Churches, with their beautiful arches and strong pillars, have been a place for people to pray, confess their sins and feel a deep connection with their religion for many centuries. It is natural to associate churches with peace and safety, but that is not always the case. Like most other things and places in the world, various churches are also known to have a haunted history. This may seem strange because of the holy spirit and protection that is said to surround religious monuments such as temples, churches, etc., but it seems like the occult of the world seldom pay heed to such restrictions. Below are listed some such haunted churches where supernatural things have occurred despite the sacred nature of the institution.
Egg Hill Church
Situated in Center County, Pennsylvania, this church contributes to much of the town’s history. Built in 1860, regular services in this one-story church were stopped in 1927. Reason for that is of course the speculations that surround it. The church is located in an otherwise empty plot, surrounded by trees and in the heart of nature’s beauty. From outside it may seem very peaceful and calming but the history is holds would give an otherwise impression. It is believed that in the late 1800s, there was a pastor in this church who was either mad or possessed.
During a seemingly normal day at the church, this pastor apparently fed poison mixed into wine to all the parishioners while the children played outside. Not just that, the priest also apparently stabbed them afterwards and carried all of their bodies to the cemetery nearby. He then killed the children who had been looking at the scene in pure horror, before hanging himself to death. Till today the church and adjacent cemetery is thought to be haunted as people can hear the screams of the victims and the pastor. This terrifying story puts this church at the top of our list of haunted churches.
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National Cathedral
This church that towers over the capital of the USA is one of the largest in the world. Still fully functional, the church is visited by many religious people and tourists every day, but it also holds haunted stories that few people know about and thus gains space in the list of haunted churches. Woodrow Wilson, who was the president of America from 1913 to 1921 is buried there, and it is believed that his spirit, along with that of a church employee, haunts the halls of this church.
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Many people have confessed to hearing a tap-tap noise at night in this cathedral—a noise that sounds like someone, or specifically Woodrow, tapping his cane against the marble floors. In the year 1946, a murder took place in the library building of this church, and the victim of this murder is also thought to be lingering in the church until today. People who visit the church admit to feeling a sense of uneasiness and of being watched there.
Three Kings’ Church
The beautiful city of Goa in India is a sight to see with its beaches and churches, but it is also known to be full of haunted places. Many locals and tourists believe that one of the most haunted places in Goa in the Three Kings’ Church. The history behind this church is surely interesting. It is said that long ago, Goa was ruled by three Portuguese kings, who often fought within themselves as to who would rightfully get the throne. In a ploy to be the only king, one of them invited the other two for dinner and poisoned them.
However, the locals soon found out about this cunning act and planned to punish the murderer, but too late—the king had already committed suicide in order to escape from being shamefully penalized. The three kings are now known to haunt this church—hence the name—which was where all of them had died. People who visit the church do feel the presence of something supernatural.
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Oradour-Sur-Glane Church
The history behind this church in France is extremely horrifying. In the year 1944, the village in which this church is located was occupied by the Nazis. They carried out a huge massacre in this village by tying all the men inside a room before burning up the place. As for the women and children, they too were killed by being fired at with machine guns. A total of 642 residents of Oradour-Sur-Glane were murdered that day and were later buried inside this church. People believe that in this church that witnessed such sheer cruelty, the victims still live on as restless spirits who never got salvation. Although the rest of the village was later rebuilt, the church was left in its ruined state as a memoir.
St Botolph’s Church
This English church in Boston, Lincolnshire is known for its architecture, with its extremely tall tower that can be seen from afar. Although this church has no particular history that can explain its haunted nature, it is in our list of haunted churches because many people have experiences paranormal activity in there and some also believe that the church has been claimed by Satanists. People feel extreme negative energy in this place, along with unexplained noises at night.
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One tourist who visited the church with his wife also captured in his camera the blurry picture of a woman standing upstairs, although no one else had been present there during that time. When this photo became public, a builder admitted that while doing construction work, he had disturbed a few old coffins and one had also come open—to reveal the face of a woman who resembled the one in the picture.
The history behind all of these haunted churches is surely fascinating, but it is also terrifying to think that religious relics can also be an abode to paranormal beings.
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