# Would a blessed animal have an effect on a vampire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 16, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284 "2008-10-16T22:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/41 "2008-10-18T12:44:29Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > In the case of communion wafers, absolutely not. It’s more than just a blessing: according to most Christian religions, the wafers have been transformed into the body of Christ. > Holy water is less clear. It has a definite identity and a clear place in Catholic ceremonies; and I think there’s a definite ritual associated with creating it. So it’s arguably more special than, say, a shovel that a Priest has said a random blessing over. But it’s not clearly transformed in the same way that communion has been. Then again, a blessed golf club did the trick quite nicely in the movie Dogma. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/42 "2008-10-18T12:49:35Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > No, but stabbing it with a pick-axe will. You have it wrong; you use a steak to make a vampire holy!🆒 mmmmm steeeeaaaaaakkkk ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/43 "2008-10-18T14:59:46Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Yes, I didn’t ask the question I meant to ask, which would have fit in GQ much more neatly: Does blessing an animal make it holy? No, not in Christianity at least. Blessing a person doesn’t make that person holy, either. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/44 "2008-10-19T00:04:39Z")
Is it worthwhile asking for this one to be moved to IMHO or even Cafe Society (given the movie/book tie-ins)? This thread’s far too entertaining to languish in GQ! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/45 "2008-10-19T01:15:15Z")
**Bites When Provoked** : since you share an interest in the topic, do you think you could get yourself blessed, then find a vampire? We are desperately in need of some hard data. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/46 "2008-10-19T01:47:22Z")
Oooo ooo…bless some metal, like silver or iron (weapons can be blessed, right? Why not just ingots of metal) and then fit a dog with metal chompers like Jaws in the Bond movies! ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/47 "2008-10-19T02:40:51Z")
Seems vampires are christians and probably catholics…do other religions do the holy water? I remember a Christopher Lee movie with a chase thru a church so I guess they’re ok to go to mass… probably cant genuflex at the alter, however. No looking in mirrors, either…no hair salons…gyms…backing out of the driveway…sucks to be a vampire. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/48 "2008-10-19T05:22:07Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > I’ve always wondered about the implications of this. If I know that holding up an object that I believe will protect me from vampires will protect me from vampires, does that mean I can use whatever’s close by to protect me from vampires? If belief is sufficient, that should work (but you try it first). Object? Pah! When your faith in the placebo effect is strong enough, you need no object. Or, if you want to be on the safe side, you can take a page out of the Imperium’s book: blessed napalm. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/49 "2008-10-19T06:18:37Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > **Bites When Provoked** : since you share an interest in the topic, do you think you could get yourself blessed, then find a vampire? We are desperately in need of some hard data. Why did nobody ask me to do this in my teen years? I reckon I could’ve taken one on; from photos of the era it’s clear I was 90% composed of silver(y metal). Heck, I could have taken out werewolves, too. (Of course, more likely I’d have ended up bitten and become an unholy bitch … hey, wait… :D) ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/50 "2008-10-19T06:40:47Z")
> [@rock\_party](#): > > Seems vampires are christians and probably catholics…do other religions do the holy water? Hindus have a belief in a similar concept of purifying/holy water. So uh, I guess if you meet a vegetarian Hindu Vampire, You could always use the waters from the Ganges to drive him away… :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/51 "2008-10-19T06:58:30Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Then again, a blessed golf club did the trick quite nicely in the movie Dogma. Yeah, but that was a demon, not a vampire. There have been plenty of accounts of vampires killing and feeding on priests. It stands to reason that at least some of these priests were attacked shortly after receiving absolution, putting their souls back on the side of clean. Doesn’t being told to “go in the name of the Father” count as a blessing? I’m thinking that if a blessed priest with a clean soul can be killed by a vampire, a puppy ain’t gonna be too much of an issue. Even if it’s name is Mr. Snoogybottom. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284/52 "2008-10-22T14:03:37Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > There have been plenty of accounts of vampires killing and feeding on priests. It stands to reason that at least some of these priests were attacked shortly after receiving absolution, putting their souls back on the side of clean. Doesn’t being told to “go in the name of the Father” count as a blessing? I seem to recall a relatively recent movie where the heroes, before staging an assault on the vampire’s stronghold, went to Confession and unburdened themselves of all their sins (it took hours, as neither of them had been to Confession in years, if ever). Thus, while they were in a state of grace, the vampires couldn’t see them. During the assault, one of the heroes tripped and swore, thus committing a minor sin. All of a sudden, the vamps could see him and all hell broke loose. Literally. Kind of a neat take on it all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-blessed-animal-have-an-effect-on-a-vampire/468284.md?page=2)