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| Barnabas Collins, vampire |
Did you know that in the novel Dracula, one of the weapons used by Van Helsing against Dracula was consecrated Communion Bread? OK, he kind of MISUSED the consecrated Host, but I thought that was interesting as in later vampire lore it is crucifixes and holy water that are used instead.
What's the big deal about Communion Bread that makes it effective against the undead? Jesus Christ. Consecrated Communion Bread contains the Real Presence--- the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. Not only Catholics, but some denominations of Protestants believe in the Real Presence. And other Christians believe that the Communion Bread and Wine is a potent symbol of Jesus Christ's Body and Blood.
I've kind of been wondering for awhile about the idea of vampires who are Christians, who have repented of their sins, taking Communion and having it fully satisfy their hunger for blood.
I've wondered if anyone else had had thoughts running along those lines. Do you think this would be an acceptable, or even an interesting, plot element?
As an aside--- I know that it's the wine at the Lord's Supper that more directly represents the Blood of Christ. And particularly among Protestants/Evangelicals who disagree with the Catholic Church allowing Communion where the person receives only the Bread and not the Wine, perhaps there would be an idea of vampires living on Communion Wine alone.
But as Bela Lugosi says, "I don't drink... wine."
I'd also be interested in what vampire fiction readers/writers from the LDS church might make of the concept.
My newly launched Christian vampire web novel Taliesin features Christian vampires taking Communion. Don't know whether that is a idea respectful of Christ and the Church or something I'm going to have to go to confession over.
Another question that springs to mind--- when a vampire receives Communion unworthily, what happens? Does the fire department have to get involved?
Some links you can really sink your fangs into:
Canterbury Tales: Twilight, Vampires and the Holy Eucharist
Reading to Penguins: On Undeath: A Review of One Foot in the Grave
Pushkin, the Oratory Cat who met the Pope Not about vampires. Myfanwy the kitten made me post this link.
4 comments:
I can't speak to the religious implications of this concept and whether or not it would be considered respectful. However, I do think it's an interesting idea.
Of the many modern vampire books I've encountered, a handful utilize Christian beliefs or symbols. Most commonly, blessed crosses made of silver are used as weapons. In the Mercy Thomas books by Patricia Briggs, the heroine wears a blessed Lamb of God necklace as a defense against vampires--the explanation there being that the faith behind the object is what holds the power.
Kathryn Smith uses quite a bit of Christian history in her Brotherhood of Blood books. If I recall correctly, the men became vampires when they drank from a cup made from the silver paid to Judas to betray Christ.
I like the Patricia Briggs books. Mercy is a little crazy to have experimented with her little Lamb of God, though. Because if it HADN'T worked, she'd have been in big trouble.
I'm going to have to check out the Kathryn Smith books, that sounds interesting.
Very interesting ideas I never considered the idea of Christian vampires before- never mind them taking communion
If a guy in an Ozzy Osborne T-shirt can take communion without bursting into flames, why not a vampire?
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