Myths & mysteries
Discover facts about myths & mysteries. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Myths & mysteries
Holy fools threw garbage at church officials
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, holy fools used outrageous behavior to criticize vanity and religious hypocrisy; some were said to throw debris at priests.
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Mystical ecstasies caused rigid paralysis
During intense prayer, some mystics fell into cataleptic states, their bodies rigid and still. They understood the alarming episodes as spiritual ecstasy.
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Lutgardis claimed to swap hearts with Jesus
She said the exchange explained her spiritual stamina, turning the idea of giving one's heart away into a literal claim.
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Stigmata supposedly bleeds heavily on Fridays
People who claimed to bear the wounds of the crucifixion often said they bled more heavily on Fridays.
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Mortification of the flesh was heavily praised
People who starved, endured cold, or whipped themselves sometimes drew crowds who praised their willpower, treating pain as a public display of discipline.
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Douceline of Digne levitated on command
Witnesses claimed that particular holy words—or even casual mentions of the divine—could make her rise into the air.
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Thomas Aquinas floated while praying intensely
Accounts say fellow scholars saw him levitate during private prayer, a striking contrast with his reputation as a grounded theologian.
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Weeping excessively caused mystics to go blind
Some intensely penitential mystics reportedly wept so constantly that they damaged their vision; a few were said to have become blind.
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Catherine of Siena claimed to marry Jesus invisibly
She said the mystical wedding came with a ring visible only to her.
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Stigmatic wounds remain open permanently
Believers say the wounds can bleed for years without becoming infected, a claim that runs counter to ordinary expectations about healing.
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Maria of Oignies cut off chunks of her flesh
She turned private religious grief into a bodily act of penance, reflecting the extreme forms medieval mysticism could take.
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Mystic Sri Aurobindo honestly thought he could trigger human evolution simply by writing excessively long epic poetry
Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga aimed to bring a divine “supermind” into earthly life as part of human evolution. He spent decades writing and revising Savitri,…
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Rose of Lima damaged her skin with spices and lye to deter suitors
She rubbed spices and lye on her skin to discourage suitors and focus on her religious vows.
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Seraphim of Sarov casually fed wild bears by hand
Stories say he spent 1,000 days praying on a stone in the forest, where bears eventually approached him.
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Therapeutae danced all night in the desolate desert
After a week of silent isolation, they gathered to sing, eat sparingly, and dance until dawn.
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Boskoi monks lived exactly like grazing wild animals
They refused to cook or farm, eating raw grass and weeds directly from the ground.
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Evagrius Ponticus categorized primary evil thoughts
The fourth-century monk cataloged intrusive thoughts that could distract hermits, including urges such as anger and thoughts of food.
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Pelagians believed humans could achieve total perfection
Pelagians argued that people could choose to be sinless without divine grace—a view church authorities condemned as heresy.
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Extreme ascetics chose to roll around in hot ashes
Some wandering ascetics covered themselves in hot ashes, sacrificing comfort to pursue spiritual focus and signal indifference to ordinary survival.
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Joan of Arc was heavily punished for her male wardrobe
Joan of Arc’s refusal to abandon men’s clothing became a major issue at her trial, where her attire was used against her.
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Columbanus ordered severe physical beatings for smiling
His rule treated even a casual grin or loud speech as an offense punishable by the whip.
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Blaise Pascal sewed a highly secret note into his coat
The parchment recorded his religious experience, and a servant discovered it sewn into the coat’s lining only after Pascal died.
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John of the Cross survived on a strict diet of asparagus
During periods of writing and monastic leadership, John of the Cross reportedly lived on bitter asparagus and little bread.
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Sadhu Haridas was voluntarily buried alive for a month
In the 19th century, he was sealed underground for 40 days in a ruler’s court. He was unresponsive when unearthed and had to be revived.
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