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The Dark Spirit of Frankfurt Cathedral (an
encounter)
 Saint
Bartholomew's' Cathedral, in Frankfurt Germany, was constructed in the
14th and 15th centuries on the
foundations of an earlier church from the 8th century (a particularly
violent time). In later centuries,
numerous German kings and emperors were crowned here, royal weddings and
state funerals also took place
within its walls. Over time the cathedral came to symbolize a unified
Germany.
Through the centuries the
cathedral has silently witnessed every aspect of human emotion from
great jubilation and happiness to
abject sorrow.
In 1867, the cathedral was completely destroyed by a horrific fire but
was later rebuilt in its present
Gothic style.
During the Second World War, between 1943 and 1944, the
old city of Frankfurt was nearly destroyed completely by Allied bombing. The cathedral was
severely damaged and burned with only scorched walls and its 311 foot
tower left standing.
No one knows when the dark spirit was first encountered here, but by
description it would seem to be from an
earlier time period.
The dark spirit presents itself as a sorrowful, forlorn figure concealed
in a dark cape with a large
cavernous hood, like that of a middle-ages monk. Witnesses recount that
they have never seen a face or even
the glint of an eye. The figure is almost always encountered in the south
transept, an area of the cathedral
dating to 1352. When it decides to appear, the figure materializes
very slowly in the shadowy corners
of the transept and after a few seconds it turns and quietly fades
into the stone wall.
The strange apparition never makes a sound and only seems to appear when
the cathedral is quiet and with
few visitors.
I was in the cathedral one very gray Thursday in March of 1993, it was
just before sunset (I’m not sure of
the exact time). This visit was also before I was aware of any
paranormal events taking place here.
I was sitting quietly in the wooden pew in the north
transept directly facing the south transept. In the far corner I could see
something moving. It appeared to be a dark misty or dust-like
cloud starting to swirl. It was a very dark color, but not quite
black, and it seemed to
extend about five feet from the floor.
I fumbled with my 35mm camera, worrying that the light was already
too weak to capture anything on film. In the few seconds it took
to set the camera the strange mist was already
starting to vanish into thin air.
While I never witnessed the spirit it its full form, I am convinced that
there is indeed something here.
In researching my experience, I found that people have been experiencing this
apparition at least since the
1940’s but I would think it has been
happening for several hundred years . . . but then the faithful didn’t speak
of such things in the middle-ages.
by:
Dr. Von Zuko 2005©
The
White Lady of Saint Andrews
Cathedral
 In
the soft, waning light of misty autumn evenings, many startled and
astonished witnesses have observed a vaporous lady in a flowing white gown
who walks the grounds of St. Andrews Cathedral and surrounding shoreline.
While no one knows of the tragic circumstances compelling this mysterious
lady to linger, her glowing apparition has persisted for at least the last
300 years. Perhaps she searches for a love lost in battle?
St. Andrews* once held strategic importance to ancient Viking and then
English invaders. Perched on the rocky, wave torn coast of the North Sea,
just a few dozen kilometers north of Edinburgh, St. Andrews was viewed as
the key to the populous Scottish lowlands, and was the subject of numerous
vicious and bloody sieges.
Most sightings of the White Lady occur in October or November in the early
hours of the evening when the daylight is just starting to fade.
Established in 1160 AD, the Cathedral was once one of the most celebrated
Cathedrals in Europe. It was consecrated in 1318 by Benedict XIII in
the presence of King Robert the Bruce. The cathedral has lain in ruin
along side its forlorn grave yard since the 16th century.
*St. Andrews is now more popularly recognized as the official shrine of the
modern sport of golf.
by:
Dr. Von Zuko 1998©
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