Modern Mysteries

Scientists solve mystery of Finland's eerie 'Devil's Church' cave

By T.K. Randall
November 27, 2023 ·  7 comments

A visitor standing outside the cave. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Marko Ruohoranta The cave, which is known by the rather unsavory nickname of 'Devil's Church', measures only 111ft in length but has, over the years, become synonymous with tales of spirits and an eerie presence.

According to folklore, an individual named Kinolainen once used the cave to perform magic rituals.

"Kinolainen would take his patients to the 'church' to talk with the Devil about the causes and cures of their ailments," said researcher Riitta Rainio of the University of Eastern Finland.

"This kind of a healing ritual often included loud yelling, stomping, shooting and banging."These days, the cave attracts visitors from all over Finland and beyond who venture inside in the hope of experiencing the uncanny sensation that someone or something is in there with them.

Now, though, Rainio and colleague Elina Hytonen-Ng believe that they have discovered the precise reason why people feel this way in the cave and it is all to do with its acoustics.

In particular, the cave's unique shape produces a distinct resonance phenomenon that serves to lengthen and amplify sounds that occur inside.

"Where a researcher of acoustics hears as resonance, people of the past may have sensed the presence of a spirit, and a shamanic practitioner may feel the presence of an exceptional energy, each according to their background," the researchers wrote.

Source: Mail Online | Comments (7)

Tags: Finland, Devil