29,750 --> 00:13:31,833 and wear a piece of the cross 270 00:13:31,833 --> 00:13:33,875 around their necks as protection, 271 00:13:33,875 --> 00:13:37,167 and possibly also to remind others of their status. 272 00:13:38,708 --> 00:13:41,542 - [Dennis] Meanwhile, the piece left behind in Jerusalem 273 00:13:41,542 --> 00:13:44,542 has a much more eventful journey. 274 00:13:44,542 --> 00:13:48,542 - Around 614 AD Jerusalem's piece of the true cross 275 00:13:48,542 --> 00:13:51,875 is stolen from the Holy Sepulchre by Persian invaders 276 00:13:51,875 --> 00:13:53,542 when they captured the city. 277 00:13:55,250 --> 00:13:57,958 But then supposedly the same wood is returned 278 00:13:57,958 --> 00:13:59,125 about 15 years later, 279 00:13:59,125 --> 00:14:01,500 after the Romans take back Jerusalem. 280 00:14:01,500 --> 00:14:06,167 - In 1009, it's nearly stolen a second time by Al-Hakim, 281 00:14:06,167 --> 00:14:09,042 who's known as the Mad Caliph of Egypt. 282 00:14:09,042 --> 00:14:11,333 Legends say believers hide the relics of the cross 283 00:14:11,333 --> 00:14:14,000 just before he invades Jerusalem, 284 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,458 and destroys the Holy Sepulchre. 285 00:14:16,458 --> 00:14:18,083 - [Dennis] This conflict ignites a war 286 00:14:18,083 --> 00:14:21,500 that eventually becomes known as the crusades. 287 00:14:22,917 --> 00:14:25,208 - The word crusade comes from the Latin word 288 00:14:25,208 --> 00:14:28,875 "crusade signatus", which means one marked by the cross. 289 00:14:28,875 --> 00:14:31,542 So hundreds of Christian soldiers go on 290 00:14:31,542 --> 00:14:34,208 what they see as this kind of spiritual mission to Jerusalem 291 00:14:34,208 --> 00:14:37,125 to free the holy land from Muslim rule, 292 00:14:37,125 --> 00:14:40,333 and to save important relics like the true cross. 293 00:14:40,333 --> 00:14:44,792 The crusades become a nearly 200 year long series 294 00:14:44,792 --> 00:14:49,042 of increasingly brutally bloody battles. 295 00:14:49,042 --> 00:14:51,042 - The first crusade helps the Christians 296 00:14:51,042 --> 00:14:54,083 re-concur Jerusalem in 1099. 297 00:14:54,083 --> 00:14:56,917 After that, crusaders actually start carrying a piece 298 00:14:56,917 --> 00:15:00,375 of the cross into battle with them as a talisman. 299 00:15:00,375 --> 00:15:04,042 More famously, it's carried by the bishop of the city 300 00:15:04,042 --> 00:15:07,500 of Acre into a conflict known as the Battle of Hattin 301 00:15:07,500 --> 00:15:09,417 in Galilee in 1187. 302 00:15:11,042 --> 00:15:11,917 - [Dennis] During that battle, 303 00:15:11,917 --> 00:15:15,042 it's captured by Muslim forces. 304 00:15:15,042 --> 00:15:19,042 - The cross is now in the hands of Muslim sultan Saladin. 305 00:15:19,042 --> 00:15:22,000 Some accounts say he is quite disrespectful 306 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:23,542 with this holy Christian relic, 307 00:15:23,542 --> 00:15:26,792 even dragging it behind his horse as he rides. 308 00:15:26,792 --> 00:15:29,500 Saladin knows the symbolic importance of the true cross 309 00:15:29,500 --> 00:15:32,208 and he uses it as a bargaining chip 310 00:15:32,208 --> 00:15:34,583 multiple times during negotiations 311 00:15:34,583 --> 00:15:39,750 with England's King Richard I, AKA Richard the Lionheart. 312 00:15:39,750 --> 00:15:42,667 - Richard I is a Christian and one of the driving forces 313 00:15:42,667 --> 00:15:44,458 behind the Crusades. 314 00:15:44,458 --> 00:15:47,667 He and Saladin are at odds over control of Jerusalem 315 00:15:47,667 --> 00:15:50,458 and the area's holy sites. 316 00:15:50,458 --> 00:15:52,042 They try to work out a truce agreement 317 00:15:52,042 --> 00:15:55,542 that includes returning the cross to the Christians, 318 00:15:55,542 --> 00:15:58,667 but by the end of the third crusade in 1192, 319 00:15:58,667 --> 00:16:01,583 there is no truce and no cross. 320 00:16:01,583 --> 00:16:04,875 The part of the true cross that Helena left in Jerusalem 321 00:16:04,875 --> 00:16:08,042 is last seen with Saladin in Damascus, 322 00:16:08,042 --> 00:16:10,208 and then it pretty much disappears 323 00:16:10,208 --> 00:16:11,583 from the historical record. 324 00:16:13,500 --> 00:16:16,625 - After that, despite multiple attempts 325 00:16:16,625 --> 00:16:18,042 to stay in Jerusalem, 326 00:16:18,042 --> 00:16:19,833 the Christians are largely driven out of the region, 327 00:16:19,833 --> 00:16:23,458 but apparently they take some souvenirs home with them. 328 00:16:23,458 --> 00:16:26,917 As the crusaders return home in the Middle Ages, 329 00:16:26,917 --> 00:16:29,208 suddenly there are a lot more alleged pieces 330 00:16:29,208 --> 00:16:31,750 of the true cross that are floating around to the point 331 00:16:31,750 --> 00:16:35,375 where in the 1500s, the French reformer John Calvin quips, 332 00:16:35,375 --> 00:16:37,625 "well, if all the pieces of the true cross 333 00:16:37,625 --> 00:16:41,167 were collected together, they would make a big shipload." 334 00:16:42,542 --> 00:16:46,083 - [Dennis] This leads many to assume the pieces are fake. 335 00:16:46,083 --> 00:16:48,375 - It's like the ancient version of a fake Rolex. 336 00:16:48,375 --> 00:16:50,500 Ever since medieval times there's been a booming 337 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:54,167 black market for these alleged fragments of the true cross. 338 00:16:54,167 --> 00:16:56,042 This continues today. 339 00:16:56,042 --> 00:16:57,875 - [Dennis] But could it be possible 340 00:16:57,875 --> 00:16:59,958 that some of them are real? 341 00:17:00,333 --> 00:17:03,917 - In 1870 French scholar Charles Rohault de Fleury, 342 00:17:03,917 --> 00:17:06,208 tracks down every surviving fragment 343 00:17:06,208 --> 00:17:08,625 and he calculates that they add up 344 00:17:08,625 --> 00:17:12,208 to 240 cubic inches of wood. 345 00:17:12,208 --> 00:17:14,000 A typical Roman cross would've been more like 346 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,542 10,900 cubic inches. 347 00:17:17,542 --> 00:17:21,042 So John Calvin is wrong. It's not enough to fill up a ship. 348 00:17:21,042 --> 00:17:24,042 It's not even enough to make up the entire cross. 349 00:17:24,042 --> 00:17:26,417 Believers de Fleury's math to justify that 350 00:17:26,417 --> 00:17:29,000 all these little random pieces of the true cross 351 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,042 could still in fact be genuine. 352 00:17:32,042 --> 00:17:35,292 - [Dennis] Even some allegedly find their way back 353 00:17:35,292 --> 00:17:37,750 to a few Catholic churches. 354 00:17:37,750 --> 00:17:39,833 - The Catholic church and later the Vatican 355 00:17:39,833 --> 00:17:42,542 develop an entire office that deals 356 00:17:42,542 --> 00:17:45,500 with the authentication of these relics. 357 00:17:46,250 --> 00:17:48,125 - Three fragments end up enshrined 358 00:17:48,125 --> 00:17:50,958 in the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. 359 00:17:51,833 --> 00:17:55,042 - The Vatican owns an artifact called the Crux Vaticana. 360 00:17:55,042 --> 00:17:56,625 It dates back to the sixth century, 361 00:17:56,625 --> 00:17:59,542 and was a gift from the emperor Justin II of Constantinople, 362 00:17:59,542 --> 00:18:01,833 where much of the original wood fragments 363 00:18:01,833 --> 00:18:03,750 from the true cross were kept. 364 00:18:03,750 --> 00:18:05,542 From the past 1500 years, 365 00:18:05,542 --> 00:18:07,375 this reliquary has been brought out 366 00:18:07,375 --> 00:18:09,958 for annual Easter and Christmas ceremonies. 367 00:18:09,958 --> 00:18:14,500 In April 2023, as a coronation gift to King Charles III, 368 00:18:14,500 --> 00:18:18,542 Pope Francis gives him an elaborate silver cross. 369 00:18:18,542 --> 00:18:21,250 Inside, according to the Pope himself, 370 00:18:21,250 --> 00:18:25,125 are two small pieces of the true cross. 371 00:18:25,125 --> 00:18:27,708 - Visitors from around the world still clamor 372 00:18:27,708 --> 00:18:31,083 to get a glimpse of these iconic religious artifacts. 373 00:18:36,542 --> 00:18:38,458 - The true cross is not the only crucifixion relic 374 00:18:38,458 --> 00:18:41,208 that becomes a sacred object of desire. 375 00:18:41,208 --> 00:18:45,708 The nails used to pierce Christ's hands and feet 376 00:18:45,708 --> 00:18:48,833 are also believed to hold marvelous powers. 377 00:18:50,208 --> 00:18:52,125 - If the true cross is thought to have power, 378 00:18:52,125 --> 00:18:55,083 imagine the possibilities of these nails. 379 00:18:55,458 --> 00:18:58,958 Collectively, they've come to be known as The Holy Nails. 380 00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:02,250 They were literally embedded in the body of Christ, 381 00:19:02,250 --> 00:19:04,292 soaked in his blood. 382 00:19:05,208 --> 00:19:06,750 - [Dennis] But unlike the cross, 383 00:19:06,750 --> 00:19:11,042 it's not certain that the nails actually existed. 384 00:19:11,042 --> 00:19:12,917 - Everyone who the Romans crucified 385 00:19:12,917 --> 00:19:15,042 gets some kind of cross, 386 00:19:15,042 --> 00:19:16,958 but not everyone gets nailed to it. 387 00:19:16,958 --> 00:19:21,083 The Romans also use rope in crucifixions to tie the arms. 388 00:19:21,083 --> 00:19:23,250 It's faster, it's easier, it's adjustable, 389 00:19:23,250 --> 00:19:26,042 and when you're crucifying thousands of people, 390 00:19:26,042 --> 00:19:28,875 it's more economical than having blacksmiths 391 00:19:28,875 --> 00:19:30,125 make enough nails. 392 00:19:31,583 --> 00:19:34,500 - [Dennis] So why in nearly every image of the crucifixion 393 00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:38,375 is Jesus attached to the cross with nails? 394 00:19:38,375 --> 00:19:41,917 - Interestingly, the Bible never explicitly says 395 00:19:41,917 --> 00:19:43,583 that Jesus was nailed to the cross. 396 00:19:43,583 --> 00:19:45,625 We get the idea actually from a little story 397 00:19:45,625 --> 00:19:48,500 in the gospel of John, the story of the Doubting Thomas, 398 00:19:48,500 --> 00:19:50,625 who doesn't believe that Jesus is resurrected 399 00:19:50,625 --> 00:19:52,917 until he sees the holes in his hands and feet 400 00:19:52,917 --> 00:19:55,042 from being nailed to the cross. 401 00:19:55,042 --> 00:19:56,083 - This gives rise to the 402 00:19:56,083 --> 00:19:57,917 overwhelming belief in Christianity 403 00:19:57,917 --> 00:20:01,542 that Jesus had nails spiked through his hands and feet. 404 00:20:02,917 --> 00:20:06,917 - [Dennis] In 1968, evidence is uncovered in Jerusalem 405 00:20:06,917 --> 00:20:09,708 that could support this belief. 406 00:20:09,708 --> 00:20:12,792 - Archeologists find the remains of a young Jewish man 407 00:20:12,792 --> 00:20:14,208 named Jehohanan, 408 00:20:14,208 --> 00:20:17,208 and there are compelling clues that he was crucified. 409 00:20:17,208 --> 00:20:19,083 [metal clanging] 410 00:20:19,083 --> 00:20:21,208 - Archeologist Vassilios Tzaferis found 411 00:20:21,208 --> 00:20:22,833 a four and a half inch long nail 412 00:20:22,833 --> 00:20:27,042 embedded through the right heel bone and bent at the end. 413 00:20:27,042 --> 00:20:29,917 - Nails used in crucifixions are hammered through the flesh 414 00:20:29,917 --> 00:20:32,542 and the wood, and they might've been bent at the ends 415 00:20:32,542 --> 00:20:34,500 to prevent the person's body weight 416 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:36,542 from pulling them off the cross. 417 00:20:36,542 --> 00:20:38,500 So this is pretty good evidence of a crucifixion 418 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:41,250 that did use at least one nail. 419 00:20:42,750 --> 00:20:44,875 - [Dennis] If the holy nails do exist, 420 00:20:44,875 --> 00:20:47,250 how many could there be? 421 00:20:47,250 --> 00:20:48,875 - Up to the 13th century, 422 00:20:48,875 --> 00:20:51,208 most of depictions in Western Christianity show four nails, 423 00:20:51,208 --> 00:20:53,875 right? One through each hand and each foot. 424 00:20:53,875 --> 00:20:56,333 But after say the 13th century, 425 00:20:56,333 --> 00:20:59,208 most artwork switches to three nails. 426 00:20:59,208 --> 00:21:01,542 Jesus' feet are crossed one over the other 427 00:21:01,542 --> 00:21:04,208 and they are pierced with a single nail. 428 00:21:06,167 --> 00:21:08,542 - [Dennis] The idea of three nails aligns with the legend 429 00:21:08,542 --> 00:21:11,292 of Constantine's mother Helena, 430 00:21:11,292 --> 00:21:15,000 who allegedly finds them next to the true cross. 431 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:16,417 - According to Gregory of Tours 432 00:21:16,417 --> 00:21:18,417 who writes in the sixth century, 433 00:21:18,417 --> 00:21:21,875 Helena finds the nails in May of 326. 434 00:21:21,875 --> 00:21:24,958 He writes that when she encounters a huge storm 435 00:21:24,958 --> 00:21:27,958 on her way from Jerusalem back to Constantinople, 436 00:21:27,958 --> 00:21:31,250 Helena puts one of the nails into the rough water. 437 00:21:31,250 --> 00:21:34,250 [thunder] 438 00:21:34,250 --> 00:21:36,792 At that moment, the water immediately calms, 439 00:21:36,792 --> 00:21:38,042 and the storm clears. 440 00:21:38,042 --> 00:21:40,833 She uses the power of the nails to save herself 441 00:21:40,833 --> 00:21:42,333 from certain death. 442 00:21:43,375 --> 00:21:47,250 - To Helena, this is proof positive that these nails 443 00:21:47,250 --> 00:21:50,708 have protective and mystical power. 444 00:21:50,708 --> 00:21:53,458 - [Dennis] Convinced these are the holy nails 445 00:21:53,458 --> 00:21:55,792 used in the crucifixion of Jesus, 446 00:21:55,792 --> 00:22:00,625 Helen is determined to deploy them, to protect her son. 447 00:22:00,625 --> 00:22:02,458 - Of course, she's going to look after 448 00:22:02,458 --> 00:22:04,917 her number one son, Constantine. 449 00:22:04,917 --> 00:22:08,208 So as the story goes, she has part of the nail used 450 00:22:08,208 --> 00:22:10,375 to make a helmet to protect him in battle. 451 00:22:11,542 --> 00:22:13,042 - [Dennis] The helmet also features 452 00:22:13,042 --> 00:22:15,750 Constantine's signature emblem. 453 00:22:15,750 --> 00:22:18,875 - Constantine liked to use the Christogram, 454 00:22:18,875 --> 00:22:21,500 an abbreviation of the name of Christ in Greek letters. 455 00:22:21,500 --> 00:22:24,417 Chi and Ro, the first two letters 456 00:22:24,417 --> 00:22:26,542 of the Greek word "christos". 457 00:22:26,542 --> 00:22:30,042 He put it on all kinds of stuff, shields, insignia, 458 00:22:30,042 --> 00:22:32,042 and this helmet. 459 00:22:32,042 --> 00:22:36,042 - One of Constantine's biographers Eusebius of Caesarea 460 00:22:36,042 --> 00:22:39,625 writes that he often wore this helmet around in later life, 461 00:22:39,625 --> 00:22:41,542 not just on the battlefield. 462 00:22:41,542 --> 00:22:43,667 It's his way of letting everyone know 463 00:22:43,667 --> 00:22:46,833 how powerful he is to possess this relic. 464 00:22:47,667 --> 00:22:50,500 - If it made Constantine feel invulnerable in battle, 465 00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:52,708 it didn't work on other maladies. 466 00:22:52,708 --> 00:22:56,250 He dies in bed from an unknown illness in 337 AD, 467 00:22:56,250 --> 00:23:00,333 and after that, history is silent on that helmet's fate. 468 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:03,375 - [Dennis] But some stories suggest Helena 469 00:23:03,375 --> 00:23:05,542 makes another gift fashioned from a piece 470 00:23:05,542 --> 00:23:08,208 of the same holy nail. 471 00:23:08,208 --> 00:23:10,208 - According to the fifth century historian 472 00:23:10,208 --> 00:23:11,625 Theodore of Cyrus, 473 00:23:11,625 --> 00:23:15,208 Helena actually uses one nail to make two items. 474 00:23:15,208 --> 00:23:17,542 Half is made into the helmet, 475 00:23:17,542 --> 00:23:20,292 and the other half into a bridal 476 00:23:20,292 --> 00:23:23,542 meant to protect Constantine's horse, 477 00:23:23,542 --> 00:23:26,542 and of course her son while riding it. 478 00:23:26,542 --> 00:23:28,250 - Unlike Constantine's helmet, 479 00:23:28,250 --> 00:23:30,417 the bridal may actually have survived. 480 00:23:30,417 --> 00:23:32,292 This may be our only and best chance 481 00:23:32,292 --> 00:23:35,625 to locate any of the original Holy Nails. 482 00:23:36,667 --> 00:23:38,583 - Today there are two places that claim 483 00:23:38,583 --> 00:23:40,292 to have the bridle of Constantine. 484 00:23:40,292 --> 00:23:42,375 One is the Cathedral of Milan, 485 00:23:42,375 --> 00:23:46,250 the other is a cathedral in Carpentras, France. 486 00:23:46,250 --> 00:23:48,708 Milan's claim is thought to be stronger. 487 00:23:48,708 --> 00:23:50,833 There's a provenance to their artifact that dates 488 00:23:50,833 --> 00:23:52,917 all the way back to the year 395, 489 00:23:52,917 --> 00:23:56,458 and that year one of Constantine's successors, 490 00:23:56,458 --> 00:24:00,208 the Roman Emperor Theodosius I dies. 491 00:24:00,208 --> 00:24:01,875 He leaves his imperial insignia, 492 00:24:01,875 --> 00:24:05,750 including this bridal to Saint Ambrose, the bishop of Milan. 493 00:24:07,750 --> 00:24:09,542 - [Dennis] The bridal is kept in the church 494 00:24:09,542 --> 00:24:12,667 of St. Tekla until 1389. 495 00:24:13,042 --> 00:24:16,083 After that, it's moved to the Cathedral of Milan, 496 00:24:16,083 --> 00:24:18,708 where it remains to this day. 497 00:24:18,708 --> 00:24:20,875 - The nail is kept in a special vault 498 00:24:20,875 --> 00:24:25,417 about 150 feet up above the floor of the cathedral. 499 00:24:27,458 --> 00:24:28,875 In September, the church celebrates 500 00:24:28,875 --> 00:24:31,292 what's called the "Rite of the Nivola". 501 00:24:31,292 --> 00:24:32,792 During that ceremony, 502 00:24:32,792 --> 00:24:36,042 the Archbishop of Milan enters a special elevator, 503 00:24:36,042 --> 00:24:38,542 which many claim to be the oldest continually 504 00:24:38,542 --> 00:24:40,250 used elevator in the world. 505 00:24:40,250 --> 00:24:43,042 There's an unproven local rumor that the elevator 506 00:24:43,042 --> 00:24:46,708 was designed by none other than Leonardo da Vinci. 507 00:24:46,708 --> 00:24:50,625 The archbishop rises up into the sky of the cathedral vault 508 00:24:50,625 --> 00:24:53,875 and brings down the holy nail for everyone to see. 509 00:24:53,875 --> 00:24:56,333 It remains on display for several days, 510 00:24:56,333 --> 00:24:58,083 and then back up it goes. 511 00:24:58,083 --> 00:25:01,125 They've been doing this for over 400 years. 512 00:25:01,125 --> 00:25:03,708 - We will never be able to prove if the bridal contains 513 00:25:03,708 --> 00:25:07,042 one of the actual holy nails from Jesus's crucifixion, 514 00:25:07,042 --> 00:25:09,917 but to the millions of faithful in Milan, 515 00:25:09,917 --> 00:25:13,750 it's certainly revered as the genuine article. 516 00:25:20,125 --> 00:25:22,792 - [Dennis] Among the most revered crucifixion relics, 517 00:25:22,792 --> 00:25:27,750 three holy nails used to affix Christ to the cross. 518 00:25:28,292 --> 00:25:31,875 According to legend, these were discovered by Helena, 519 00:25:31,875 --> 00:25:34,417 mother of Emperor Constantine. 520 00:25:34,417 --> 00:25:38,208 Each nail was used for a different purpose. 521 00:25:38,208 --> 00:25:41,958 - One is said to have been made into a helmet and a bridle. 522 00:25:41,958 --> 00:25:46,542 Another was put into the sea to save Helena during a storm. 523 00:25:46,542 --> 00:25:49,000 Though we're not sure if she retrieved it. 524 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,833 That means there is at least one left to account for. 525 00:25:54,417 --> 00:25:56,917 - Supposedly Helena uses a nail 526 00:25:56,917 --> 00:26:01,250 to make one more protective item for her son, a crown. 527 00:26:01,250 --> 00:26:04,250 It's become known as the Iron Crown of Lombardy. 528 00:26:04,250 --> 00:26:07,542 It features six plates of gold joined by hinges, 529 00:26:07,542 --> 00:26:09,542 with a small inner band said to include 530 00:26:09,542 --> 00:26:11,708 the fragments of the holy nail. 531 00:26:11,708 --> 00:26:16,500 - By 594, the iron crown is venerated as a holy relic 532 00:26:16,500 --> 00:26:19,167 at the cathedral of Monza near Milan, Italy, 533 00:26:19,167 --> 00:26:22,542 and then for centuries it's used to crown 534 00:26:22,542 --> 00:26:25,000 Holy Roman Emperors as the kings of Italy, 535 00:26:25,833 --> 00:26:27,875 certain artworks suggest it was even used 536 00:26:27,875 --> 00:26:30,667 to crown Charlemagne as king of the Lombards. 537 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,042 - [Dennis] The crown remains in northern Italy until 1805 538 00:26:37,042 --> 00:26:39,875 when it's placed on the head of one of Europe's 539 00:26:39,875 --> 00:26:43,792 most infamous rulers, Napoleon. 540 00:26:43,792 --> 00:26:47,000 - Napoleon is already the emperor of France, 541 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,042 but he wants to make his rule known in Italy, 542 00:26:51,042 --> 00:26:55,750 so he throws himself an elaborate coronation ceremony. 543 00:26:56,167 --> 00:26:59,042 - Napoleon goes up to the altar, he takes the iron crown. 544 00:26:59,042 --> 00:27:02,167 He famously puts it on his own head, and he declares, 545 00:27:02,167 --> 00:27:06,583 "God has given it to me, beware he who touches it." 546 00:27:07,875 --> 00:27:09,667 - [Dennis] Despite the apparent blessing, 547 00:27:09,667 --> 00:27:13,125 it doesn't make Napoleon untouchable. 548 00:27:13,125 --> 00:27:15,417 - He's arguably one of the greatest military commanders 549 00:27:15,417 --> 00:27:16,708 in history. 550 00:27:18,375 --> 00:27:20,583 But he's also largely responsible 551 00:27:20,583 --> 00:27:23,250 for the Napoleonic wars, in which it's estimated 552 00:27:23,250 --> 00:27:27,750 that somewhere between three to five million people die. 553 00:27:27,750 --> 00:27:29,875 That makes him pretty unpopular. 554 00:27:29,875 --> 00:27:33,208 That and his tendency towards authoritarian rule. 555 00:27:33,208 --> 00:27:35,917 - In 1812, 7 years after he crowns himself 556 00:27:35,917 --> 00:27:39,875 with the Iron Crown, Napoleon invades Russia. 557 00:27:40,042 --> 00:27:43,833 [dramatic music] 558 00:27:43,833 --> 00:27:48,792 His campaign fails, and he's forced to abdicate in 1814. 559 00:27:48,792 --> 00:27:51,833 Ultimately, he's defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. 560 00:27:51,833 --> 00:27:54,292 He's exiled by the British to a remote island, 561 00:27:54,292 --> 00:27:57,500 ironically called St. Helena. 562 00:27:57,500 --> 00:27:59,667 - [Dennis] Today the crown rests 563 00:27:59,667 --> 00:28:01,292 in the cathedral of Monza, 564 00:28:01,292 --> 00:28:04,458 where it's still venerated as a holy relic. 565 00:28:04,458 --> 00:28:07,208 - In the 1990s, two separate tests are conducted 566 00:28:07,208 --> 00:28:08,917 on the Crown to determine its age. 567 00:28:08,917 --> 00:28:11,917 Of course, you can't carbon date metal since it's not 568 00:28:11,917 --> 00:28:13,125 biological material, 569 00:28:13,125 --> 00:28:15,208 but the precious gems in the crown are secured 570 00:28:15,208 --> 00:28:17,875 with primitive super glue that's made out of beeswax, 571 00:28:17,875 --> 00:28:19,833 and that can be tested. 572 00:28:19,833 --> 00:28:22,542 - Turns out the iron crown was likely created 573 00:28:22,542 --> 00:28:25,833 no earlier than about 450 AD, 574 00:28:25,833 --> 00:28:29,708 which doesn't fit the timeline of Helena and Constantine. 575 00:28:29,708 --> 00:28:32,375 They also discover that there's no actual iron 576 00:28:32,375 --> 00:28:34,833 in the Iron Crown. 577 00:28:34,833 --> 00:28:37,250 If a holy nail was ever a part of it, 578 00:28:37,250 --> 00:28:38,333 it's not anymore. 579 00:28:40,083 --> 00:28:43,417 - [Dennis] We may never know what happened to the last 580 00:28:43,417 --> 00:28:45,000 of the three holy nails, 581 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,875 but some believe it's in Austria, 582 00:28:46,875 --> 00:28:49,917 embedded within another crucifixion relic. 583 00:28:50,625 --> 00:28:52,125 - In Vienna's Habsburg palace, 584 00:28:52,125 --> 00:28:54,042 there's an Imperial treasury vault 585 00:28:54,042 --> 00:28:56,833 which contains 21 rooms of rare treasures 586 00:28:56,833 --> 00:28:58,875 collected by Austria's Habsburg rulers 587 00:28:58,875 --> 00:29:01,167 and the Holy Roman empire. 588 00:29:01,167 --> 00:29:03,875 Among the jewel encrusted crowns and golden scepters 589 00:29:03,875 --> 00:29:06,083 sits a dull metal spear, 590 00:29:06,083 --> 00:29:08,667 which might be the most valuable object 591 00:29:08,667 --> 00:29:10,083 in the entire collection. 592 00:29:11,375 --> 00:29:13,083 - It's called the Holy Lance, 593 00:29:13,083 --> 00:29:16,958 also known as the Spear of Destiny. 594 00:29:16,958 --> 00:29:19,625 - The spearhead is about 20 inches long, 595 00:29:19,625 --> 00:29:21,417 weighs about two pounds. 596 00:29:21,417 --> 00:29:22,708 It's mostly made of iron. 597 00:29:22,708 --> 00:29:24,750 It has a leather wrap to tie it, 598 00:29:24,750 --> 00:29:27,000 and silver and gold cuffs around the middle, 599 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,042 which were added later. 600 00:29:29,042 --> 00:29:32,375 - The silver cuff was added by King Henry IV in 1084. 601 00:29:32,375 --> 00:29:37,708 It's inscribed with the words "nail of our Lord". Why? 602 00:29:37,708 --> 00:29:39,333 Because embedded in the tip of the spear 603 00:29:39,333 --> 00:29:42,208 is a metal pin that many believe is one 604 00:29:42,208 --> 00:29:45,000 of the holy nails from the crucifixion. 605 00:29:46,042 --> 00:29:48,375 - [Dennis] Even without the nail, 606 00:29:48,375 --> 00:29:51,375 Many believe the spear is an important crucifixion 607 00:29:51,375 --> 00:29:53,292 relic on its own. 608 00:29:53,292 --> 00:29:56,708 - In the New Testament, but only in the gospel of John. 609 00:29:56,708 --> 00:29:59,583 We're told that the Romans aren't sure 610 00:29:59,583 --> 00:30:01,042 if Jesus has died yet. 611 00:30:01,042 --> 00:30:03,042 And so one of the Roman guards, 612 00:30:03,042 --> 00:30:06,125 he actually pierces Jesus with a spear. 613 00:30:07,375 --> 00:30:10,042 - Jesus has already died by them, 614 00:30:10,042 --> 00:30:11,375 and it's said that there's a gush 615 00:30:11,375 --> 00:30:13,375 of blood and water from the wound, 616 00:30:13,375 --> 00:30:15,875 which is consistent with medical science, 617 00:30:15,875 --> 00:30:18,083 because there would be a buildup of fluid 618 00:30:18,083 --> 00:30:21,083 in his lungs due to heart failure. 619 00:30:21,083 --> 00:30:22,958 - According to non-biblical sources, 620 00:30:22,958 --> 00:30:25,792 the guard who wields the spear is blind, 621 00:30:25,792 --> 00:30:27,750 or at least has eye trouble. 622 00:30:27,750 --> 00:30:29,542 But when he pierces Jesus, 623 00:30:29,542 --> 00:30:33,417 the holy blood drips into his eyes, and heals him. 624 00:30:35,375 --> 00:30:37,708 - After that, he, not surprisingly, 625 00:30:37,708 --> 00:30:39,708 converts to Christianity. 626 00:30:39,708 --> 00:30:41,208 in later accounts of the incident, 627 00:30:41,208 --> 00:30:44,292 the soldier is given the name Longinus. 628 00:30:44,292 --> 00:30:47,708 So the Spear of Destiny is also sometimes known 629 00:30:47,708 --> 00:30:50,917 as the "Lance of Longinus". 630 00:30:50,917 --> 00:30:52,083 - [Dennis] Just like the other relics 631 00:30:52,083 --> 00:30:53,417 from the crucifixion, 632 00:30:53,417 --> 00:30:57,125 the spear is believed to have divine powers. 633 00:30:57,125 --> 00:30:59,042 - It's said that the Spear of Destiny 634 00:30:59,042 --> 00:31:01,500 can make the bearer invincible in combat. 635 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,375 - It's also said that whoever possesses the spear 636 00:31:05,375 --> 00:31:09,292 is taken as a sign that they rule by divine right. 637 00:31:09,292 --> 00:31:12,750 Meaning their authority comes directly from God. 638 00:31:12,750 --> 00:31:14,875 Whomever wields the spear has in their hands 639 00:31:14,875 --> 00:31:16,833 the destiny of the world. 640 00:31:18,208 --> 00:31:20,583 - Now, this is obviously true when it's in the hands 641 00:31:20,583 --> 00:31:22,250 of the holy Roman emperors. 642 00:31:22,250 --> 00:31:24,750 They certainly played a major part in shaping the world. 643 00:31:24,750 --> 00:31:27,583 But when you study the history of this incredible object 644 00:31:27,583 --> 00:31:29,208 and learn more about its journey, 645 00:31:29,208 --> 00:31:31,208 you realize it's been at the center of some 646 00:31:31,208 --> 00:31:34,458 of the most important events in human history. 647 00:31:42,042 --> 00:31:43,708 - While the Spear of Destiny is believed to be 648 00:31:43,708 --> 00:31:45,333 in a Vienna museum today, 649 00:31:45,333 --> 00:31:48,208 its legendary journey there places it 650 00:31:48,208 --> 00:31:50,083 in the hands of some of history's 651 00:31:50,083 --> 00:31:53,083 most famous and infamous leaders. 652 00:31:54,292 --> 00:31:56,417 - The Bible doesn't say what happens to the spear 653 00:31:56,417 --> 00:31:59,000 after the crucifixion, but the spear is a common 654 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,750 and valuable weapon for a Roman guard. 655 00:32:01,750 --> 00:32:03,792 So, the soldier who used it 656 00:32:03,792 --> 00:32:06,000 would probably just hang onto it. 657 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,417 So, we can't be sure what happens next 658 00:32:08,417 --> 00:32:10,875 but there are a lot of stories about the lance 659 00:32:10,875 --> 00:32:13,542 scattered throughout the historical record. 660 00:32:15,125 --> 00:32:18,042 - The Holy Relic stays with the Roman Empire 661 00:32:18,042 --> 00:32:20,500 passing from emperor to emperor. 662 00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:24,208 Then in the year 410, King Alaric of the Visigoths 663 00:32:24,208 --> 00:32:27,083 sacks Rome and takes the spear. 664 00:32:27,875 --> 00:32:29,042 - [Dennis] Throughout the Middle ages, 665 00:32:29,042 --> 00:32:31,917 the spear continues to change hands in battle. 666 00:32:33,250 --> 00:32:36,792 - Around 450 AD, Atilla the Hun has conquered 667 00:32:36,792 --> 00:32:39,708 a huge swath of Europe and Asia. 668 00:32:39,708 --> 00:32:42,375 It said that during his conquest of the Roman empire, 669 00:32:42,375 --> 00:32:45,375 he seizes the Spear of Destiny, but he rejects it. 670 00:32:45,375 --> 00:32:46,708 He throws it to the ground and says, 671 00:32:46,708 --> 00:32:48,000 "take back your holy lance. 672 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,792 It is of no use to me since I do not know 673 00:32:49,792 --> 00:32:51,583 him who made it holy." 674 00:32:53,708 --> 00:32:56,333 - Theodoric I, an ally of the Romans 675 00:32:56,333 --> 00:32:59,250 and the king of the Visigoths, picks up that spear. 676 00:32:59,250 --> 00:33:02,542 He leads his troops into war against the Huns, 677 00:33:02,542 --> 00:33:06,083 and he forces them into their first and only defeat. 678 00:33:06,083 --> 00:33:08,042 This may prove the spear's power, 679 00:33:08,042 --> 00:33:11,375 but Theodoric himself ends up dying in battle. 680 00:33:11,375 --> 00:33:14,042 - [Dennis] As later rulers wield the spear, 681 00:33:14,042 --> 00:33:17,250 They too experience its alleged power. 682 00:33:17,250 --> 00:33:19,333 - In the eighth and the early ninth centuries, 683 00:33:19,333 --> 00:33:21,375 the first holy Roman emperor Charlemagne 684 00:33:21,375 --> 00:33:23,750 supposedly carries the holy spear on 685 00:33:23,750 --> 00:33:27,333 47 victorious military campaigns. 686 00:33:27,333 --> 00:33:29,500 Then one day he accidentally drops the spear, 687 00:33:29,500 --> 00:33:32,917 and he dies almost immediately of a fever. 688 00:33:32,917 --> 00:33:36,333 The relic moves around until 1424 689 00:33:36,333 --> 00:33:39,083 when it winds up in the city of Nuremberg. 690 00:33:39,083 --> 00:33:43,500 In 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte makes a move to seize it, 691 00:33:43,500 --> 00:33:45,792 so it's sent to the Habsburg palace in Vienna 692 00:33:45,792 --> 00:33:47,042 for safekeeping. 693 00:33:47,042 --> 00:33:49,333 Napoleon never does get his hands on it. 694 00:33:51,292 --> 00:33:52,875 - [Dennis] Once it's in Vienna, 695 00:33:52,875 --> 00:33:57,500 another power hungry leader sets his sights on the spear. 696 00:33:57,500 --> 00:34:00,750 - Even before his rise to power, Adolf Hitler is aware 697 00:34:00,750 --> 00:34:04,375 of the spear from his days as a starving artist in Vienna. 698 00:34:04,375 --> 00:34:07,333 He spends his free time wandering the halls 699 00:34:07,333 --> 00:34:09,958 of the Habsburg Palace, which had become a museum, 700 00:34:09,958 --> 00:34:13,625 so he undoubtedly would've seen the relic on display there. 701 00:34:13,625 --> 00:34:17,292 - Hitler is fascinated by the occult and the supernatural. 702 00:34:17,292 --> 00:34:20,542 The spear believed to hold powers of invincibility 703 00:34:20,542 --> 00:34:24,250 and healing would definitely pique his interest. 704 00:34:24,250 --> 00:34:28,833 - Hitler clearly recognizes the symbolic political power 705 00:34:28,833 --> 00:34:30,750 of a relic like the holy lance. 706 00:34:30,750 --> 00:34:32,417 If he has it in his possession, 707 00:34:32,417 --> 00:34:34,792 it would inspire the German people to get behind him. 708 00:34:34,792 --> 00:34:38,875 It would grant him tremendous power, if not divine power. 709 00:34:38,875 --> 00:34:41,292 It also makes for great propaganda. 710 00:34:43,542 --> 00:34:46,958 - [Dennis] When Hitler invades Austria in 1938, 711 00:34:46,958 --> 00:34:49,667 he seizes the spear. 712 00:34:49,667 --> 00:34:50,833 - When he gets the lance, 713 00:34:50,833 --> 00:34:54,250 he puts it on display as an expression of his power, 714 00:34:54,250 --> 00:34:57,708 and also of his ability to control destiny. 715 00:34:57,708 --> 00:35:01,125 - Hitler's empire grows, as does his ego. 716 00:35:01,125 --> 00:35:03,292 He seems to believe he's invincible, 717 00:35:03,292 --> 00:35:05,375 but if he paid attention to the legends 718 00:35:05,375 --> 00:35:07,500 surrounding the Spear of Destiny, he should have realized 719 00:35:07,500 --> 00:35:11,083 that things don't always end well for those who wield it. 720 00:35:13,292 --> 00:35:16,042 - As we all know, eventually the tide turns against Hitler, 721 00:35:16,042 --> 00:35:18,000 and on April 30th, 1945, he ends his own life 722 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,833 inside a Berlin bunker. 723 00:35:24,917 --> 00:35:28,583 - Around the time of his suicide when the allies took over, 724 00:35:28,583 --> 00:35:31,208 the lance was actually recovered by the allies 725 00:35:31,208 --> 00:35:33,375 in a room that was sealed off, 726 00:35:33,375 --> 00:35:34,958 along with lots of other relics. 727 00:35:35,208 --> 00:35:36,792 The individual who found the lance 728 00:35:36,792 --> 00:35:38,542 was an American soldier named Walter Horn, 729 00:35:38,542 --> 00:35:41,417 who was part of the monuments men, 730 00:35:41,417 --> 00:35:43,875 who were a special task force that were charged 731 00:35:43,875 --> 00:35:48,208 to actually find artifacts that were stolen by the Nazis. 732 00:35:48,208 --> 00:35:50,917 - By January 1946, 733 00:35:50,917 --> 00:35:54,042 the spear is back at the Habsburg Museum in Vienna, 734 00:35:54,042 --> 00:35:55,958 having survived another war. 735 00:35:55,958 --> 00:35:59,250 So maybe it really does hold the power of invincibility. 736 00:36:00,750 --> 00:36:02,625 - [Dennis] But while the spear's connection to history 737 00:36:02,625 --> 00:36:06,958 is undeniable, its authenticity is not. 738 00:36:06,958 --> 00:36:10,333 - Recent tests on the spear suggests unfortunately, 739 00:36:10,333 --> 00:36:14,125 it may not be the relics that we think it is. 740 00:36:14,125 --> 00:36:17,000 Analysis shows that the form of the blade itself 741 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,125 is from about the eighth century, 742 00:36:19,125 --> 00:36:22,375 so that makes it roughly 700 years too new 743 00:36:22,375 --> 00:36:25,208 to have been involved in the crucifixion. 744 00:36:25,208 --> 00:36:28,167 However, the exact age of the nail itself 745 00:36:28,167 --> 00:36:29,500 can't be determined. 746 00:36:29,500 --> 00:36:32,208 Those studies have found it to be consistent 747 00:36:32,208 --> 00:36:34,625 in make and size to other nails believed to be 748 00:36:34,625 --> 00:36:38,042 from Roman crucifixions in the first century. 749 00:36:38,042 --> 00:36:39,708 - It's kind of like which came first, 750 00:36:39,708 --> 00:36:42,292 the chicken or the egg? 751 00:36:42,292 --> 00:36:44,167 What's the source of the object's power? 752 00:36:44,167 --> 00:36:46,542 The spear or the nail? 753 00:36:46,542 --> 00:36:48,375 Either way, if the legends are true, 754 00:36:48,375 --> 00:36:50,208 it's helped shape the destiny 755 00:36:50,208 --> 00:36:52,667 of some very important historical leaders. 756 00:36:53,042 --> 00:36:56,292 [dramatic music] 757 00:37:00,458 --> 00:37:02,542 One of the most well-known crucifixion objects starts as 758 00:37:02,542 --> 00:37:05,458 nothing more than a cruel jest. 759 00:37:06,542 --> 00:37:07,833 - The stories in the New Testament 760 00:37:07,833 --> 00:37:10,375 say that prior to putting Jesus on the cross, 761 00:37:10,375 --> 00:37:13,375 the soldiers dress him up in a robe, laugh at him, 762 00:37:13,375 --> 00:37:16,250 mockingly, call him King of the Jews. 763 00:37:16,250 --> 00:37:18,417 - To add injury to insult, 764 00:37:18,417 --> 00:37:20,542 they twist some thorny vines into a loop 765 00:37:20,542 --> 00:37:23,375 and place it on his head like a crown. 766 00:37:23,375 --> 00:37:25,042 The spikes tear into his flesh 767 00:37:25,042 --> 00:37:28,833 and make the whole experience all the more agonizing. 768 00:37:28,833 --> 00:37:31,125 But in their attempt to hurt and humiliate Jesus, 769 00:37:31,125 --> 00:37:34,708 the Romans inadvertently create a symbol that becomes one 770 00:37:34,708 --> 00:37:37,833 of the most powerful and enduring images of Christianity, 771 00:37:37,833 --> 00:37:41,250 shown in countless works of art and depictions of Christ, 772 00:37:41,250 --> 00:37:42,875 the Crown of Thorns. 773 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,667 - Here we have another example of a crucifixion relic 774 00:37:49,667 --> 00:37:52,667 that believers would love to be able to see, 775 00:37:52,667 --> 00:37:54,500 and to touch and to venerate. 776 00:37:55,375 --> 00:37:57,208 - After this incident in the Bible, 777 00:37:57,208 --> 00:37:59,375 the the crown isn't mentioned or seen again, 778 00:37:59,375 --> 00:38:01,208 much like the other crucifixion relics. 779 00:38:01,208 --> 00:38:03,167 It just disappears from the historical record 780 00:38:03,167 --> 00:38:05,167 for several centuries. 781 00:38:05,167 --> 00:38:07,708 - [Dennis] But it doesn't stay missing. 782 00:38:07,708 --> 00:38:10,458 - The crown is unique because from the time it resurfaces, 783 00:38:10,458 --> 00:38:12,708 there's only one crown of thorns, 784 00:38:12,708 --> 00:38:15,500 and we can trace its path from that moment 785 00:38:15,500 --> 00:38:18,167 all the way to the present day. 786 00:38:18,167 --> 00:38:20,208 - [Dennis] According to a Roman author 787 00:38:20,208 --> 00:38:22,375 named Paulinus of Nola, 788 00:38:22,375 --> 00:38:26,208 the crown is next seen just after 400 AD on display 789 00:38:26,208 --> 00:38:29,750 at the Basilica of Mount Zion. 790 00:38:29,750 --> 00:38:32,500 - The crown is described as a simple woven wreath 791 00:38:32,500 --> 00:38:35,583 likely made from a plant local to Jerusalem, 792 00:38:35,583 --> 00:38:38,417 known as Sisyphus spina Christi. 793 00:38:38,417 --> 00:38:41,958 It said the crown miraculously stays green 794 00:38:41,958 --> 00:38:45,583 throughout the centuries and even sprouts new growth. 795 00:38:45,583 --> 00:38:47,583 - [Dennis] Around 1063, 796 00:38:47,583 --> 00:38:50,500 the crown is moved to Constantinople. 797 00:38:50,500 --> 00:38:54,333 - By the time of the Holy Roman Empire in the 13th century, 798 00:38:54,333 --> 00:38:57,500 Emperor Baldwin actually pawned the Crown of Thorns 799 00:38:57,500 --> 00:38:58,750 to Venetian merchants in order 800 00:38:58,750 --> 00:39:02,208 to subsidize his crumbling empire. 801 00:39:02,208 --> 00:39:04,750 - King Louis IX of France buys it, 802 00:39:04,750 --> 00:39:07,083 and makes a big public parade 803 00:39:07,083 --> 00:39:09,000 out of the relic's arrival in Paris. 804 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:11,667 Dressed as a humble penitent in a simple tunic, 805 00:39:11,667 --> 00:39:14,708 he walks barefoot carrying the Crown of Thorns 806 00:39:14,708 --> 00:39:17,375 and other relics into a newly built chapel 807 00:39:17,375 --> 00:39:19,750 known as Sainte-Chappelle. 808 00:39:19,750 --> 00:39:21,333 - [Dennis] The Crown of Thorns stays there 809 00:39:21,333 --> 00:39:23,792 for about 550 years, 810 00:39:23,792 --> 00:39:28,125 but in the late 1700 as the French monarchy is displaced, 811 00:39:28,125 --> 00:39:30,375 so is the crown. 812 00:39:31,875 --> 00:39:34,958 [dramatic music] 813 00:39:34,958 --> 00:39:38,542 - The French revolution is a time of total chaos. 814 00:39:38,542 --> 00:39:41,542 Angry crowds are literally storming castles, 815 00:39:41,542 --> 00:39:44,625 and people are executing nobles by guillotine. 816 00:39:46,833 --> 00:39:49,667 There's a real fear that relics and treasures of the church 817 00:39:49,667 --> 00:39:52,458 are going to be lost forever. 818 00:39:52,458 --> 00:39:54,917 - Some credit Napoleon with swooping in 819 00:39:54,917 --> 00:39:57,875 to take the Crown of Thorns into the biblioteca nacional 820 00:39:57,875 --> 00:40:00,333 for safekeeping until things calm down. 821 00:40:00,333 --> 00:40:03,583 Then in 1804, the crown goes to a new home 822 00:40:03,583 --> 00:40:05,500 in Notre-Dame Cathedral. 823 00:40:06,417 --> 00:40:07,708 - [Dennis] Over the years, 824 00:40:07,708 --> 00:40:09,417 millions of tourists make the trip 825 00:40:09,417 --> 00:40:11,417 to see the crown in Notre Dame. 826 00:40:12,583 --> 00:40:16,500 But in April, 2019, disaster strikes. 827 00:40:19,375 --> 00:40:21,417 - Notre Dame catches fire. 828 00:40:21,417 --> 00:40:24,500 And its ceiling is made up of wooden beams, 829 00:40:24,500 --> 00:40:27,792 and this goes up like a house of cards. 830 00:40:27,792 --> 00:40:30,000 [dramatic music] 831 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:32,417 - First responders have just minutes to decide 832 00:40:32,417 --> 00:40:34,042 what they can save out of centuries 833 00:40:34,042 --> 00:40:37,917 of accumulated treasures, artwork, and relics. 834 00:40:40,208 --> 00:40:42,250 - The firefighters make a human chain 835 00:40:42,250 --> 00:40:45,542 to try to remove as many of the holy relics as they can, 836 00:40:45,542 --> 00:40:49,458 and they do rescue the Crown of Thorns. 837 00:40:50,375 --> 00:40:53,042 - Much of the building is destroyed, 838 00:40:53,042 --> 00:40:55,542 so the Crown of Thorns is temporarily rehoused 839 00:40:55,542 --> 00:40:59,417 in the Louvre Museum until Notre Dame is restored. 840 00:40:59,417 --> 00:41:01,458 It's an incredible survival story 841 00:41:01,458 --> 00:41:05,042 for a 2000 year old bundle of vines. 842 00:41:07,875 --> 00:41:10,750 - While the origin of some of these legendary relics 843 00:41:10,750 --> 00:41:14,125 remains unclear, one thing is certain. 844 00:41:14,125 --> 00:41:17,583 Each of these mystical objects inspires fascination 845 00:41:17,583 --> 00:41:21,292 and faith around the world. 846 00:41:21,292 --> 00:41:25,625 I'm Dennis Quaid. Thanks for watching "Holy Marvels".