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| A photo of SCP-220, aka "La Cruz". |
Item #: SCP-220
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-220 is to be kept in its containment unit at all times. Should SCP-220 be removed, it is to be closely monitored by a minimum of two (2) Level C personnel at all times. When wielded, SCP-220 must be under the jurisdiction of a Roman-Catholic aligned agent. Unless otherwise authorized, SCP-220 is to be returned to its containment unit directly after usage.
Description: SCP-220 is a carved wooden crucifix, measuring at approximately 65 cm by 30 cm. SCP-220 was obtained in ████████, Spain, when reports of suffering tourists began to establish themselves. The predominantly Roman-Catholic ████████ was opened to visitation in 1976, including its local churches and monuments. Case reports state that the town’s church was repelling the tourists, causing extreme cases of depression and joint pains. SCP-220 was confiscated in 1978 from the church during a visitation to ████████ by [DATA EXPUNGED].
The object dates back to the late 1500s, when it was utilized as a tool of torture. The aura that it emits repels and brings damage to those who are in a twelve (12) meter radius and are not devout followers of the Roman-Catholic faith. If personnel are pious believers in the religion, they will be unharmed by SCP-220.
If a member of any other faith is exposed to SCP-220, they will undergo an extended tortuous process. At any time the victim can be removed from the aura’s radius and the suffering will cease. Effects are immediate, and the process begins with what has been described as a “pounding headache and horrible joint ache”. If exposed to the aura for approximately three (3) minutes, the victim will form scorch marks, starting at the 1st degree. At approximately four (4) minutes the burns are to the 3rd degree and at five (5) minutes the flesh of the victim begins to peel from the body. As strips of flesh are torn from the victim, they often beg for mercy, and cry out their life’s sins, as if in confession. If exposed to SCP-220 for longer than approximately eight (8) minutes, the victim will perish.
Personnel D0834 is a case example of SCP-220’s aftereffects. Formally Agent █████, D0834 returned to Site-19 with SCP-220 in 1978 and began authorized experimentation. D0834 found that SCP-220 could be used as a means of containment for other SCPs, and labeled it with codename “La Cruz”. Growing attachment to the object caused D0834 to further his investigations on test subjects, resulting in the termination of three (3) unauthorized civilians. D0834 is to be kept from SCP-220 at all times, and is to be restrained when in the vicinity of the item.
Document 220-006C: Examination of Personnel D0834
Dr. Mendoza: Tell me again, Peter, why you did what you did.
D0834: What I did was God’s work.
Dr. Mendoza: Yes, all right, why did God ask this of you?
D0834: He wishes for purity.
Dr. Mendoza: And you don’t think that’s God’s domain? Surely he should not need employ his children.
D0834: I only aid him in his crusade.
Dr. Mendoza: Crusade? He wants an ethnic cleansing?
D0834: [Unintelligible]
Dr. Mendoza: Peter, you’re no longer authorized to wield 220.
D0834: No agency can keep me from God.
Dr. Mendoza: Alright, Dr. Carlucci will speak with you now.
[Conversation ends]
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| A photo of SCP-220. |
Item #: SCP-220
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Object is to be stored in a sealed, light-proof container in a standard locker at Reliquary Sector-███; key to be kept at site security station. Transfers of SCP-220 to and from testing facilities should be carried out by persons of the Roman Catholic faith; immediately prior to interaction with SCP-220, said personnel must report to on-site Chaplain for confession. Following Incident 220-a, SCP-220 has been upgraded to Euclid class and relocated to the Isolated Storage wing of Reliquary Sector-███. All access is restricted outside of authorized testing with written approval from Level 3 Site Security and Dr. ██████. Transportation of the object should only be carried out by non-Roman Catholic personnel, and proximity to the object must be kept to a minimum by all personnel except under controlled testing conditions (object's area of effect estimated to be ██ meters). Video monitoring must be carried out under time-delay to prevent exposure, as it is suspected that the effects may be transmitted through live video feeds. For further information see Incident Report 220-a.
Note: Any personnel previously exposed to SCP-475 are expressly prohibited from contact with SCP-220. For further information see Incident Report 220-c.
Description: SCP-220 is a hand-carved wooden cross, measuring approximately 65cm by 30cm estimated to have originated in Spain during the early 16th century. The full range of SCP-220's capabilities are currently unclear; its primary purpose, however, seems to be "saving the souls" of those exposed to it (see Recovery Log) by inducing a confession of their sins followed by [DATA EXPUNGED]. This requires that the subject be in line-of-sight contact with the object, although they do not need to be looking directly at it. Covering or otherwise obstructing SCP-220 from view prevents the onset of this primary effect. Once contact has been established, symptoms may continue even after the object is removed; test results suggest that [DATA EXPUNGED] at a rate of about 30 percent.
The precise progression of symptoms varies based on religious affiliation. Roman Catholics exhibit the strongest reaction, almost immediately taking to one knee and initiating the Sacrament of Penance, speaking any sins they have committed since their most recent confession. This will continue without regard to outside stimuli, including physical restraint and removal from SCP-220's vicinity. Sedation halts the confession temporarily, but subjects will resume upon regaining consciousness. In non-Catholics (persons of other faiths, or those who consider themselves agnostic and/or atheist), the process does not begin immediately. Subjects remain lucid and capable of communication with observation staff at first. The first symptom is joint pain, localized in the hips and knees, and subjects report that taking a kneeling position relieves this discomfort. The pain escalates steadily if they do not assume this position, though if physically restrained from doing so they will still continue to the next stage.
At this point subjects claim that their "sins are burning" (Note: Exact wording varies), expressing both moral and physical discomfort with past misdeeds. When asked to explain how they reach the conclusion that this is the source of the physical pain, [DATA EXPUNGED] suggesting limited sentience in SCP-220. Subjects report that each sin vocalized lessens their discomfort. Attempts to withhold a confession by remaining silent increases the pain exponentially over time. Gagging test subjects only interferes temporarily, as confessions retain their soothing effect even when emitted as near-unintelligible vocalizations. After completing this process, the subjects' skin appears to [REDACTED]. While this has been mitigated with limited success by use of ██████████ it is invariably fatal. No attempts to circumvent this occurrence have been successful thus far; further testing pending approval by Dr. ██████.
Completed tests have failed to produce consistent results regarding the exposure time necessary for SCP-220's effects to progress fully; it is suspected that this is due to the lack of any precise way to measure an individual's religious devotion rather than inconsistencies in the object's behavior.
Due to the presence of tool marks and the visible wear on SCP-220, which appears to be consistent with an artifact of its estimated age, it is assumed that it does not have any abnormal resistance to damage. Testing to confirm this has been restricted by Dr. ██████; he is currently slated for psychiatric evaluation to determine whether this decision is indicative of influence by the object itself.
Recovery Log: SCP-220 was first located by Agent ███████ while investigating reports of tourist disappearances in the village of ███████ ████, Spain. Agent ███████ checked in upon arrival, but failed to report for several days. Mobile Task Force Eta-10 was dispatched to locate the Agent. Interviews with townspeople confirmed that Agent ███████ had arrived there and was last seen entering the chapel. The head priest stated that Agent ███████ had visited the church earlier, and directed the MTF to [DATA EXPUNGED] until dental records confirmed it to be Agent ███████'s remains. All residents of the church were detained for questioning. Further investigation identified SCP-220 as a supposed holy relic from the Spanish Inquisition, capable of purging sinners of their transgressions and sending their souls directly to Heaven. Subjects questioned were amicable while discussing SCP-220's properties, offering MTF Eta-10 personnel the opportunity to make use of the object and "join the Lord in His kingdom." The head priest claimed that those killed immediately following the Sacrament of Penance could no longer sin and would be accepted into Heaven without delay.
After MTF Eta-10 recovered SCP-220, a non-functioning facsimile was replaced in the chapel and all persons with knowledge of its abilities were treated with Class-A amnesiacs. The village is checked bi-annually for any abnormal activity but no further anomalies have been reported.
Incident Report 220-a: Pending declassification by Dr. ██████.
Incident Report 220-c: Pending declassification by O5-█.