According to legend, Saint Galgano was a violent Tuscan knight that massacred many people. In 1180, his horse threw him off his saddle onto the ground and ran off leaving him stranded. An angel appeared and led him to a hill surrounded by rocks, where he received a vision of a temple built there with Jesus, Mary and the Apostles surrounding him.
The angel implored him to repent for his sins, but Galgano said he was beyond saving, that he could no more do this than to split a rock with a sword. To prove his point to the angel, Galgano drew his sword and thrust at the stony ground. To his surprise, the rock "yielded like butter" and the blade slid through with ease, where it remains stuck to this day.
In 2001, chemist Luigi Garlaschelli was able to confirm with metallurgical analysis and x-rays that the blade that is visibly protruding from the stone and the invisible blade embedded in the ground is indeed one whole piece dated to the 12th century. To this day there is no scientific explanation as to how Galgano was able to pierce the rock with his sword.
The angel implored him to repent for his sins, but Galgano said he was beyond saving, that he could no more do this than to split a rock with a sword. To prove his point to the angel, Galgano drew his sword and thrust at the stony ground. To his surprise, the rock "yielded like butter" and the blade slid through with ease, where it remains stuck to this day.
In 2001, chemist Luigi Garlaschelli was able to confirm with metallurgical analysis and x-rays that the blade that is visibly protruding from the stone and the invisible blade embedded in the ground is indeed one whole piece dated to the 12th century. To this day there is no scientific explanation as to how Galgano was able to pierce the rock with his sword.
