Exceptional Longinus: The Centurion At Jesus Cross Or Was He? You Didn't Ask...But : You Didn't Ask..But-#11-Longinus by Brett Matthew West

(I encountered this information while conducting research and it grabbed my curiosity. I listed this posting as Non-Fiction though have not found sufficient supporting evidence to be 100 percent convinced it is.) Commonly referred to in some circles as the "Lance of St. Maurice," as well as the "Spear of Destiny," and the "Holy Spear," the Roman spear used to pierce Jesus' side as He hung on the cross, as depicted in John 19:34, apparently has many stories associated with it. Though unauthenticated, there are supposed to be three relics of this spear that carries fame. Encyclopedia Britannica records one piece of the javelin, allegedly a spearpoint fragment, can be discovered in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. This item has been rumored to have been gifted to Pope Innocent VIII after the vanquish of Constantinople by the Turks in 1492. Hey, wasn't that the year Columbus sailed the ocean blue? The other two pieces are reportedly in the Manoogian Museum in Vagharshapat, Armenia and the Imperial Treasury at the Hafburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Rumored to be named after the Roman soldier who speared Jesus, the "Lance of Longinus" has this story associated with it. Legend tells how the nearly blind Longinus had his eyesight restored by the blood and water that ran from Jesus' side after He was speared. They are claimed to have sprayed Longinus in the face. Thereafter, Longinus converted to Christianity, was martyred, and became the Catholic patron saint of the blind. Perhaps the earliest recording of the name "Longinus" derived from the Rabbula Gospels, which were conserved in the Laurentine Library in Florence, Italy, and illustrated by Rabbula in 586AD. The name is written in Greek above the head of the centurion shown thrusting his spear into Jesus' side. Completed at the Monastery of St. John of Zagla in Ancient Syria, the Rabbula Gospels are one of the first Byzantine books produced in Asia. The Rabbula Gospels is also one of the earliest Christian manuscripts with large miniatures. Another source listed Longinus' name as first being mentioned in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate. In the Gospel of John, Nicodemus is said to be an associate of Jesus. Derived from an original Hebrew writing by Nicodemus, the Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate are thought to date to the 4th or 5th Centuries A.D. The Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate is broken down into two sections. One covers the trial of Jesus and an account of the Resurrection. The other contains the Harrowing of Hell in which Leucius and Charinus are raised from the dead after Jesus' crucifixion. They relate to the Sanhedrin Jesus' descent into Hell and the deliverances of the Old Testament patriarchs. The salvation of Saint Dismas, the pentitant thief, is also portrayed in the Gospel of Nicodemus/Acts of Pilate. Longinus, or the centurion at the cross if that was his name, called Jesus the "Son of God." Longinus is considered by some sources as one of the first Christian and Roman converts. Mainly the Roman Catholic church, the Eastern Orthodox church, and the Armenian Apostolic church, along with some Christian churches, venerate Longinus as a saint. Now, here arise some questions. -No reliable authority has been found to verify Longinus' martyrdom. -His blindness, or eye problem, is not mentioned prior to the 10th Century A.D. Legend has it Longinus' body was lost twice. The second time it was recovered was in 1304AD at Montua in Lombardy, Italy, along with the Holy Sponge stained with Jesus' blood. It is further claimed Longinus helped clean Jesus' body when He was removed from the cross. Greek sources profess Longinus was martyred in Gabada, Coppadocia in Central Anatolia, Turkey. You didn't ask...but this time I did. While it is not my intention to debate religion, I am open-minded enough to listen to various views on most topics in that realm, then form my own conclusions. Therefore, should any member who may have any information about this spear, and be willing to pass it on, Catholics particularly, though I am not Catholic, would appreciate it. PMs welcomed. Thanks in advance. Author Notes This Joker isn't a Joke, by Bill Bistak, selected to complement my posting.

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