Holy Lance

The Holy Lance was the spear thrust into the side of Jesus Christ while hanging on the cross. During the First Crusade, while the Crusaders were besieged in Antioch by Kerbogha, Peter Bartholomew[?] reported that he had had a vision in which St. Andrew[?] told him that the Holy Lance was buried in St. Peter's Cathedral in Antioch.

Some were skeptical, others were convinced. In any case, after much digging in the cathedral, Peter Bartholomew took a hand and, in a few moments, discovered the lance.

Of course, for the Christians, this was a marvelous, exciting discovery. At the same time, dissension had begun in the ranks of the Moslem army besieging the city. This combination of factors resulted in the Christian army being able to rout the Moslems a few days later when they joined battle. The Crusaders had decisively captured Antioch.