Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The crypt under Old North Church holds the centuries-old remains of over a thousand parishioners, but the real selling point might be a cursed brick.
The brick was sent to church in March, along with a typed note that read: “My husband took this from the crypt. We have had a string of bad luck and we want to return the brick.”
The package didn’t have a return address, a name or any other information.
“We don’t know when they took the brick, what kind of misfortune they encountered, but I think from the way they sent it back, you get a real sense of their fear,” said Emily Spence, education director of Old North Illuminated.
After the initial confusion, staff at the church thought there was only one thing to do.
“We decided that the brick needed to be returned to the crypt and treated with the utmost respect, so that the bad luck would end for all of us,” Spence said.
They also thought the brick’s origins might interest people. Spence said people coming down to the crypt tend to want to hear spooky, supernatural tales.
“We just thought, this is too good a story not to tell,” Spence said.
The brick now sits in a clear case in the crypt, along with a sign explaining how the church acquired it.
Spence said they’ve posted on social media encouraging whoever sent the brick to come forward, but to no avail.
It’s up to interpretation whether or not the brick is actually cursed. Spence said not much has changed, but there have been a few suspicious happenings here and there.
“Not once, but two times, the lights stopped working,” Spence said. “In my memory of working here at Old North, that hasn’t happened before.”
Along with being an attraction for visitors, Spence said the brick serves as a lesson in karma.
“We think it’s a good reminder to people to not take things from the church.”
WBZ’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.