The Holy Lance or Holy Geghard (Geghard means a spearhead) is the spear with which a Roman legionary centurion Longinus pierced the side of Jesus Christ. As the Gospel of John says, “one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water” (John 19:34).Since apostolic times, the Holy Lance has been one of the sacred relics of Christianity. According to the Armenian Church tradition, St Thaddeus, one of the 12 apostles of Christ, brought the Holy Lance to Armenia in 30s of the first century AD. Originally it was stored in Vaspourakan, then - in different places of worship in the territory of the historical Armenia, and since the 13th century - in Ayrivank monastery (Geghardavank). In 1760s the Holy Lance was brought to Etchmiadzin and is still kept there, in the museum of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, packed in the silver casket (1687).The Holy Lance is one of the three main shrines sanctified by the Holy Myrrh.

Rectangle 27,0 x 47,0 mm