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Saint Catherine (2024) is a horror anthology film centered around Ellie (Valentina Mas), an orphaned girl rescued from a satanic ritual led by a serial killer priest named Ted Gacy. She is taken to the Saint Catherine Insтιтute, a secretive facility disguised as a convent that trains survivors of exorcisms and possessions to combat dark forces. The insтιтute, run by an excommunicated mother superior, houses cursed objects from satanic rituals and trains girls in spiritual warfare, preparing them for a dangerous trial: selecting a cursed object at random to purge its evil, where failure can lead to death or worse fates.

The anthology structure unfolds through interconnected stories, each tied to the insтιтute and its cursed artifacts. These segments explore the origins of the objects and the demonic incidents that brought them to Saint Catherine’s, while also delving into Ellie’s personal battle with the demons from her past that continue to haunt her. The narrative initially feels disjointed but gains clarity as the anthology format becomes apparent, maintaining a consistently dark and gloomy tone across its episodes. Directed by Michael Escobedo, Juan de Dios Garduño, Hana Kazim, Gonzalo Mellid, and Raffael Oliveri, the film blends practical effects and religious horror themes, focusing on survival, damnation, and the fight against malevolent forces.

Saint Catherine (2024) is a horror anthology film that weaves a central narrative around Ellie (Valentina Mas), a young orphan who narrowly escapes a satanic ritual conducted by a serial killer priest, Ted Gacy. Rescued and brought to the Saint Catherine Insтιтute, a clandestine facility posing as a convent, Ellie enters a world of spiritual warfare. The insтιтute, led by an excommunicated mother superior, serves as a sanctuary and training ground for girls who have survived demonic possessions or exorcisms. Its purpose is twofold: to house cursed objects from satanic rituals in a secure archive and to prepare its residents for a perilous trial. In this trial, each girl must randomly select a cursed object and attempt to purge its malevolent energy, a process that tests their physical, mental, and spiritual resilience. Failure can result in death, possession, or fates described as far worse.

The film’s anthology structure unfolds through multiple interconnected stories, each tied to the insтιтute and its collection of cursed artifacts. These segments function as standalone tales, exploring the dark histories of specific objects—how they became infused with evil and the demonic incidents that led to their containment at Saint Catherine’s. The stories are framed by Ellie’s journey, as she navigates the insтιтute’s strict regimen and grapples with the psychological and supernatural remnants of her traumatic past. Her personal demons, both figurative and literal, intertwine with the broader narrative, creating a thread that ties the anthology’s episodes together.

Initially, the film’s pacing may feel fragmented due to its anthology format, with shifts between Ellie’s present-day experiences and the historical tales of the cursed objects. However, as the stories progress, their connections to the insтιтute’s mission and Ellie’s arc become clearer, rewarding attentive viewers. The directors—Michael Escobedo, Juan de Dios Garduño, Hana Kazim, Gonzalo Mellid, and Raffael Oliveri—each bring a distinct style to their segments, yet maintain a cohesive aesthetic of dread, using practical effects to depict grotesque demonic manifestations and religious horror imagery. The cinematography emphasizes a bleak, oppressive atmosphere, with the insтιтute’s gothic architecture and dimly lit corridors amplifying the sense of isolation and danger.

Thematically, Saint Catherine explores survival, sacrifice, and the battle between good and evil within a religious framework. The insтιтute’s unorthodox methods, blending Catholic iconography with esoteric rituals, raise questions about faith, redemption, and the cost of confronting darkness. Ellie’s character serves as the emotional core, her resilience and vulnerability grounding the supernatural elements. The anthology segments delve into various aspects of damnation, from the hubris of those who created the cursed objects to the suffering of their victims, offering a mosaic of horror rooted in human and demonic conflict.

The film runs for approximately 90 minutes and is noted for its unrelenting grim tone, avoiding humor or levity to focus on psychological and visceral horror. While the anthology format may challenge some viewers due to its non-linear storytelling, the gradual convergence of narratives and strong performances, particularly by Valentina Mas, help unify the experience. The practical effects, including unsettling creature designs and ritualistic sequences, are a highlight, catering to fans of classic and modern horror alike.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.