‘Mysteries of the Faith’ (2023) Netflix Series Review - Revisiting History of the Relics

As someone who barely watches documentaries but holds a faint interest in history, the series did a fine job of finding the balance between telling tales and keeping the audience engaged. I liked only the first two episodes and I am concerned with the transition from the relatively current scenarios and how it was linked to the past.

What caught my attention was how smoothly the makers and narrators shifted the story from Notre Dame to the search for the real Holy Grail. A lot of history was told and the point of view of three different investigators was covered. While many claim that the holy grail in Valencia isn’t the real one, several others have come up with evidence that it is the original one.

Crown of Thorns was the first relic to be introduced. We’ve been told about its history and how by touching or even after seeing these relics, people feel closer to god. The series directly doesn’t go into the historical significance of the relics and rather takes a good approach. First of all, their importance is told and how they are a direct connection to god, and then their historical significance is revealed.

There’s a scene in which an investigator for the holy grail is approached by a woman. She asked permission to touch the hands of the historian as they had come in contact with the holy grail. Many people believe in the supernatural power of these relics and whose lives changed due to it. Many such people are a part of the show and have shared their experiences.

The series also took a stand on how these relics influenced the people’s life. Another important thing shared was how the churches even today are in search of relics that keep on motivating future generations. In the final and fourth episode, the story of a lawyer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was shared. He was murdered as he didn’t take bribes and believed in justice. The man’s shirt was given the respect of a relic.

This episode didn’t go well with me as I was unable to comprehend the reason behind it. How was it a relic? Just like so many others, he was also an honest and hardworking man, why his murder was honored? The things shown in the series are incomplete and there must be more to it than what is shown. So, I can not condemn the action of the Church, but the episode failed to provide answers to certain questions.

At last, there is a question of belief vs science which has been a debate for decades now. Those who believe will continue to believe and those who want to contradict these things with science will do so. What matters at the end is what you believe in. For Christians, who believe in the power of the almighty, this will serve as a reference to the various relics like the Crown of Thorns, the Holy Grail, Manoppello’s story, and others.

In all, this is a good documentary that has balanced its four episodes adequately. You will see how the makers have shown the beliefs and the evidence behind it.

Final Score – [7/10]
Reviewed by - Riya Singh
Follow @_riyasinghhh_ on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times