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WILLIAM SHATNER:
A gleaming dagger
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with a pharaoh's curse.
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A powerful spear that makes
its wielder invincible.
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And a massive carved stone
that contains a prediction
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about the end of the world.
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Throughout history,
there have been clothes,
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possessions, even human bones,
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that have been considered
precious mystical objects.
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These sacred relics are revered
by cultures all around the world
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and are believed to be imbued
with incredible powers.
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Is it possible
that seemingly ordinary items,
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like a linen cloth
or a soldier's spear,
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can actually have the
ability to perform miracles?
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Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.
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? ?
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SHATNER: All over the world, there
are tens of thousands of museums
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that contain a
seemingly infinite number
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of ancient artifacts.
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The vast majority of these
antiquities are preserved
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because of their
historical significance
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as a link to humanity's past.
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But there are
certain items that,
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according to many belief
systems, are special,
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and may possess mystical energy.
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These objects are
commonly referred to
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as sacred relics.
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JONATHAN YOUNG: The
thing about a relic is that it is
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a manifestation
of holiness itself.
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If we have an object that
contains divine energy,
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then you have something of
sacred power in human hands.
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So there's a great
sense of reverence.
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DOMINIC STEAVU:
Typically, sacred relics
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would come from
divine individuals
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or individuals of
incredible spiritual standing.
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There's a transfer
of that person's power
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onto the relic, and the relics
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come to acquire
a divine dimension
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and a divine, uh,
potency as well.
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SHATNER: Do sacred relics
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really contain
extraordinary powers?
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Perhaps clues can be
found by examining an object
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that belonged to an
ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
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A British excavation team led
by archaeologist Howard Carter
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enters an underground
ancient Egyptian burial chamber.
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Once inside, they
break a protective seal
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that guards the tomb
of King Tutankhamun.
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CHRIS NAUNTON:
Carter lifts up a lamp,
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and they look through
and see that Tutankhamun
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is buried with
this fantastic array
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of more than 5,000 objects.
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The room is absolutely
full to bursting
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with gold and precious stones
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and various other
precious and valuable items,
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more or less exactly in
places they'd been left
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more than 3,000 years ago.
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SHATNER: Of the thousands
of wondrous artifacts
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found in King Tut's tomb,
perhaps the most extraordinary
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is an exquisitely forged
13-inch iron dagger.
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NAUNTON: The dagger is
a really sensational object
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with a golden sheath,
which is decorated
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with a chaste feather pattern.
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It was placed on
the thigh of the king,
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and of all the 5,000
objects in the tomb,
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the vast majority of them were
nowhere near as close as that
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to the very body of the king.
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So, this is something
very, very important.
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RAMY ROMANY: King Tut's reign
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was about 1330 BC.
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At that time, King Tut's dagger
was a very important piece,
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as a symbol that the gods
handed him this power.
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That's why the iron dagger
was buried with King Tut.
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He needed it on his
journey to the afterlife.
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STEAVU: In the afterlife,
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King Tut was charged, uh,
with the very important mission
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of assisting the sun god Ra.
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Ancient Egyptians believed
that when the sun set every day,
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Ra would traverse
the underworld,
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which was a dark,
murky, watery place
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fraught with dangers
and demons and beasts.
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So, King Tut would
use this dagger
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to literally defend and fight
off these hordes of enemies.
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And so, there's this belief
that the blade of the dagger
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had miraculous
and spiritual powers.
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SHATNER: The idea that King Tut
was buried with a mighty iron dagger
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to vanquish foes
in the afterlife
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is certainly a great story.
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But is it possible
that the dagger
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actually possesses divine power,
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as the ancient
Egyptians believed?
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Perhaps the answer lies
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in the mysterious
origins of this sacred relic.
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NAUNTON: The Egyptians had,
essentially, no ability in smelting iron
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at the time of Tutankhamun.
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And so, the iron, uh,
from this dagger that's, uh,
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Tutankhamun was buried
with, it comes from elsewhere.
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The Egyptians,
of course, thought
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that the only
reasonable explanation
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for the presence
of a very exquisitely,
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perfectly worked iron
dagger was that the iron itself
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was some kind of gift
directly from the gods.
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We now know, however,
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thanks to very recent
scientific analysis,
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that the iron doesn't come
from iron ore in the ground,
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it is meteoric iron,
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which comes from a meteorite
landing on Earth from space.
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For Egyptians, the sky
is where the gods were.
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So, you have to understand,
at that time in ancient Egypt,
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3,500 years ago,
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a meteorite falling
on Earth with iron in it,
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and piece of it
looked like a dagger,
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symbolically, that piece of
iron was a gift from the gods
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for the ancient Egyptians.
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SHATNER: Did the
ancient Egyptians believe
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that King Tut's dagger
had otherworldly powers
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because it literally
came from another world?
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Perhaps, but some people
think that the sacred nature
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of this relic was more
than just symbolic.
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As evidence, they
point to a series
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of mysterious
deaths that took place
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after archaeologists removed
the dagger from King Tut's tomb.
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NAUNTON: There's
the moment where
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Howard Carter's
archaeological team
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peers into an undiscovered tomb,
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and sees loads of
gold and treasure.
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And then, shortly
after Carter's sponsor
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the Earl of Carnarvon
dies relatively suddenly in...
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unusual, surprising
circumstances.
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SHATNER: The Earl of Carnarvon's
cause of death was reportedly
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a mysterious form
of blood poisoning,
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and he died only four months
after the tomb had been opened.
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All told, seven members
of the expedition
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unexpectedly died in the
years after King Tut's dagger
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was removed from
his sarcophagus.
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Many believed that
tampering with the dagger
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had unlocked a deadly curse,
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and that the untimely
deaths were proof
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of the weapon's
otherworldly power.
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If the dagger's there
for the king's protection,
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and the point at which
the dagger is removed
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by a clumsy, unsuspecting,
unbelieving archaeologist.
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That's the moment at
which some nastiness
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befalls the archaeologist.
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Then, I think, if you
believe in the curse,
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perhaps the dagger is
centrally important to that.
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Does King Tut's dagger
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actually possess some
kind of extraordinary power?
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And if so,
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can that power be
explained by science,
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or is the answer more profound?
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Perhaps clues about
the nature of sacred relics
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can be revealed by examining
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a biblical artifact that was
thought to be so powerful,
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it's believed to have
been locked in a vault
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deep beneath the Vatican.
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SHATNER: Every
December, millions
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of Jewish people all over
the world come together
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to celebrate an eight-day
festival known as Hanukkah.
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According to tradition,
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during the holiday,
the Jewish faithful
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light a candle each night
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on a special candelabra,
called a menorah.
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This sacred practice is referred
to as the Festival of Lights,
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and it has been performed
for more than 2,000 years.
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While Hanukkah is a
happy, family celebration,
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the menorah actually
commemorates
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an ancient Hebrew relic that,
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according to the Old
Testament of the Bible,
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stood five feet tall, was
made out of solid gold,
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and was said to be imbued
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with the power of God.
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The Temple Menorah
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is a sacred treasure.
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The original menorah
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was built in the same time
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that was the Ark
of the Covenant.
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The laws of the candelabra,
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the Menorah, were very precise.
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Those artifacts built
in the days of Moses
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had a special power to them,
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not symbolically, but actually.
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SHATNER: Under God's
instruction, the holy Temple Menorah
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was used to light a
sacred place of worship
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for the Israelites,
and was constructed
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with seven branches to represent
the seven days of creation.
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Today, the menorah
used during Hanukkah
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has nine branches to memorialize
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one of the ancient
relic's great miracles.
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We know from history
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that in the second century,
before the Common Era,
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the Greek empire
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came into the land of Israel.
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When the Greeks came,
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they defiled the temple,
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all of the sacred oil
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used for the lighting
of the menorah
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were destroyed.
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AMIR HUSSAIN: A group of
Jews, who are under occupation,
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revolt and they're able
to overcome the Greeks.
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They're able to
reconsecrate the menorah.
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Except, of course, they
don't have enough oil
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that you use as the fuel.
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They have oil for the
lamp to light for one day.
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Miraculously, the lamp
lights for eight days,
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which, when you think about it,
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doesn't seem like
such a big miracle,
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but if you think about it,
from a Jewish point of view,
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if nature is under
the control of God,
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this is one of the
signs of God's favor.
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SHATNER: For even more dramatic
evidence of the Menorah's divine power,
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some point to the fact
that throughout history,
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anyone who tampered
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with this sacred relic
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suffered dire consequences.
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ANDREW COLLINS: In AD 70,
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the Romans sacked Jerusalem,
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and they carried off
all of the treasures
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of the temple to Rome.
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And this is celebrated
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in the so-called
Arch of Titus in Rome.
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And you can actually
see on this relief,
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the actual menorah
being carried away.
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And it's said that thereafter,
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Rome was sacked by the Vandals
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in 455 AD.
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HUSSAIN: The Vandals take
the menorah back to Carthage.
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And then, that's sacked
by the Byzantines.
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And so, everyone that gets this,
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at some point, their
empire gets destroyed.
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And is there a sense
of, oh, is this because
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God's providence
isn't with these people?
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TONY McMAHON: The menorah
ended up in Constantinople,
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the capital of the
Byzantine empire.
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But apparently, the Jewish
residents of Constantinople
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warned the emperor
that the Jewish God
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does not like his treasure
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being held by other people,
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and the emperor gets
rid of the menorah.
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COLLINS: It was felt
that having the menorah,
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this item of incredible
divine power there,
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was gonna bring destruction.
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And thereafter, it vanishes.
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SHATNER: Could the Temple
Menorah actually have divine powers?
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For now, we have only
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the historical
accounts to consider,
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as the menorah has been lost
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for more than a thousand years.
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However, according
to one incredible theory,
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the menorah might
still exist today,
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and it may actually be hidden
250
00:13:57,042 --> 00:14:01,792
deep beneath
Vatican City in Rome.
251
00:14:03,375 --> 00:14:06,417
COLLINS: People have
believed since medieval times
252
00:14:06,542 --> 00:14:10,375
that the menorah, and
also the Ark of the Covenant,
253
00:14:10,542 --> 00:14:12,417
were kept in a cave,
254
00:14:12,542 --> 00:14:14,625
beneath the actual site
255
00:14:14,708 --> 00:14:18,000
of the Vatican
itself, suggesting
256
00:14:18,125 --> 00:14:22,875
that they were
hiding the menorah,
257
00:14:23,042 --> 00:14:25,750
and that this may well
have remained here
258
00:14:25,875 --> 00:14:27,917
through to modern times.
259
00:14:29,042 --> 00:14:33,333
Of course, the Vatican
denies actually possessing
260
00:14:33,417 --> 00:14:37,333
this holy relic, so we
can only but speculate
261
00:14:37,417 --> 00:14:40,500
on whether it is or
isn't still there today.
262
00:14:42,542 --> 00:14:46,917
But if the Vatican does
still possess the menorah,
263
00:14:47,042 --> 00:14:49,833
why would they want to keep it?
264
00:14:49,917 --> 00:14:52,583
Is it something to do
with the divine power
265
00:14:52,708 --> 00:14:54,792
that it's thought to hold?
266
00:14:54,917 --> 00:14:57,667
SHATNER: Is it
possible that the menorah,
267
00:14:57,792 --> 00:14:59,208
and also the Ark
of the Covenant,
268
00:14:59,375 --> 00:15:03,708
are locked behind closed
doors at the Vatican?
269
00:15:03,833 --> 00:15:06,000
And if so, have
these holy artifacts
270
00:15:06,167 --> 00:15:08,333
been hidden because their powers
271
00:15:08,458 --> 00:15:11,125
should not be tampered
with, as some believe?
272
00:15:13,625 --> 00:15:17,500
If the blessing of God was
upon this sacred artifact,
273
00:15:17,583 --> 00:15:21,542
then the blessing of God
remains upon this sacred artifact.
274
00:15:23,333 --> 00:15:25,833
And indeed, those who would seek
275
00:15:25,917 --> 00:15:29,458
to violate that sacredity,
276
00:15:29,583 --> 00:15:31,833
or dishonor it,
277
00:15:31,958 --> 00:15:36,208
would indeed become
subject to the wrath of God,
278
00:15:36,333 --> 00:15:39,667
which is not something
anyone would want to incur.
279
00:15:41,250 --> 00:15:43,833
If it's true that the
Temple Menorah
280
00:15:43,958 --> 00:15:46,792
is locked away in the
Vatican for our protection,
281
00:15:46,875 --> 00:15:49,500
then it probably
should stay there.
282
00:15:49,625 --> 00:15:52,208
And incidentally, there
are those who believe
283
00:15:52,333 --> 00:15:56,375
that another sacred relic
should also be kept off limits.
284
00:15:56,500 --> 00:15:58,167
It's an ancient spear,
285
00:15:58,292 --> 00:16:01,375
that is said to give its
possessor the power
286
00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:03,042
to conquer the world.
287
00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,760
SHATNER: While the
Old Testament of the Bible
288
00:16:08,792 --> 00:16:10,018
describes numerous holy relics,
289
00:16:10,042 --> 00:16:12,542
including the menorah
290
00:16:12,667 --> 00:16:15,167
and the Ark of the Covenant,
291
00:16:15,292 --> 00:16:17,250
there are also sacred objects
292
00:16:17,375 --> 00:16:19,917
that are mentioned
in the New Testament.
293
00:16:20,958 --> 00:16:23,333
One of these
artifacts is a spear
294
00:16:23,500 --> 00:16:27,000
that was reportedly
wielded by a Roman soldier
295
00:16:27,125 --> 00:16:30,000
during the crucifixion
of Jesus Christ.
296
00:16:31,583 --> 00:16:35,000
RICHARD SPENCE: The
origin of the spear comes from
297
00:16:35,167 --> 00:16:36,667
the Gospel of John.
298
00:16:36,792 --> 00:16:38,667
Jesus is on the cross,
299
00:16:38,792 --> 00:16:41,125
the Romans are trying to
figure out whether he's dead,
300
00:16:41,250 --> 00:16:42,309
because there's
a lot of pressure
301
00:16:42,333 --> 00:16:43,625
to get him down and bury him.
302
00:16:45,042 --> 00:16:47,917
There was a Roman soldier,
who someone told him,
303
00:16:48,042 --> 00:16:51,250
"Stab this guy, finish him
off, make sure he's dead."
304
00:16:52,875 --> 00:16:54,458
The Christian
tradition says the name
305
00:16:54,583 --> 00:16:57,583
of this Roman soldier who
pierces Jesus is Longinus.
306
00:16:59,208 --> 00:17:00,476
And there's a
story that develops,
307
00:17:00,500 --> 00:17:04,083
that he's blind, or
he's nearsighted.
308
00:17:04,208 --> 00:17:07,750
And so when he
pierces the side of Jesus,
309
00:17:07,875 --> 00:17:09,667
the blood and the
water comes out,
310
00:17:09,750 --> 00:17:12,000
that lands on his eyes,
311
00:17:12,167 --> 00:17:14,542
and it makes him able to see.
312
00:17:14,708 --> 00:17:16,792
It's this miracle
313
00:17:16,917 --> 00:17:18,351
because, of course,
the blood of Christ
314
00:17:18,375 --> 00:17:20,208
is this miraculous
sort of thing.
315
00:17:21,542 --> 00:17:23,417
SHATNER: According
to Christian belief,
316
00:17:23,542 --> 00:17:26,750
when this ordinary
spear touched Jesus,
317
00:17:26,875 --> 00:17:30,250
it became a sacred relic,
318
00:17:30,375 --> 00:17:33,542
and was referred to
as either the Holy Lance
319
00:17:33,708 --> 00:17:35,542
or the Spear of Destiny.
320
00:17:37,375 --> 00:17:39,833
ROY FISHER: For believers,
321
00:17:39,958 --> 00:17:41,833
the Spear of Destiny
322
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:43,917
actually pierced Jesus' side
323
00:17:44,042 --> 00:17:47,750
and came in contact
with his blood.
324
00:17:49,208 --> 00:17:53,375
For them, this would
mean that it does,
325
00:17:53,542 --> 00:17:57,750
in fact, have some
kind of divine power,
326
00:17:57,875 --> 00:18:00,375
because you can't touch the holy
327
00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:03,292
without being changed
or transformed.
328
00:18:05,167 --> 00:18:07,292
Because this was the only weapon
329
00:18:07,375 --> 00:18:09,792
that is said to have pierced
330
00:18:09,917 --> 00:18:12,042
the body of Christ,
331
00:18:12,208 --> 00:18:14,500
the legend got going
332
00:18:14,625 --> 00:18:16,875
that if you had the
Spear of Destiny,
333
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,083
the-the Holy Lance,
334
00:18:19,208 --> 00:18:22,000
you could not be stopped.
335
00:18:22,125 --> 00:18:24,167
You were invincible.
336
00:18:24,292 --> 00:18:27,333
And a whole series of leaders
wanted to get their hands on it,
337
00:18:27,417 --> 00:18:30,750
perhaps believing God
would then be on their side,
338
00:18:30,875 --> 00:18:32,458
and they would prevail.
339
00:18:33,542 --> 00:18:35,333
SHATNER: After
Jesus' crucifixion,
340
00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:37,167
one of the rulers who reportedly
341
00:18:37,292 --> 00:18:40,167
came into possession
of the Spear of Destiny
342
00:18:40,292 --> 00:18:44,500
was the eighth century
French King Charlemagne.
343
00:18:44,667 --> 00:18:47,583
SPENCE: Charlemagne,
Charles the Great
344
00:18:47,708 --> 00:18:52,458
carried the lance in 47
victorious campaigns.
345
00:18:53,583 --> 00:18:56,667
And spread his control over
much of France and Germany,
346
00:18:56,833 --> 00:19:00,750
all the way into what would
now be Slovakia and Hungary.
347
00:19:02,042 --> 00:19:04,000
And so, Charlemagne, in 800,
348
00:19:04,167 --> 00:19:06,208
on Christmas Day is
crowned by the Pope
349
00:19:06,375 --> 00:19:09,458
as emperor of the West.
350
00:19:09,583 --> 00:19:11,292
And there were a lot
of people who believed
351
00:19:11,375 --> 00:19:14,750
that the Spear of Destiny
explained his success.
352
00:19:15,917 --> 00:19:18,167
SHATNER: Is it possible
that the Spear of Destiny
353
00:19:18,250 --> 00:19:20,833
actually gave
Charlemagne the power
354
00:19:20,958 --> 00:19:22,917
to vanquish his enemies?
355
00:19:23,042 --> 00:19:25,125
Perhaps.
356
00:19:26,292 --> 00:19:28,542
But if so, then such power
357
00:19:28,667 --> 00:19:31,125
apparently came
at a heavy price.
358
00:19:32,958 --> 00:19:36,542
LYNN PICKNETT: Legend says
that if you drop the Spear of Destiny
359
00:19:36,667 --> 00:19:40,000
or lose it, or even
really step back from it,
360
00:19:40,125 --> 00:19:41,583
all of your great victories
361
00:19:41,708 --> 00:19:44,167
are going to be as
nothing, you will just fall.
362
00:19:44,333 --> 00:19:46,667
And that's what
happened, apparently,
363
00:19:46,792 --> 00:19:50,042
when Charlemagne carried
it into battle and dropped it.
364
00:19:50,208 --> 00:19:51,500
He lost that battle,
365
00:19:51,583 --> 00:19:54,208
even though with it,
he'd won 47 battles.
366
00:19:55,375 --> 00:19:57,167
SHATNER: Was the
Spear of Destiny responsible
367
00:19:57,333 --> 00:20:00,625
for both the rise and
fall of Charlemagne?
368
00:20:01,708 --> 00:20:03,792
Perhaps the answer can
be found by examining
369
00:20:03,875 --> 00:20:07,000
the fate of two men
who possessed the spear
370
00:20:07,167 --> 00:20:09,167
during the 20th century.
371
00:20:15,625 --> 00:20:18,000
German troops march
into Vienna, Austria,
372
00:20:18,167 --> 00:20:20,583
and take control
of the capital city.
373
00:20:21,583 --> 00:20:23,167
Hitler orders his soldiers
374
00:20:23,250 --> 00:20:26,167
to storm the royal
Hofburg Palace
375
00:20:26,333 --> 00:20:29,583
and seize the Spear of Destiny.
376
00:20:31,708 --> 00:20:33,750
SPENCE: The spear sort of
appears in the modern stage
377
00:20:33,875 --> 00:20:35,875
in March of 1938,
378
00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,120
when the Republic of Austria
379
00:20:37,208 --> 00:20:39,458
is annexed to the German Reich.
380
00:20:40,625 --> 00:20:43,833
The Republic of
Austria had acquired
381
00:20:43,917 --> 00:20:47,417
the spear some centuries before.
382
00:20:47,542 --> 00:20:50,333
And that spear is taken
from there and it is taken
383
00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:54,958
back to Nuremberg
in Germany proper,
384
00:20:55,042 --> 00:20:58,333
and there it
remained until 1945.
385
00:21:00,542 --> 00:21:02,083
SHATNER: On April 30, 1945,
386
00:21:02,208 --> 00:21:04,167
Allied forces,
387
00:21:04,292 --> 00:21:07,417
under the command of U.S.
General George S. Patton,
388
00:21:07,542 --> 00:21:10,125
captured the German
city of Nuremberg.
389
00:21:10,208 --> 00:21:12,208
In the aftermath
of the fighting,
390
00:21:12,333 --> 00:21:17,000
American soldiers discovered
the Spear of Destiny.
391
00:21:17,125 --> 00:21:18,333
SPENCE: Patton himself
392
00:21:18,458 --> 00:21:19,833
took possession of the spear.
393
00:21:21,042 --> 00:21:23,792
He liked to imagine himself
being the reincarnation
394
00:21:23,875 --> 00:21:26,333
of all kinds of previous
military leaders,
395
00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:28,000
some of which might have had
396
00:21:28,125 --> 00:21:29,583
the Spear of Destiny with them.
397
00:21:30,667 --> 00:21:32,875
SHATNER: After Patton
acquired the Spear,
398
00:21:33,042 --> 00:21:36,000
events transpired
which suggested
399
00:21:36,125 --> 00:21:40,542
that the legends about this
sacred relic might be true.
400
00:21:41,542 --> 00:21:43,417
PICKNETT: It is
said that, basically,
401
00:21:43,542 --> 00:21:46,750
the day before, um,
Hitler shot himself,
402
00:21:46,875 --> 00:21:49,458
the Americans found
the Spear of Destiny,
403
00:21:49,542 --> 00:21:52,000
and General Patton took it,
404
00:21:52,167 --> 00:21:55,208
and that's what set Hitler off.
405
00:21:55,375 --> 00:21:57,625
And then Patton himself,
406
00:21:57,708 --> 00:22:00,750
he put it back into
the Hofburg Museum,
407
00:22:00,875 --> 00:22:03,958
and shortly after that,
he died in a car crash.
408
00:22:05,208 --> 00:22:07,542
So, all of these things
409
00:22:07,708 --> 00:22:09,750
look like, yeah, there's
something to this legend.
410
00:22:10,750 --> 00:22:12,750
SHATNER: Today,
the Spear of Destiny
411
00:22:12,875 --> 00:22:16,333
is on display at the
Hofburg Museum in Vienna,
412
00:22:16,500 --> 00:22:19,833
where tourists can
view this historic object,
413
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,625
and wonder whether it really did
414
00:22:22,708 --> 00:22:24,708
sway the fate of
nations for centuries
415
00:22:24,875 --> 00:22:28,708
because of its
connection to Jesus Christ.
416
00:22:30,458 --> 00:22:32,167
FISHER: Humans down through time
417
00:22:32,292 --> 00:22:35,375
and across many cultures have
418
00:22:35,542 --> 00:22:37,458
believed in the power of
419
00:22:37,542 --> 00:22:40,208
the Spear of Destiny.
420
00:22:40,375 --> 00:22:44,458
So, the persistence
of human belief
421
00:22:44,542 --> 00:22:48,333
in its power should
make us pause
422
00:22:48,458 --> 00:22:51,750
and reflect on what
role that might play
423
00:22:51,875 --> 00:22:55,458
in these legends about
424
00:22:55,583 --> 00:22:59,542
victories, defeats and miracles.
425
00:23:01,708 --> 00:23:05,500
Is the Spear of Destiny
just a historical artifact
426
00:23:05,667 --> 00:23:08,083
or could it really
be a divine weapon
427
00:23:08,208 --> 00:23:09,792
that bestows unlimited power
428
00:23:09,917 --> 00:23:12,125
to whomever takes
possession of it?
429
00:23:13,292 --> 00:23:14,667
If so... (chuckles)
430
00:23:14,792 --> 00:23:16,072
we can only hope that it never
431
00:23:16,167 --> 00:23:17,542
falls into the wrong hands.
432
00:23:17,708 --> 00:23:21,833
But incredibly,
that is not the only
433
00:23:21,958 --> 00:23:25,667
sacred relic connected
to Jesus Christ.
434
00:23:25,792 --> 00:23:28,000
There's another one
that many believe
435
00:23:28,125 --> 00:23:29,500
has a different kind of power:
436
00:23:29,583 --> 00:23:31,083
The gift of healing.
437
00:23:31,208 --> 00:23:34,500
It's a linen cloth
438
00:23:34,625 --> 00:23:36,917
known as the Shroud of Turin.
439
00:23:45,042 --> 00:23:48,833
SHATNER: Inside the
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
440
00:23:48,917 --> 00:23:51,250
the leader of the
Roman Catholic Church,
441
00:23:51,375 --> 00:23:54,000
Pope Francis, prays before
442
00:23:54,125 --> 00:23:55,333
a 14-foot-long,
443
00:23:55,458 --> 00:23:57,792
ancient linen cloth.
444
00:23:58,958 --> 00:24:01,500
The occasion attracts
media attention
445
00:24:01,667 --> 00:24:04,167
because it is the first time
446
00:24:04,333 --> 00:24:06,167
that the cloth has
been shown publicly
447
00:24:06,292 --> 00:24:07,958
in over five years.
448
00:24:10,042 --> 00:24:13,250
This Christian holy
relic is referred to
449
00:24:13,375 --> 00:24:16,417
as the Shroud of Turin.
450
00:24:17,917 --> 00:24:20,833
The Shroud of Turin
is this amazing relic.
451
00:24:20,958 --> 00:24:22,667
At bottom, it's
a piece of cloth.
452
00:24:23,958 --> 00:24:27,583
It shows a very faint sort
of image of a crucified man.
453
00:24:27,708 --> 00:24:31,417
And the crucified man
calls us to remember
454
00:24:31,542 --> 00:24:33,667
Jesus's death and resurrection.
455
00:24:35,917 --> 00:24:39,083
BRIAN HYLAND: The Bible
talks about the burial cloths.
456
00:24:40,750 --> 00:24:44,000
All four of the Gospels
mentioned that Jesus
457
00:24:44,167 --> 00:24:45,375
was taken down from the cross,
458
00:24:45,542 --> 00:24:47,208
he was wrapped in linen,
459
00:24:47,375 --> 00:24:49,083
and then his body
was put in the tomb.
460
00:24:50,500 --> 00:24:52,083
FISHER: According
to the legends,
461
00:24:52,208 --> 00:24:56,167
the shroud is the cloth that
his dead body is wrapped in.
462
00:24:56,292 --> 00:24:58,542
And because of the contact
463
00:24:58,667 --> 00:25:01,958
with the body of Jesus,
464
00:25:02,083 --> 00:25:05,083
that transforms and leaves
465
00:25:05,208 --> 00:25:07,542
a lasting mark on the cloth.
466
00:25:08,708 --> 00:25:11,583
And so, the shroud is believed
467
00:25:11,708 --> 00:25:14,333
to be a holy relic because
468
00:25:14,417 --> 00:25:16,583
you don't get much more holy
469
00:25:16,708 --> 00:25:18,458
than the actual blood of Jesus.
470
00:25:20,542 --> 00:25:22,667
HYLAND: After the resurrection,
471
00:25:22,792 --> 00:25:25,167
the shroud completely
disappeared.
472
00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:29,917
The first appearance
of the shroud
473
00:25:30,042 --> 00:25:32,958
in the written record
is 1389 in France.
474
00:25:34,125 --> 00:25:38,583
It was kept in the capital
of the Duchy of Savoy,
475
00:25:38,708 --> 00:25:40,667
a place called Chamb�ry.
476
00:25:40,833 --> 00:25:43,000
It had been moved
around from time to time.
477
00:25:43,167 --> 00:25:45,458
But in 1578,
478
00:25:45,542 --> 00:25:47,917
it was brought
from there to Turin.
479
00:25:48,917 --> 00:25:51,208
And so it's a way for people
480
00:25:51,375 --> 00:25:53,292
to be in the presence of Jesus.
481
00:25:54,875 --> 00:25:57,417
SHATNER: The Shroud
of Turin has been venerated
482
00:25:57,542 --> 00:25:59,917
by billions of
Christians for centuries.
483
00:26:01,583 --> 00:26:02,875
For many people,
484
00:26:03,042 --> 00:26:05,500
the best indication
of the shroud's
485
00:26:05,625 --> 00:26:07,333
spiritual connection to Jesus
486
00:26:07,458 --> 00:26:10,458
was revealed when
it was photographed
487
00:26:10,542 --> 00:26:13,792
for the first time in 1898.
488
00:26:14,875 --> 00:26:16,917
HYLAND: A man by
the name of Secondo Pia
489
00:26:17,042 --> 00:26:20,125
took the first
photographs of the shroud.
490
00:26:20,208 --> 00:26:23,000
And as he was developing
his glass plate negatives,
491
00:26:23,125 --> 00:26:26,542
you see a very clear
image of the face,
492
00:26:26,667 --> 00:26:28,833
and that's very, very unusual,
493
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,542
especially the
detail that's there.
494
00:26:33,875 --> 00:26:36,083
The negative brought
out so much more detail
495
00:26:36,208 --> 00:26:37,833
than is visible to the eye
496
00:26:37,958 --> 00:26:40,542
when you look at the shroud.
497
00:26:41,583 --> 00:26:44,000
When the photos
first became public,
498
00:26:44,125 --> 00:26:46,000
there was a huge effect.
499
00:26:46,125 --> 00:26:47,250
Some people
500
00:26:47,375 --> 00:26:48,708
felt they were looking
501
00:26:48,833 --> 00:26:51,167
at the actual face of Jesus.
502
00:26:52,375 --> 00:26:56,250
COLLINS: From negative
image, Jesus comes alive,
503
00:26:56,375 --> 00:26:58,333
and all the details
504
00:26:58,417 --> 00:27:01,250
of the face can be seen properly
505
00:27:01,375 --> 00:27:02,667
for the first time.
506
00:27:02,750 --> 00:27:05,667
For you have the beard,
507
00:27:05,750 --> 00:27:07,333
you have the hair,
508
00:27:07,458 --> 00:27:10,167
you have the very long face.
509
00:27:11,333 --> 00:27:14,000
It's like looking upon the icon
510
00:27:14,125 --> 00:27:15,208
of Jesus.
511
00:27:16,542 --> 00:27:18,684
SHATNER: While people all
over the world have been struck
512
00:27:18,708 --> 00:27:20,833
by its stunning imprint
513
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,000
of the face of Jesus Christ,
514
00:27:23,167 --> 00:27:25,667
not everyone's convinced
515
00:27:25,750 --> 00:27:28,667
that the shroud is
a genuine holy relic.
516
00:27:28,833 --> 00:27:32,750
Ever since the shroud first
really appears in history,
517
00:27:32,875 --> 00:27:34,667
uh, there's been
controversy about it,
518
00:27:34,833 --> 00:27:37,333
and there have been
questions about its authenticity.
519
00:27:38,458 --> 00:27:41,042
In 1988, a group of scientists
520
00:27:41,208 --> 00:27:44,333
were able to get permission
to get a sample from the shroud
521
00:27:44,458 --> 00:27:47,042
and to subject it
522
00:27:47,208 --> 00:27:48,875
to radiocarbon dating.
523
00:27:50,125 --> 00:27:54,875
And then they announced,
with a 95% degree of certainty,
524
00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,792
that the shroud was medieval.
525
00:27:59,958 --> 00:28:03,208
ROBERT WILCOX: Suddenly,
there's this carbon 14 dating,
526
00:28:03,333 --> 00:28:07,292
and they say that it
dates to the 13th century.
527
00:28:07,375 --> 00:28:10,833
And, wow, that's
a tremendous blow
528
00:28:10,958 --> 00:28:13,708
to everybody who thought
that the shroud might be real.
529
00:28:14,708 --> 00:28:17,333
But then, as time went on,
530
00:28:17,500 --> 00:28:18,875
experts began to look at it,
531
00:28:19,042 --> 00:28:21,500
and it was finally determined
532
00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:23,667
that the test was taken
533
00:28:23,750 --> 00:28:25,792
from the very end of the shroud.
534
00:28:25,917 --> 00:28:29,833
Not where the image is.
535
00:28:29,958 --> 00:28:34,458
And it really turned
out to be a patch
536
00:28:34,583 --> 00:28:37,667
that had been woven
by ancient weavers.
537
00:28:37,792 --> 00:28:41,625
They weaved it back
together on that particular area.
538
00:28:41,708 --> 00:28:45,417
When those guys came
out with their carbon 14
539
00:28:45,542 --> 00:28:46,875
they tested the wrong piece.
540
00:28:47,042 --> 00:28:48,833
Nobody's proved it a fake yet.
541
00:28:50,375 --> 00:28:53,333
SHATNER: Despite the questions
about the shroud's credibility,
542
00:28:53,458 --> 00:28:56,292
many Christians have
faith in its divine nature.
543
00:28:57,375 --> 00:29:00,833
And as evidence, they
point to numerous accounts
544
00:29:00,958 --> 00:29:04,375
of the shroud's
supposed healing powers.
545
00:29:07,125 --> 00:29:08,958
Perhaps the most compelling case
546
00:29:09,083 --> 00:29:12,583
is the story of the recovery
of a young British girl
547
00:29:12,708 --> 00:29:16,875
named Josie Woollam in 1955.
548
00:29:17,042 --> 00:29:19,083
HYLAND: Josie Woollam
549
00:29:19,208 --> 00:29:22,917
was a young girl,
who at the age of five
550
00:29:23,042 --> 00:29:26,375
developed a terrible
degenerative bone disease.
551
00:29:27,625 --> 00:29:30,625
And after five years
of suffering this,
552
00:29:30,708 --> 00:29:32,583
she, basically,
553
00:29:32,708 --> 00:29:35,000
was approaching her final days.
554
00:29:36,042 --> 00:29:40,500
Then Josie made a
pilgrimage to Turin,
555
00:29:40,667 --> 00:29:44,000
and she actually had a chance
to put her hands on the shroud.
556
00:29:44,125 --> 00:29:46,000
There was no immediate reaction,
557
00:29:46,125 --> 00:29:48,500
no miracle cure on the spot.
558
00:29:50,083 --> 00:29:54,625
But her health kept
improving and kept improving.
559
00:29:54,750 --> 00:29:57,167
Eventually, she
actually got better.
560
00:29:57,250 --> 00:30:01,500
HUSSAIN: The story of Josie
Woollam, it's extraordinary.
561
00:30:01,583 --> 00:30:02,917
So, you've got this documented
562
00:30:03,042 --> 00:30:04,309
miraculous healing
in the 20th century,
563
00:30:04,333 --> 00:30:05,768
which, of course,
raises the question,
564
00:30:05,792 --> 00:30:07,208
does the shroud cause a miracle
565
00:30:07,333 --> 00:30:09,292
or is there
something else there?
566
00:30:09,375 --> 00:30:11,500
That's what's really
fascinating about this.
567
00:30:13,708 --> 00:30:16,833
It's incredible to think
568
00:30:16,958 --> 00:30:20,208
that almost 2,000 years
after the death of Jesus,
569
00:30:20,333 --> 00:30:23,333
we're still debating
the authenticity
570
00:30:23,417 --> 00:30:24,750
of the Shroud of Turin.
571
00:30:24,875 --> 00:30:27,375
Which is also the case
572
00:30:27,500 --> 00:30:30,083
with the supposed bodily remains
573
00:30:30,208 --> 00:30:33,708
of another important
spiritual figure.
574
00:30:33,875 --> 00:30:36,042
It is a human tooth
575
00:30:36,167 --> 00:30:39,958
kept in a temple in Sri Lanka
576
00:30:40,083 --> 00:30:43,208
that some believe is a relic
577
00:30:43,375 --> 00:30:45,000
of the Buddha himself.
578
00:30:52,167 --> 00:30:55,167
SHATNER: Nestled on the
serene shores of a large lake
579
00:30:55,250 --> 00:30:57,708
rests a sprawling
Buddhist temple called
580
00:30:57,833 --> 00:31:01,542
the Temple of the Sacred Tooth.
581
00:31:02,792 --> 00:31:04,958
It is known by this unusual name
582
00:31:05,042 --> 00:31:07,833
because, inside the temple,
583
00:31:07,958 --> 00:31:10,917
there is an elaborate
shrine which,
584
00:31:11,042 --> 00:31:13,000
for more than 1,500 years,
585
00:31:13,125 --> 00:31:15,000
has held one of
the most important
586
00:31:15,125 --> 00:31:17,250
Buddhist relics in the world.
587
00:31:18,375 --> 00:31:21,375
However, the relic cannot
be seen by the public
588
00:31:21,500 --> 00:31:25,458
because it is encased
within seven gleaming caskets
589
00:31:25,542 --> 00:31:28,125
made out of solid gold.
590
00:31:29,333 --> 00:31:32,167
At the center of
those protective layers
591
00:31:32,333 --> 00:31:36,458
is a human tooth that,
according to the faithful,
592
00:31:36,542 --> 00:31:39,083
belonged to the Buddha himself.
593
00:31:41,208 --> 00:31:43,167
The Buddha's tooth
is a sacred relic,
594
00:31:43,292 --> 00:31:45,500
and it is venerated
three times a day
595
00:31:45,667 --> 00:31:47,875
by Buddhists
596
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,542
on the island of Sri Lanka.
597
00:31:50,708 --> 00:31:53,000
It is offered prayers
598
00:31:53,167 --> 00:31:56,250
and worship morning,
noon and evening.
599
00:31:57,125 --> 00:31:58,833
Praying to this tooth,
600
00:31:58,958 --> 00:32:01,500
it's like being in the
presence directly
601
00:32:01,583 --> 00:32:03,583
of the founder of your religion,
602
00:32:03,708 --> 00:32:06,000
the historical Buddha.
603
00:32:08,083 --> 00:32:10,500
Buddhism was founded
by Shakyamuni Buddha
604
00:32:10,625 --> 00:32:12,667
who lived over 3,000 years ago.
605
00:32:13,958 --> 00:32:15,917
He was a fully
enlightened being,
606
00:32:16,042 --> 00:32:19,167
so he attained
perfect level of wisdom.
607
00:32:19,292 --> 00:32:21,125
And his mission
was to teach others
608
00:32:21,208 --> 00:32:23,500
how to end their suffering
609
00:32:23,667 --> 00:32:26,125
and to continue his
teachings after he was gone.
610
00:32:27,583 --> 00:32:31,083
STEAVU: Upon passing, the
relics that remained of the Buddha
611
00:32:31,208 --> 00:32:33,250
were distributed
amongst his followers.
612
00:32:34,333 --> 00:32:36,958
One of them made
its way to Sri Lanka
613
00:32:37,083 --> 00:32:39,333
in the fourth
century, and this was
614
00:32:39,458 --> 00:32:41,375
the Buddha's tooth.
615
00:32:41,542 --> 00:32:44,833
Once a year, there is
a massive celebration,
616
00:32:44,917 --> 00:32:46,333
the procession of the tooth.
617
00:32:48,833 --> 00:32:51,708
And this is a
humongous festival.
618
00:32:51,833 --> 00:32:53,708
There's music,
619
00:32:53,875 --> 00:32:55,792
fire dances.
620
00:32:55,917 --> 00:32:57,542
The Buddha's tooth
621
00:32:57,708 --> 00:33:01,417
is carried on the back of
a very old noble elephant.
622
00:33:01,542 --> 00:33:04,083
The pageantry is just
overwhelmingly beautiful
623
00:33:04,208 --> 00:33:06,542
at this very large festival
624
00:33:06,667 --> 00:33:10,083
that takes place once a year
625
00:33:10,208 --> 00:33:12,417
in honor of the sacred tooth.
626
00:33:13,667 --> 00:33:15,333
SHATNER: Although
most practicing Buddhists
627
00:33:15,417 --> 00:33:17,375
are not allowed to
see the sacred tooth,
628
00:33:17,542 --> 00:33:21,042
they genuinely believe
that it retains the life essence
629
00:33:21,208 --> 00:33:23,500
of the Buddha himself.
630
00:33:23,583 --> 00:33:25,292
In fact, some people claim
631
00:33:25,375 --> 00:33:28,583
that being in the
presence of this tiny relic
632
00:33:28,708 --> 00:33:31,833
is an extraordinary experience.
633
00:33:31,917 --> 00:33:34,000
STEAVU: The sacred
tooth, it has the power,
634
00:33:34,083 --> 00:33:36,000
allegedly, to heal anyone
635
00:33:36,083 --> 00:33:38,000
who comes in contact with it.
636
00:33:38,125 --> 00:33:40,542
There's the weekly
ritual in which it's bathed,
637
00:33:40,708 --> 00:33:42,208
and the water is
then distributed
638
00:33:42,375 --> 00:33:46,083
to people in order to cure
them of various illnesses.
639
00:33:47,042 --> 00:33:48,875
JIE: Many people
have experienced
640
00:33:49,042 --> 00:33:50,958
powerful energy,
a positive energy
641
00:33:51,042 --> 00:33:53,167
from the Buddha's tooth.
642
00:33:53,333 --> 00:33:56,167
It's a phenomenon that
inspires people's faith.
643
00:33:56,250 --> 00:33:58,000
As Buddhists, we
believe that the Buddha
644
00:33:58,125 --> 00:33:59,250
is still in the world.
645
00:34:00,958 --> 00:34:04,500
SHATNER: The sacred tooth
that is kept in Sri Lanka is incredible,
646
00:34:04,583 --> 00:34:08,042
but it is hardly the
only relic of its kind.
647
00:34:08,167 --> 00:34:10,000
In fact, there are
reportedly more than
648
00:34:10,125 --> 00:34:12,708
80,000 small fragments
649
00:34:12,833 --> 00:34:14,125
of the Buddha's remains
650
00:34:14,208 --> 00:34:16,625
that are kept in shrines
all over the world.
651
00:34:18,667 --> 00:34:21,667
(chanting)
652
00:34:21,750 --> 00:34:24,792
SHATNER: One of the biggest
collections of Buddha relics can be found
653
00:34:24,875 --> 00:34:26,667
at the Wei Mountain Temple,
654
00:34:26,792 --> 00:34:29,083
located in Rosemead, California
655
00:34:29,208 --> 00:34:31,000
which houses some
656
00:34:31,167 --> 00:34:33,875
10,000 relics of the Buddha.
657
00:34:34,042 --> 00:34:36,167
JIE: At Wei Mountain Temple,
658
00:34:36,292 --> 00:34:38,750
we have a finger
bone of the Buddha,
659
00:34:38,875 --> 00:34:42,167
as well as a wrist bone
660
00:34:42,292 --> 00:34:46,250
and a knee bone from the Buddha.
661
00:34:46,375 --> 00:34:48,500
We make these relics
available for people
662
00:34:48,583 --> 00:34:50,458
to benefit from being
in their presence.
663
00:34:51,667 --> 00:34:53,792
SHATNER: Wei Mountain
Temple's collection
664
00:34:53,917 --> 00:34:56,083
also includes a
tooth of the Buddha
665
00:34:56,208 --> 00:34:59,500
that can be seen by the
public on special occasions,
666
00:34:59,625 --> 00:35:01,792
and appears to possess
667
00:35:01,917 --> 00:35:04,417
an extraordinary quality.
668
00:35:04,542 --> 00:35:08,333
Because, even though the
Buddha died thousands of years ago,
669
00:35:08,500 --> 00:35:11,750
this tooth is actually growing.
670
00:35:14,125 --> 00:35:16,917
COLLINS: This tooth
is of immense size.
671
00:35:17,042 --> 00:35:20,167
Today, it is over
three inches in length,
672
00:35:20,292 --> 00:35:23,708
and allegedly, across
the past 3,000 years,
673
00:35:23,875 --> 00:35:28,000
it's been growing, and it's
continuing to grow to this day.
674
00:35:28,167 --> 00:35:31,500
Now, this in itself
is surely a miracle.
675
00:35:32,875 --> 00:35:37,000
JIE: The tooth relic has been
growing since the time of the Buddha.
676
00:35:37,083 --> 00:35:38,923
It's well known among
Buddhists that the relics
677
00:35:38,958 --> 00:35:40,583
can multiply and grow.
678
00:35:40,708 --> 00:35:44,500
These are not dead objects.
They are actually still living.
679
00:35:44,583 --> 00:35:46,375
They are still part
of the Buddha's body.
680
00:35:47,583 --> 00:35:48,934
SHATNER: According
to current measurements,
681
00:35:48,958 --> 00:35:50,042
this Buddha's tooth is
682
00:35:50,208 --> 00:35:51,833
more than twice the size
683
00:35:51,958 --> 00:35:53,708
of a normal human tooth.
684
00:35:53,875 --> 00:35:56,042
But what could be causing
685
00:35:56,167 --> 00:35:58,333
this unusual growth?
686
00:35:59,375 --> 00:36:01,708
Well, in 2012, a
group of scientists
687
00:36:01,833 --> 00:36:04,542
conducted an experiment
to try and find out
688
00:36:04,708 --> 00:36:06,750
whether mysterious
relics of the Buddha
689
00:36:06,875 --> 00:36:10,250
have any unusual
characteristics.
690
00:36:12,542 --> 00:36:15,000
STEAVU: This study
attempted to measure
691
00:36:15,167 --> 00:36:19,167
the power of Buddha
relics on reality.
692
00:36:19,292 --> 00:36:22,333
And so they placed
a vessel of water
693
00:36:22,458 --> 00:36:24,833
next to some Buddha relics.
694
00:36:24,958 --> 00:36:27,333
And, lo and behold,
695
00:36:27,458 --> 00:36:30,167
the pH of the water
actually changed.
696
00:36:30,292 --> 00:36:34,125
And it went up by 2.5 units,
697
00:36:34,208 --> 00:36:37,208
which is significant.
698
00:36:37,375 --> 00:36:41,292
Now, are these relics actually
imbued with sacred power?
699
00:36:41,375 --> 00:36:43,333
This is a hard
question to answer.
700
00:36:43,458 --> 00:36:47,083
But whether that's
a result of their faith,
701
00:36:47,208 --> 00:36:49,000
or a result of the
actual sacred relic,
702
00:36:49,167 --> 00:36:51,583
the effects are still there.
703
00:36:53,875 --> 00:36:56,667
How can a tooth still be growing
704
00:36:56,792 --> 00:36:59,667
centuries after the person it
belonged to has passed away?
705
00:37:01,417 --> 00:37:02,875
Could it be because the tooth
706
00:37:03,042 --> 00:37:04,958
retains the life essence
707
00:37:05,042 --> 00:37:07,333
of the Buddha, as some believe?
708
00:37:07,458 --> 00:37:10,208
Or is it just that we're
endlessly fascinated
709
00:37:10,333 --> 00:37:12,833
by mysterious
objects from the past?
710
00:37:12,917 --> 00:37:17,167
Like a 27-ton Aztec sculpture
711
00:37:17,250 --> 00:37:19,792
covered in hieroglyphics,
712
00:37:19,917 --> 00:37:21,792
believed to contain a prediction
713
00:37:21,917 --> 00:37:24,417
about the end of the world.
714
00:37:32,167 --> 00:37:33,807
SHATNER: At the
center of this capital city
715
00:37:33,875 --> 00:37:37,333
stands the National
Museum of Anthropology.
716
00:37:38,583 --> 00:37:42,000
Housed inside are more
than half a million artifacts,
717
00:37:42,167 --> 00:37:44,750
some of which date
back 10,000 years.
718
00:37:46,958 --> 00:37:48,500
The largest relic on display
719
00:37:48,667 --> 00:37:51,125
is a massive, stone sculpture
720
00:37:51,208 --> 00:37:53,583
that weighs 54,000 pounds,
721
00:37:53,708 --> 00:37:56,250
or roughly as
much as a fire truck.
722
00:37:57,708 --> 00:38:01,833
It is known as the
Aztec Sun Stone.
723
00:38:03,042 --> 00:38:06,333
COLLINS: The Aztec Sun
Stone is arguably the most famous
724
00:38:06,500 --> 00:38:08,833
of all of the relics
725
00:38:08,958 --> 00:38:11,000
from the Aztec nation.
726
00:38:12,250 --> 00:38:15,000
And the Sun Stone
is this massive
727
00:38:15,167 --> 00:38:19,500
piece of olivine basalt stone,
728
00:38:19,583 --> 00:38:22,167
which is three feet thick
729
00:38:22,292 --> 00:38:26,333
and 12 feet in diameter.
730
00:38:26,417 --> 00:38:29,708
Clearly, this
incredible-sized stone
731
00:38:29,875 --> 00:38:33,042
was significant to these
people in some way.
732
00:38:35,542 --> 00:38:37,750
SHATNER: The Aztec
nation was a vast empire
733
00:38:37,875 --> 00:38:40,458
that ruled over what
is now Central Mexico
734
00:38:40,583 --> 00:38:44,417
from the 15th to the
early 16th century.
735
00:38:45,583 --> 00:38:48,250
Archaeologists
estimate that the Aztecs
736
00:38:48,375 --> 00:38:51,500
carved the Sun Stone
in the early 1500s,
737
00:38:51,625 --> 00:38:54,625
and that the statue
played a central role
738
00:38:54,708 --> 00:38:57,542
in their sacred
worship practices.
739
00:39:00,375 --> 00:39:02,667
According to one
incredible theory,
740
00:39:02,750 --> 00:39:06,250
the ancient carvings
on the Aztec Sun Stone
741
00:39:06,375 --> 00:39:09,083
may contain a dire warning
742
00:39:09,208 --> 00:39:12,583
about the end of the world.
743
00:39:14,792 --> 00:39:17,042
As you gaze upon the Sun Stone,
744
00:39:17,208 --> 00:39:19,917
you realize that
it's broken into
745
00:39:20,042 --> 00:39:21,458
various different facets.
746
00:39:23,042 --> 00:39:25,375
And moving into the center,
747
00:39:25,500 --> 00:39:29,833
you have a series of
wheels within wheels.
748
00:39:29,917 --> 00:39:33,542
And this is because
the Aztecs believed
749
00:39:33,708 --> 00:39:39,167
that four previous ages
had already taken place,
750
00:39:39,292 --> 00:39:41,625
and that we, today,
751
00:39:41,750 --> 00:39:45,500
exist within the fifth age,
752
00:39:45,625 --> 00:39:47,708
and that this will
eventually come to an end...
753
00:39:49,042 --> 00:39:52,000
when an eclipse takes place.
754
00:39:54,750 --> 00:39:58,500
ED BARNHART: The very
center of the Aztec calendar stone
755
00:39:58,583 --> 00:40:01,167
reminds the Aztecs
756
00:40:01,292 --> 00:40:04,000
of the predicted end
757
00:40:04,125 --> 00:40:06,458
of this current era.
758
00:40:06,542 --> 00:40:08,708
But they never
actually specified
759
00:40:08,833 --> 00:40:11,292
how long this fifth one will go.
760
00:40:11,375 --> 00:40:13,625
So it is a dire warning.
761
00:40:13,708 --> 00:40:17,500
The trouble is, we don't know
when that's going to happen.
762
00:40:18,542 --> 00:40:19,833
SHATNER: Is this giant stone,
763
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,792
that was carved more
than 500 years ago,
764
00:40:22,917 --> 00:40:24,667
really a warning
765
00:40:24,833 --> 00:40:27,375
that we should be
mindful of today?
766
00:40:28,583 --> 00:40:31,208
It appears that
only time will tell.
767
00:40:31,333 --> 00:40:32,917
But this ancient artifact
768
00:40:33,042 --> 00:40:37,125
continues to inspire
fascination and wonder
769
00:40:37,250 --> 00:40:40,500
just like many other
770
00:40:40,625 --> 00:40:42,833
sacred relics that are revered
771
00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:45,958
all over the world.
772
00:40:46,042 --> 00:40:47,833
FISHER: Most discussions
773
00:40:47,958 --> 00:40:52,500
focus on the
historical authenticity
774
00:40:52,625 --> 00:40:54,458
of holy relics.
775
00:40:54,583 --> 00:40:57,667
"Is this actually the shroud?"
776
00:40:57,792 --> 00:41:00,958
"Is this actually the spear?"
777
00:41:02,208 --> 00:41:04,083
"Is this the real tooth?"
778
00:41:05,542 --> 00:41:08,500
What I think these
conversations leave out
779
00:41:08,625 --> 00:41:12,083
is maybe a more
fundamental question.
780
00:41:13,375 --> 00:41:15,375
Is there power
781
00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:18,167
behind deep, sustained
782
00:41:18,250 --> 00:41:20,333
human belief?
783
00:41:20,417 --> 00:41:22,458
This is a mystery that's worth
784
00:41:22,542 --> 00:41:24,583
exploring as well.
785
00:41:27,292 --> 00:41:28,708
Does the Aztec Sun Stone
786
00:41:28,833 --> 00:41:30,500
predict the date
the world will end?
787
00:41:30,625 --> 00:41:33,958
Can the Temple Menorah
unleash destruction
788
00:41:34,083 --> 00:41:36,667
upon those not worthy
enough to possess it?
789
00:41:36,792 --> 00:41:38,667
And what about the
Spear of Destiny?
790
00:41:38,750 --> 00:41:41,875
Does it really contain the
power to conquer the world?
791
00:41:43,917 --> 00:41:46,333
Well, it seems that the truth
792
00:41:46,458 --> 00:41:48,208
behind these sacred relics
793
00:41:48,333 --> 00:41:50,875
may ultimately
be a matter of faith.
794
00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:54,333
And so, the mystery of
their supposed powers
795
00:41:54,458 --> 00:41:56,625
will, in all likelihood,
796
00:41:56,750 --> 00:41:59,292
remain unexplained.
797
00:41:59,342 --> 00:42:03,892
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