Release Date
2025
For all its spins on the formula, theFate Seriesis nothing if not beholden to certain common threads tying together its myriad spinoffs and sequels, be it Holy Grails or Heroic Spirits. There’s one other amusing constant that - like many parts of Type-Moon lore - could be a franchise in itself, and it’s this: if there is a priest in any of these stories, they are always armed to the teeth.
Kinoko Nasu came up with a lot of cool ideas, but one of the more amusing ones was depicting the Catholic Church as an organization whose operatives are on par with magi and literal vampires.WithFate/strange Fakegetting an anime this yearand introducing fans to the cyborg priest Hansa Cervantes, now’s a better time than ever to explore the role of the Church inFate.
What Exactly Is The Holy Church?
Simply put, the Holy Church - as it is referred to throughout Type-Moon works - is shorthand for the secretive organizationwithinthe Roman Catholic Church. The Church’s “Executors” specialize in the eradication of supernatural phenomena that are heretical to the teachings of God. Arcueid Brunestud, one of the main heroines ofTsukihime, describes the Church as humanity’s “defense mechanism” against species that threaten it - especially vampires.
This mission statement comes in sharp contrast to the side of the Church that the public sees, which denies the existence of such heresies outright. In this way, they are like the Mage’s Association, which seeksto keep the world’s phenomena a secret, albeit with vastly different agendas. Both wish to keep the existence of “Mysteries” hidden, but while the Association preserves Mystery as a principle, the Church would eradicate any Mystery that is heretical.
The Church vs the Mage’s Association
Understandably, their difference in philosophy creates quite a divide, one that has been bridged precariously in the modern day through a truce. It hasn’t stopped bloodshed between the groups, but it has allowed for more cooperation, such as the Church’s supervision of the Holy Grail War. The Church knows that it is not theactualGrail, but they nonetheless must monitor anything with the potential to alter the world so greatly as a wish-granting device.
The Tools of the Trade
On the whole, Executors of the Church are clothed in a manner not unlike typical clergy, but with deadly implements hidden beneath their habits. The most iconic of these armaments are the Black Keys, the red sword hilts from which blades extend. Despite their appearance, though, they’re not actually swords. Black Keys are - honest to god - pages of the bible, condensed and then weaponized in physical form. They are what is known as “conceptual weapons”.
Black Keys are only the tip of the iceberg. The Church wields its own brand of magecraft in the form of “Sacraments.” However,Ciel, another heroine fromTsukihime, considers the difference to be mostly semantic, stemming from the Church’s disdain for other mystics. By necessity, the Church is also at the forefront of technology. InFate/strange FakeVolume 2, Hansa reveals that seven-tenths of his body is not only prosthetic but consecrated for exorcising monsters.
The Church exists to guide people. Why wouldn’t it have the cutting edge in all technology and mystery?
The Church’s Strongest Soldiers
For the best example of what the Church is capable of, fans ofFateowe it to themselves to readTsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-if they haven’t already. This acclaimed remake of the 2000 visual novel paints a vivid portrait of just how formidable the Church can be. Ciel is without a doubt themost iconic Executor in all of Type-Moon’s work. She is part of the Burial Agency, a special division of the Holy Church, of which she is one of only seven Executors.
A pretty exclusive club, which even Hansa states he “doesn’t hold a candle to”. Ciel is not only a savant with Black Keys, but the wielder of the “Seventh Holy Scripture”, a conceptual weapon and holy relic that is the ultimate vampire-killer. It can turn into a rifle, a giant chain blade, a brutal stake driver, a devastating ballista, and a menacing suit of armor. In a universe that is no stranger to badass women, Ciel is in a league of her own.
The Church Is Everywhere
Despite the Mage’s Association being such a major player in Type-Moon stories, the Church is a considerably larger organization, which explains its prevalence. Kirei Kotomine fromFate/Stay Nightis the OG overseer of the Grail War.Witch on the Holy Nighthas three characters who work for the church, all of whom have abilities we might have seen more of if we’d gotten the sequels we were promised (I’m looking at you Nasu). And, of course, there’s Ciel, among many others.
Now, it’s Hansa Cervantes’ turn, and his brief appearance at the end ofFate/strange Fake’s season premiere alone is a reason to anticipate great things from the rest of the series this year. As more of Type-Moon’s works are adapted to animation, anime-only fans ofFateand the like are bound to discover even more fascinating corners of this franchise. The Holy Church is just one part of it, but it is a large and compelling one, of which there is more yet to see.
