“ | ...After God was annihilated, only the System to govern divine protection, mercy and miracles remained. This System is, if I explain it simply, the System to perform the miracles God did. God made the System and used it to bring about miracles above ground. To bring about the effect of holy things like exorcism, crosses, these too are the System’s powers. | ” |
–Michael explaining the source of Holy Power, Light Novel Volume 4, Life.4 - The VIP Conference Begins! |
Holy Power (聖なる力, Seinaru Chikara), also known as Sacred Power, is one of the two primary abilities used by the holy section of the Three Factions, the Angels and Exorcists.
Summary[]
A power originally wielded by the God of the Bible, Michael explained Holy Power as part of the divine system left behind by God, which governed divine protection, mercy, and miracles, making it possible to bring effects to holy things like exorcism, holy water, and crosses.[1] The reason entities like Devils, Fallen Angels and Vampires take damage merely from contact with religious areas and iconography such as crosses or holy water is seemingly due to this system instilling both Holy Power and an aversion to that same substance in certain species.
Alongside the weapons powered by Light Power (Light Guns and Light Swords), Exorcists weaponize Holy Power by channelling it from the system through holy rites and iconography, as in addition to dealing extra damage to entities weak to it, Holy Power can weaken, disrupt and even negate Demonic abilities when applied in sufficient quantities, as shown when Issei Hyoudou used a boosted crucifix and holy water to disrupt Riser Phenex's Immortality.
The greatest example of this weaponization are the Holy Swords, powerful weapons that those bearing a sufficient amount of a certain Holy Element can wield. Excalibur in particular has amongst its seven powers the ability to enhance Holy Power and rituals, this power manifesting in Excalibur Blessing after its shattering during the Great War. The Sacred Gear Blade Blacksmith is also capable of creating Holy Swords, although usually ones weaker than the true Holy Swords.
However, those with sufficient Demonic Power can endure and similarly suppress lesser amounts of Holy Power, with average High-Class Devils being able to treat what emanates from crosses or holy water with contempt, as Riser managed until Issei transferred power into them.[2] More extreme examples were how Sirzechs Lucifer and those with him could freely move within shrines (due to him passively dispersing their power)[3] and when Rizevim Livan Lucifer suppressed the power of both Hauteclere & Ex-Durandal with his bare hands.[4] Sairaorg Bael also endured having his arm cut off with Ex-Durandal due to his Touki, in spite of his lack of Demonic Power.[5]
Holy Power is a form of energy stated to exist in pure opposition to Demonic Power, to the point that the thought of combining them was deemed impossible so long as God was alive. Because of the complications caused in Heaven's System by God's death during the Great War, irregular things started occurring, such as the development of the Holy Demonic Swords, which could be produced as a result of Yuuto Kiba's X Side Balance Breaker, Sword of Betrayer.
Ewald Cristaldi makes use of Holy Power during the Exorcist Rebellion, firing off blasts of it & using Excalibur Blessing to enhance both the latent Holy Power of crosses into a barrier and holy water to the point of briefly paralyzing Kiba. [6]
Vasco Strada displayed the ability to wield Holy Power through his body for enhanced damage against Devils, an ability he named Holy Fist. He states that dedicated believers can attain this power by undergoing rigorous and constant training and intensive praying with a just heart. He also taught this method to the Angel Nero Raimondi.
The Longinus Alphecca Tyrant produces nails made of Holy Power with the power to brainwash Sacred Gear users, even other Longinus users.
Trivia[]
- Despite being a power from Heaven, there seems to be almost no examples of Holy Power being wielded by Angels, who appear to rely primarily on their innate light powers.
- Other mythologies possess a similar "sacred" ability as Holy Power, with Shinto shrines carrying the same effects as a Devil entering a Church, and even possessing their own versions of Holy Swords. Whether these powers are the result of a similar system amongst these Pantheons or from some other source is currently unknown.
- During the Sitri vs Gremory Rating Game, it was shown that Holy Power can be transformed into its opposite of Demonic Power via the use of Reversal.[7]
References[]
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 4, Life.4 The VIP Conference Begins!, Part 3
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 2, Life ∞ vs Power ∞ I Came to Keep My Promise!
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 4, Life.1 It’s Summer! It’s Swimsuits! I am in Trouble?, Part 4
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 18, Life.4
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 10, Life.4 As a Servant of Rias Gremory
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 19, Life.3 Fist and Sword (Carnival)
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 5, Waltz
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High School DxD | ||
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Abilities | ||
Abilities | Sacred Gear • Demonic Power • Holy Power • Light Power • Magic • Senjutsu • Youjutsu • Touki • Kasha • Fox Fire • Fire Breath • Outrage | |
Abilities by Species | ||
Human | Sacred Gear • Magic | |
Devil | Demonic Power | |
Angel | Light Power | |
God | Magic | |
Dragon | Fire Breath • Outrage | |
Youkai | Youjutsu | |
Nekomata | Senjutsu • Kasha • Youjutsu | |
Kitsune | Fox Fire |