Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch
Encyclopedia
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is a fictional weapon
from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail
. It bears a striking resemblance to the Sovereign's Orb
of the United Kingdom, and seems to draw some inspiration from the Holy Spear of Antioch
. It also made a brief appearance in the 1977 film Jabberwocky
where it was being held by King Bruno the Questionable (the latter film was directed by Terry Gilliam
, starred Michael Palin
, and featured a cameo by Terry Jones
, all members of Monty Python
).
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch
is a visual satire of a type of royal regalia
known as a globus cruciger
, specifically the Sovereign's Orb
of the United Kingdom. The Sovereign's Orb similarly has a band of jewels running along the centre, and a half-band on the top hemisphere, with a cruciform at the crest.
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is a reference to the mythical Holy Spear of Antioch. The supposed Holy Spear was unearthed from the floor of a Church during the Siege of Antioch
(1098) by crusaders on the First Crusade
, found by a poor and otherwise unknown monk named Peter Bartholomew
. Its "discovery", during the darkest hours of the siege when all hope seemed lost, quickly became a source of contention between those crusaders who believed Bartholomew, and the more sceptical who did not; yet in the end its "discovery" was credited by the crusaders in inspiring them to overcome seemingly impossible odds in breaking through the siege to continue on their quest to Jerusalem.
, the Holy Hand Grenade is described a "sacred relic" carried by Cistercian monk Brother Maynard (Eric Idle
) and is used near the film's conclusion to destroy a killer rabbit
that blocks the path of King Arthur
and his hapless Knights Errant
. Although unusually ornate in design, the Holy Hand Grenade functions like any other hand grenade
.
Particularly important is the part of counting to three after the pulling of the triggering pin (the surmounted cross), complicated by King Arthur
's mental block on counting. The instructions for its use can be found in the fictitious Book of Armaments, Chapter 2, verses 9-21, parodying the King James Bible and the Athanasian Creed
Arthur then holds up the Holy Hand Grenade and cries out "ONE! TWO! FIVE!" Sir Galahad corrects him, shouting "Three, sir!". Arthur then yells "THREE!" and hurls the grenade at the killer rabbit. The Grenade soars through the air, accompanied by a short bit of choral music, then bounces once and explodes. The killer rabbit dies in the explosion, and the Knights subsequently enter the cave that it had been guarding. This makes a loud echo that the police who were investigating the dead historian's body hear, causing them to run towards the explosion.
On 19 March 2009, several buildings in Shoreditch
, East London, were evacuated after water company workers discovered a replica of the Holy Hand Grenade under a fire hydrant cover. The workers reported the suspicious object but the bomb squad determined there was no danger and after about 45 minutes they declared the area to be safe.
, spoofs this reference with the "Hellish Hand Grenade".
Several Holy Hand Grenades are available in Duke Nukem: Time to Kill
in the medieval levels.
The post-apocalyptic role-playing video game
Fallout 2
and its sequel Fallout: New Vegas
also feature a throwing weapon called the Holy Frag Grenade, bearing the same shape as the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. In the sequel the number five is crossed out and replaced by the number three, referring to the repeated joke about Arthur's miscounting.
Holy Hand Grenades are found in some versions of the original Bard's Tale role playing games.
The Black Templars in Warhammer 40,000
have an item called the Holy Orb of Antioch, which is a very powerful hand grenade carried by Black Templar commanders. Interestingly, there is no limit on the number of Holy Orbs you may include in an army.
In Sonny 2, there is a monster called the killer rabbit which will occasionally use an attack that produces the "holy hand grenade" effect.
In AdventureQuest Worlds, the Holy Hand Grenade may be purchased from the Good
Reputation Shop once your good reputation has reached level 10.
In the video game Postal 2 if you enter the church in the siege a priest is throwing holy hand grenades behind a table
In the 1980s PC game Moraff's World
, the Holy Hand Grenade is a usable item that can be found in the dungeon stages.
In the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spike refers to a scythe as the Holy Hand Grenade
In Dan Neils 22 May 2010 review of the Aston Martin Rapide
in the Wall Street Journal "The Aston's stitched leather interior is simply magnificent, like they rolled the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch into a stockyard."
For Team Fortress 2
, players who bought Worms: Reloaded
before 2 September 2010 were rewarded with a custom in-game skin (hat) for the Soldier featuring Holy Hand Grenades on his chest instead of normal grenades. When the Soldier has the hat equipped and taunts with the Equalizer (a mining pick), a Hallelujah chorus sounds while he pulls a grenade off his chest and blows himself up.
In Mafia Wars
, there is a weapon called a Holy Hand Grenade. It is gained by completing jobs in the Città del Vaticano (Vatican City) level of the game.
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1974 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python , and directed by Gilliam and Jones...
. It bears a striking resemblance to the Sovereign's Orb
Sovereign's Orb
The Sovereign's Orb is a type of regalia known as a globus cruciger and is one of the British Crown Jewels.- History :It was created for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 along with the Sceptre with the Cross and Ampulla....
of the United Kingdom, and seems to draw some inspiration from the Holy Spear of Antioch
Holy Lance
The Holy Lance is the name given to the lance that pierced Jesus' side as he hung on the cross in John's account of the Crucifixion.-Biblical references:The lance is mentioned only in the Gospel of John and not in any of the...
. It also made a brief appearance in the 1977 film Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky (film)
Jabberwocky is a 1977 British fantasy black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Michael Palin as a young cooper who is forced through clumsy, often slapstick misfortunes to hunt a terrible dragon after the death of his father...
where it was being held by King Bruno the Questionable (the latter film was directed by Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
, starred Michael Palin
Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
, and featured a cameo by Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
, all members of Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
).
Description
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
is a visual satire of a type of royal regalia
Regalia
Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereign.The word stems from the Latin substantivation of the adjective regalis, 'regal', itself from Rex, 'king'...
known as a globus cruciger
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
, specifically the Sovereign's Orb
Sovereign's Orb
The Sovereign's Orb is a type of regalia known as a globus cruciger and is one of the British Crown Jewels.- History :It was created for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 along with the Sceptre with the Cross and Ampulla....
of the United Kingdom. The Sovereign's Orb similarly has a band of jewels running along the centre, and a half-band on the top hemisphere, with a cruciform at the crest.
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is a reference to the mythical Holy Spear of Antioch. The supposed Holy Spear was unearthed from the floor of a Church during the Siege of Antioch
Siege of Antioch
The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098. The first siege, by the crusaders against the Muslim city, lasted from October 21, 1097, to June 2, 1098. The second siege, against the crusaders who had occupied it, lasted from June 7 to June 28, 1098.-Background:Antioch...
(1098) by crusaders on the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, found by a poor and otherwise unknown monk named Peter Bartholomew
Peter Bartholomew
Peter Bartholomew was a soldier and mystic from France who was part of the First Crusade.In December, 1097, during the siege of Antioch, Peter began to have visions, mostly of St. Andrew. Peter claimed St. Andrew took him to the Church of St. Peter, inside Antioch, and showed him where the relic...
. Its "discovery", during the darkest hours of the siege when all hope seemed lost, quickly became a source of contention between those crusaders who believed Bartholomew, and the more sceptical who did not; yet in the end its "discovery" was credited by the crusaders in inspiring them to overcome seemingly impossible odds in breaking through the siege to continue on their quest to Jerusalem.
Usage instructions
In Monty Python and the Holy GrailMonty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1974 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python , and directed by Gilliam and Jones...
, the Holy Hand Grenade is described a "sacred relic" carried by Cistercian monk Brother Maynard (Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
) and is used near the film's conclusion to destroy a killer rabbit
Rabbit of Caerbannog
The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog is a fictional beast in the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It is the antagonist in a major setpiece battle, and makes a similar appearance in Spamalot, a musical inspired by the movie...
that blocks the path of King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and his hapless Knights Errant
Knight-errant
A knight-errant is a figure of medieval chivalric romance literature. "Errant," meaning wandering or roving, indicates how the knight-errant would typically wander the land in search of adventures to prove himself as a knight, such as in a pas d'armes.The first known appearance of the term...
. Although unusually ornate in design, the Holy Hand Grenade functions like any other hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
.
Particularly important is the part of counting to three after the pulling of the triggering pin (the surmounted cross), complicated by King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's mental block on counting. The instructions for its use can be found in the fictitious Book of Armaments, Chapter 2, verses 9-21, parodying the King James Bible and the Athanasian Creed
Athanasian Creed
The Athanasian Creed is a Christian statement of belief, focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicumque vult, is taken from the opening words, "Whosoever wishes." The Athanasian Creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century...
Arthur then holds up the Holy Hand Grenade and cries out "ONE! TWO! FIVE!" Sir Galahad corrects him, shouting "Three, sir!". Arthur then yells "THREE!" and hurls the grenade at the killer rabbit. The Grenade soars through the air, accompanied by a short bit of choral music, then bounces once and explodes. The killer rabbit dies in the explosion, and the Knights subsequently enter the cave that it had been guarding. This makes a loud echo that the police who were investigating the dead historian's body hear, causing them to run towards the explosion.
Replicas
Toy Vault sells a mini plush replica of the Holy Hand Grenade. It is a golden plush ball with a cross on top and a label reading "Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch". The 5" replica is "sized to be easily thrown with only one hand".On 19 March 2009, several buildings in Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, East London, were evacuated after water company workers discovered a replica of the Holy Hand Grenade under a fire hydrant cover. The workers reported the suspicious object but the bomb squad determined there was no danger and after about 45 minutes they declared the area to be safe.
Cultural references
Most editions of the Worms video game series contain a weapon called Holy Hand Grenade. Visually, it resembles the one in the film, and has a three-second timer that can't be changed. The open-source video game HedgewarsHedgewars
Hedgewars is a turn-based free and open-source strategy game, artillery game, skill game. It is cross-platform and runs on FreeBSD, Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Android. It features a single-player mission/tutorial mode, in addition to multi-team multiplayer gameplay...
, spoofs this reference with the "Hellish Hand Grenade".
Several Holy Hand Grenades are available in Duke Nukem: Time to Kill
Duke Nukem: Time to Kill
Duke Nukem: Time To Kill is a third-person shooter video game for the PlayStation.-Gameplay:The gameplay and controls are very similar to those of Tomb Raider, a fact humorously referenced throughout the game...
in the medieval levels.
The post-apocalyptic role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
Fallout 2
Fallout 2
Fallout 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay in 1998. The game's story takes place in 2241, 80 years after the events of Fallout...
and its sequel Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas is a first person action role-playing video game in the Fallout series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic environment in and around Las Vegas, Nevada...
also feature a throwing weapon called the Holy Frag Grenade, bearing the same shape as the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. In the sequel the number five is crossed out and replaced by the number three, referring to the repeated joke about Arthur's miscounting.
Holy Hand Grenades are found in some versions of the original Bard's Tale role playing games.
The Black Templars in Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
have an item called the Holy Orb of Antioch, which is a very powerful hand grenade carried by Black Templar commanders. Interestingly, there is no limit on the number of Holy Orbs you may include in an army.
In Sonny 2, there is a monster called the killer rabbit which will occasionally use an attack that produces the "holy hand grenade" effect.
In AdventureQuest Worlds, the Holy Hand Grenade may be purchased from the Good
Reputation Shop once your good reputation has reached level 10.
In the video game Postal 2 if you enter the church in the siege a priest is throwing holy hand grenades behind a table
In the 1980s PC game Moraff's World
Moraff's World
Moraff's World is the second of three in a series of roguelike shareware computer games produced by Steve Moraff in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, the Holy Hand Grenade is a usable item that can be found in the dungeon stages.
In the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spike refers to a scythe as the Holy Hand Grenade
In Dan Neils 22 May 2010 review of the Aston Martin Rapide
Aston Martin Rapide
The Aston Martin Rapide is a four-door, high-performance sport saloon, which British luxury marque Aston Martin introduced in early 2010. It was first presented as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in 2006. The Rapide name is a reference to the Lagonda Rapide, a saloon car...
in the Wall Street Journal "The Aston's stitched leather interior is simply magnificent, like they rolled the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch into a stockyard."
For Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2 is a free-to-play team-based first-person shooter multiplayer video game developed by Valve Corporation. A sequel to the original mod Team Fortress based on the Quake engine, it was first released as part of the video game compilation The Orange Box on October 10, 2007 for Windows...
, players who bought Worms: Reloaded
Worms: Reloaded
Worms: Reloaded is an artillery game/turn based strategy game developed by Team17 and is part of the Worms series. It was first released on Microsoft Windows via Steam, on August 26, 2010. It was released on Mac OS X via Steam, on May 17, 2011. Gameplay is turn-based and returns to its original 2D...
before 2 September 2010 were rewarded with a custom in-game skin (hat) for the Soldier featuring Holy Hand Grenades on his chest instead of normal grenades. When the Soldier has the hat equipped and taunts with the Equalizer (a mining pick), a Hallelujah chorus sounds while he pulls a grenade off his chest and blows himself up.
In Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars is a multiplayer Social network game created by Zynga.In Mafia Wars the gamers play as gangsters building their own mafia. The players fight other players online and complete tasks to gain rewards and strength in the game. The game is a freemium game, meaning it is free to play normally...
, there is a weapon called a Holy Hand Grenade. It is gained by completing jobs in the Città del Vaticano (Vatican City) level of the game.
External links
- Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, a 1:1 scale paper model of the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch which may be printed out and glued together.