There are a lot of myths surrounding vampires. Many of these myths have their roots in early Christian doctrine. Others are the result of the superstitious people of the Middle Ages.

Vampires are repelled by crosses and holy water

The root of this myth is in Christianity. The first vampire myths to spread across Europe were passed down by the early Christians. Bram Stoker is a more modern example, but he was also a Christian nonetheless. The victims of vampires are almost always Christians. As a result, the crosses and holy water offer Christians protection against a devil that has manifested in the form of a vampire.

The effect of holy water on vampires has more to do with purification. As holy water is blessed by a God ordained priest, it has the power to purify any evil. Therefore, the power that holy water has over vampires can only exist in a Christian vampire context.

Vampires sleep in coffins

It is speculated that the root of this myth originates from ancient gravediggers. There was no shortage of stories in the Middle Ages that dealt with vampires rising from cemetery coffins in the middle of the night. The myth would later evolve to include the notion that vampires must sleep in the native soil in which they were originally buried. Traditionally, vampires returned to the grave every night. If a vampire wanted to travel to a new region, he would have to take some dirt from his grave. In this way, a vampire could return to the floor of his native grave every night. Later, the myth would evolve once again to include protection from the sun.

Kill a vampire by stabbing his heart with a stake

Consumption disease, more commonly known as tuberculosis, is a microbacterial disease that attacks the lungs. In the advanced stages of the disease, the host coughs up blood and eventually dies. In the Middle Ages, both the consumption of diseases and rumors about vampires were rampant. It became a common belief that if a consumption victim was not nailed to his grave, using a stake through the heart, the victim would rise the next night and become a vampire. A wooden stake was used for this fixation, as it was the most common tool available for the job. Iron was much harder to come by, so traditional nails were expensive.

Vampires cannot see their reflection in mirrors

The first vampires were portrayed as demons who walked on animated corpses. These corpses were no longer occupied by their original owners. The souls of these recently deceased had ascended to heaven. The demons that now occupied the bodies of the newly dead had no souls. As a result, they were unable to see their reflection in the mirror.

Vampires die in the sunlight

The origins of this myth are rooted in the belief that vampires are servants of Satan. Vampires were soulless demons that roamed the night. His power grew in the dark. They could not prosper in the light, since the light is equated with good and holy things. God is light and it is light that drives away demons.

Vampires and bats

A popular vampire myth is that vampires can turn into bats. This is a more recent concept, as the earlier myths about vampires have no connection to bats. No doubt the connection exists in the modern era because of the vampire bat. This creature does not thrive in Romania or Europe, but in tropical and subtropical America, especially from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. There are three species of vampire bats: Desmodus rotundus, Diphylla ecaudata, and Diaemus youngi. Each species feeds solely on blood.

Vampires and the blood of the young

This myth reflects the Victorian era uproar over the sexual awakening of young women. The myth is perpetuated throughout the life of Countess Elizabeth Bathori. She was a Hungarian countess who lived almost 400 years ago. She is considered the most notorious serial killer of all time. She was accused of killing more than 600 victims. However, she was only convicted on 80 counts. In his castle he imprisoned girls. He tortured them, drank their blood, and finally killed them.

After his death in 1614 numerous stories emerged. She was accused of bathing in the blood of virgins in an attempt to retain her youth. They gave him nicknames like The Bloody Lady of Cachtice and The blood countess.

More recently there is the case of Friedrich “Fritz” Haarmann, who lived from October 25, 1879 to April 15, 1925. Born in Hannover, Germany, this serial killer killed at least 24 young men. His victims were mostly prostitutes and homeless people who congregated in the center of Hannover. Haarmann would lure these men into his apartment and then brutally assault them. He would bite their throats, drink their blood, and kill them.

Haarmann would later be known as The Hannover Butcher. His life would add to the myth of vampires and the idea that drinking the blood of young people could help prolong his life.

conclusion

The myths of vampires are numerous in nature. Its spread has been the result of early Christian doctrine along with the superstitions of the Middle Ages. In modern times, these myths are perpetuated and updated through fiction and literature. Today, these myths continue to thrive thanks in part to the actions of crazy individuals like Friedrich Haarmann.