In the Czech Republic is the town of Milevsko, first mentioned in records in 1184, placed at the intersection of two important trade routes. In 1187 a Premonstratensian monastery was built there. The monastery was burned down in 1420 by Hussites, a Czech Christian movement influenced by John Wycliffe and reformer Jan Hus.
The monastery was rebuilt in 1581 as a manor house, but returned to a monastery in 1622.
In the summer of 2020, beneath the monastery's St. Giles Church, a secret cavity was discovered. One theory is that the space was used to protect treasures from the impending attack by the Hussite soldiers. One researcher states that the Hussites destroyed church records, so knowledge of the secret cache was lost over time.
In the space was a wooden box decorated with a gold cross and the letters "IR" signifying "Iesus Rex," "Jesus King." Radiocarbon dating and an examination of the box reveals that it was made from larch wood grown in Israel between 1290 and 1394CE. The lid of the box as made of oak that was dated to between 260 and 416CE.
Inside the box was a six-centimeter iron nail. The assumption is that it was one of the Holy Nails used to crucify Jesus. There is a Celebration of the Holy Nail every 13 September where it can be seen in its new setting, the cross seen in the illustration.
That ends for now our exploration of the Arma Christi and Holy Nails. Next we're going to find out what Premonstratensians are all about.
