Podcast Summary: “The Saint Who KILLED Jesus | Saint Longinus”

Camp Gagnon — December 28, 2025
Host: Mark Gagnon
Guest Appearance: Christos (Greek Orthodox friend)

Overview

In this Religion Camp episode, Mark Gagnon delves into the legend and history of Saint Longinus — the Roman centurion credited in tradition as the one who pierced Jesus’s side during the Crucifixion. The conversation traces Longinus’ transformation from executioner to venerated saint, exploring scripture, early church lore, medieval embellishments, and how cultural interpretations of him continue today.

Key Discussion Points

1. Who Was Longinus? (00:36–03:30)

• Character Introduction: Mark discusses how Longinus isn’t named in the biblical accounts, with his name surfacing in later apocryphal tradition (the Gospel of Nicodemus, 4th century); “Longinus” essentially means “spear guy” in Latinized Greek.
• Historical Placement: Thought to have been a centurion from Cappadocia (modern-day central Turkey), accustomed to overseeing countless crucifixions.
• Roman Military Context: Centurions were respected, hardened military leaders—not simply brutes, but symbols of Rome’s military machine.

“Longinus probably wasn’t his actual name... it literally just means spear guy. The spear dude. And it stuck around for nearly 2,000 years.”
— Mark Gagnon (03:25)

2. The Crucifixion: Longinus’s Role and Its Impact (03:31–16:40)

• Biblical and Historical Setting: Mark walks through Jesus’s final days—entrance into Jerusalem, the temple cleansing, and his trial for claiming kingship, which threatens both Jewish and Roman authorities.
• Longinus’s Role: Oversees the crucifixion at Golgotha; performs the final piercing to confirm Jesus’s death.
• Miraculous Events: Darkness at noon, earthquake, temple veil tearing (Luke 23:44, Matthew 27:51).
• Physical and Spiritual Healing: According to legend, Longinus suffered from poor eyesight, which was miraculously healed when Jesus’s blood and water splashed into his eyes after the lance thrust—a metaphor for both physical and spiritual sight.
• Declaration of Faith: The centurion (later ascribed to Longinus) proclaims, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.” (Mark 15:39)

“As he looked at this crucified man before him, he realized that he had just made a massive mistake. And he spoke these words, ‘Truly, this man was the Son of God.’”
— Mark Gagnon (15:18)

3. After the Crucifixion: Conversion and Mission (16:40–22:20)

• Guarding the Tomb: Longinus is said to have been the Roman soldier tasked with guarding the tomb, witnessing the Resurrection or its aftermath.
• Refusing the Bribe: Unlike other guards, Longinus allegedly refuses to accept money to lie about the disappearance of Jesus’s body (Matthew 28:12–15).
• Baptism and Apostolic Community: Seeks out the apostles, is baptized, and becomes an evangelist in Cappadocia, accompanied by converted fellow soldiers (Petronius and Cassius, per tradition).
• Rapid Spread of Christianity: Mark recounts how Longinus’ credibility as a Roman officer and eyewitness makes his testimony uniquely powerful in winning converts.

4. Martyrdom and Miraculous Legends (22:20–28:30)

• Persecution: As his evangelism threatens authorities, Pilate and local leaders order Longinus’s execution.
• Story of Hospitality: Longinus hosts the very soldiers sent to arrest him, only to reveal his identity the next day, calmly accepting martyrdom alongside his companions.
• Legendary Miracles:
  • Survives torture and continues to preach, even after having teeth and tongue removed.
  • Smashes pagan idols, causing demons to allegedly blind the governor, who is then healed by Longinus’s blood.
  • Tradition holds he is executed (most likely by beheading) and his head is discarded, which leads to further legendary tales.

“Despite having no tongue, he continued to speak. The governors, the guards, and everyone present stared in amazement.”
— Mark Gagnon (27:32)
(on the debated, miraculous martyrdom legends)

5. The Legend of the Blind Widow & Longinus’s Relic (28:30–31:45)

• The Widow’s Miracle: A Cappadocian widow on pilgrimage to Jerusalem is healed of her blindness after retrieving Longinus’s head—guided by a vision—finding both spiritual and physical healing.
• Folk Spirituality: The tale underscores how relics and visions shaped medieval faith and the way early Christians connected to the saintly dead.

6. Veneration, Feast Day & Relics (31:45–36:30)

• Saint Across Traditions: Venerated by Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, among others; Feast Day on October 16.
• The Holy Lance (Spear of Destiny):
  • Multiple sites (Vatican, Vienna, Armenia) claim to have the lance or its fragments, with stories linking them variously to Charlemagne, Crusaders, and even Nazi Germany.
  • Vienna’s lance is tied to the Holy Roman Empire; Vatican’s is from Constantinople; Armenia’s has the oldest written local tradition.
• Relic Authentication Challenges: Mark points out the lack of scientific evidence connecting these artifacts.
• Other Relics: Russian Orthodox Cathedral in DC claims a bone fragment; in Brazil, scattered relics foster a unique tradition.

7. Saint Longinus and Popular Culture (36:30–40:18)

• Brazilian Folk Practice: In Brazil, Longinus (São Longuinho) is invoked as the patron of finding lost objects; those seeking lost items promise to “hop three times” if he helps find them.
• Symbolic Power: His story is seen as a profound symbol of redemption—no one is “too far gone” for transformation.

“What I think Longinus symbolizes is that no one is too far gone to be redeemed. If the soldier who literally killed Jesus delivered the final blow, then anyone can change their life.”
— Mark Gagnon (39:00)

• Modern Pop Culture: References to the lance’s legendary power (Charlemagne, Crusades, even Hitler and the “Spear of Destiny”) and how these relics influence fiction and folklore.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the blending of fact and legend:
  "This guy is one of those figures whose story sits between authentic religious tradition, the inspired word of God as we know it in the Bible, and also medieval embellishment." (02:14)

• On the centurion’s unique witness:
  “His testimony was unique because he wasn't preaching from hearsay... This was first hand testimony of someone who had been intimately involved in the crucifixion and the death and ultimately the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (22:00)

• On Longinus’ transformation:
  "He went from being this Roman soldier carrying out orders to someone who openly followed what he believed was the truth, even though it cost him his job and safety and ultimately his life." (37:02)

• On Brazilian devotion:
  “He’s known as the patron saint of lost objects in Brazil... supposedly from legends of his short stature and keen eyesight, which allegedly helps him find stuff that rolls under the couch.” (35:10)

• Mark’s reflection on the tale’s meaning:
  "Even if you don't fully believe all the stories ... just the symbolism of what the story is, that even the guy that killed Christ can be redeemed and that by giving yourself to Christ, you can still appear in the kingdom of heaven. I think there's something nice about that." (39:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:36–03:30: Introduction to Longinus and historical background
• 03:31–16:40: Crucifixion narrative, supernatural events, centurion’s declaration
• 16:40–22:20: Aftermath—guarding the tomb, conversion, missionary activity
• 22:20–28:30: Persecution, martyrdom legends, and miracles
• 28:30–31:45: The story of the blind widow and Longinus’s head relic
• 31:45–36:30: Veneration, Feast Day, and relic controversies
• 36:30–40:18: Brazil’s São Longuinho, modern pop culture, and concluding reflections

Conclusion

Mark and Christos wrap up by reflecting on Saint Longinus’s symbolic role as a bridge between the Roman world and early Christianity. The episode highlights how Longinus’s legend moves from historical ambiguity into inspiring mythology, blending fact, faith, and folklore. The story’s ultimate message: redemption is possible for everyone, regardless of their past.

“He kind of represents the bridge between the Roman world and early Christian faith. Yeah, I mean, I guess he's like the first Roman Christian, you know, soldier of the empire, became a saint, symbolizing the message of Christianity. Yeah, it's kind of cool." — Christos (39:50)

Mark closes with an invitation for reflection, encouraging listeners of all faith backgrounds to see the enduring power of stories like Longinus’s, and to remember: even if you lose your keys, you can always call on São Longuinho.

For more fascinating explorations of legend, faith, and history, check out other episodes on Religion Camp and Camp Gagnon’s main channel.