Every Spring and Autumn equinox, the setting sun shines through a window at the Holy Trinity church in Barsham, Suffolk and illuminates a 5ft statue of Christ on the cross for 5 minutes.
This beautiful spectacle dates back to the 1300s, but was lost and only recently rediscovered by the church's assistant curate, the Reverend John Buchanan, who spotted it by chance.
The narrow lancet window is thought to have been built 700 years ago in an off-centre position in the tower of the church, which dates back to Anglo Saxon times.
But the rood screen was torn down in the 16th century following Henry VIII's split with the Catholic church, meaning the spectacle was lost for generations.
Revelation: The stunning church light show which illuminates a hidden cross twice yearly
By Andrew Levy
22nd March 2009
Daily Mail
It is an unforgettable moment - as the sun traverses the sky its light is suddenly focused into an intense beam which illuminates a hidden target.
This is not a scene from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, however, but a stunning and stirring piece of visual trickery that predates the film by hundreds of years.
Every Spring and Autumn equinox, the setting sun hits an ancient window at Holy Trinity church in Barsham, Suffolk, and illuminates a 5ft statue of Christ on the Cross for four spellbinding minutes.
The Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Barsham, Suffolk discovered that on the equinox the sun illuminates a statue of Christ ala Indiana Jones
The spectacle dates back to the 1300s, when the window was built, but was lost and forgotten for centuries.
It was only rediscovered recently by the village church's assistant curate, the Reverend John Buchanan, who spotted it by chance.
On Friday, the church was packed with visitors to witness the phenomenon on this year's Spring equinox.
Mr Buchanan, 77, said: 'It is just an incredible to see this brilliant shaft of sunlight illuminate Christ on the Cross. It is a magical moment and very uplifting.
'The church is in gloom as it is dusk and then all of a sudden, the setting sun is in exactly the right position to shine this brilliant ball of light through the window in the tower.
'It is like a powerful searchlight. It literally makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.'
Visitors packed out the church to witness the 'miracle'
The statue of Christ is on a traditional rood screen which crosses the centre of the church, dividing the chancel from the nave.
The narrow lancet window is thought to have been built 700 years ago in an off-centre position in the tower of the church, which dates back to Anglo Saxon times.
But the rood screen was torn down in the 16th century following Henry VIII's split with the Catholic church, meaning the spectacle was lost for generations.
Although rebuilt in 1870 with an identical statue in the same position, the lancet window was obscured when the vicar at the time hung a painting over it.
The 11ft by 9ft painting of Christ as the Good Shepherd remained there for 104 years until it was taken down and when a fire destroyed the nave roof in 1979.
Reverend John Buchanan says the light show went unnoticed for many years as it happens so rarely
Even then, the magical light show went unnoticed for several more years until it was spotted by Mr Buchanan.
He said: 'It only happens for a few moments so it very easy to miss and obviously if the weather is cloudy, it doesn't happen at all.'
'The lancet window creates a kind of camera obscura effect like at Stonehenge where the light shines through a narrow opening. It creates a ball of light which travels across the church as the sun sets.
'I first saw it in the 1980s and did not realise the significance of the timing. Then I began to plot the dates and realised that Christ was only lit up on the equinox.
'It is impossible to say why it was done. The equinox does have historic significance for churches.
'Stone masons used the positions of the sun during the equinox to help align churches to the east and west when they were building them.
'It was a useful technique when they did not have compasses, although it was frowned upon by the church because of the links of the sun and pagan worship.
'I've often wondered whether this spectacle was the work of a cunning priest trying to do a bit of magic to impress the locals.
'But it could have been designed to be a form of calendar for the village to mark the passing of winter and summer.'
Mr Buchanan said he believed the phenomenon was unique to Barsham Church as he had not heard of it happening anywhere else.
Margaret Wiseman, who travelled from Norwich, Norfolk to witness the event on Friday, said: 'It was marvellous. I have never experienced anything like that before - it is just absolutely beautiful.'
In 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy, played by Harrison Ford, is trying to locate the Ark of the Covenant - a chest which carries the tablets of the Ten Commandments - before the Nazis find it and use its powers to make their armies invincible.
Indy finds the Ark by placing a golden disk - the headpiece of the Staff of Ra - on the top of a staff and placing it in the ground beside a model of Tanis, an ancient Egyptian city.
When the sun passes overhead, it creates a beam of light which reveals the chest is hidden in the Well of Souls.
dailymail.co.uk
This beautiful spectacle dates back to the 1300s, but was lost and only recently rediscovered by the church's assistant curate, the Reverend John Buchanan, who spotted it by chance.
The narrow lancet window is thought to have been built 700 years ago in an off-centre position in the tower of the church, which dates back to Anglo Saxon times.
But the rood screen was torn down in the 16th century following Henry VIII's split with the Catholic church, meaning the spectacle was lost for generations.
Revelation: The stunning church light show which illuminates a hidden cross twice yearly
By Andrew Levy
22nd March 2009
Daily Mail
It is an unforgettable moment - as the sun traverses the sky its light is suddenly focused into an intense beam which illuminates a hidden target.
This is not a scene from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, however, but a stunning and stirring piece of visual trickery that predates the film by hundreds of years.
Every Spring and Autumn equinox, the setting sun hits an ancient window at Holy Trinity church in Barsham, Suffolk, and illuminates a 5ft statue of Christ on the Cross for four spellbinding minutes.
The Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Barsham, Suffolk discovered that on the equinox the sun illuminates a statue of Christ ala Indiana Jones
The spectacle dates back to the 1300s, when the window was built, but was lost and forgotten for centuries.
It was only rediscovered recently by the village church's assistant curate, the Reverend John Buchanan, who spotted it by chance.
On Friday, the church was packed with visitors to witness the phenomenon on this year's Spring equinox.
Mr Buchanan, 77, said: 'It is just an incredible to see this brilliant shaft of sunlight illuminate Christ on the Cross. It is a magical moment and very uplifting.
'The church is in gloom as it is dusk and then all of a sudden, the setting sun is in exactly the right position to shine this brilliant ball of light through the window in the tower.
'It is like a powerful searchlight. It literally makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.'
Visitors packed out the church to witness the 'miracle'
The statue of Christ is on a traditional rood screen which crosses the centre of the church, dividing the chancel from the nave.
The narrow lancet window is thought to have been built 700 years ago in an off-centre position in the tower of the church, which dates back to Anglo Saxon times.
But the rood screen was torn down in the 16th century following Henry VIII's split with the Catholic church, meaning the spectacle was lost for generations.
Although rebuilt in 1870 with an identical statue in the same position, the lancet window was obscured when the vicar at the time hung a painting over it.
The 11ft by 9ft painting of Christ as the Good Shepherd remained there for 104 years until it was taken down and when a fire destroyed the nave roof in 1979.
Reverend John Buchanan says the light show went unnoticed for many years as it happens so rarely
Even then, the magical light show went unnoticed for several more years until it was spotted by Mr Buchanan.
He said: 'It only happens for a few moments so it very easy to miss and obviously if the weather is cloudy, it doesn't happen at all.'
'The lancet window creates a kind of camera obscura effect like at Stonehenge where the light shines through a narrow opening. It creates a ball of light which travels across the church as the sun sets.
'I first saw it in the 1980s and did not realise the significance of the timing. Then I began to plot the dates and realised that Christ was only lit up on the equinox.
'It is impossible to say why it was done. The equinox does have historic significance for churches.
'Stone masons used the positions of the sun during the equinox to help align churches to the east and west when they were building them.
'It was a useful technique when they did not have compasses, although it was frowned upon by the church because of the links of the sun and pagan worship.
'I've often wondered whether this spectacle was the work of a cunning priest trying to do a bit of magic to impress the locals.
'But it could have been designed to be a form of calendar for the village to mark the passing of winter and summer.'
Mr Buchanan said he believed the phenomenon was unique to Barsham Church as he had not heard of it happening anywhere else.
Margaret Wiseman, who travelled from Norwich, Norfolk to witness the event on Friday, said: 'It was marvellous. I have never experienced anything like that before - it is just absolutely beautiful.'
In 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy, played by Harrison Ford, is trying to locate the Ark of the Covenant - a chest which carries the tablets of the Ten Commandments - before the Nazis find it and use its powers to make their armies invincible.
Indy finds the Ark by placing a golden disk - the headpiece of the Staff of Ra - on the top of a staff and placing it in the ground beside a model of Tanis, an ancient Egyptian city.
When the sun passes overhead, it creates a beam of light which reveals the chest is hidden in the Well of Souls.
dailymail.co.uk