Holy Lance
The Holy Lance, also known as the Lance of Longinus (named after Saint Longinus), the Spear of Destiny, or the Holy Spear, according to the Gospel of John, is the lance that pierced the side of Jesus as he hung on the cross.
Edwin of Northumbria
In an article titled "How Coifi Pierced Christ’s Side", Julia Barrow examines Bede’s Latinate text and pays particular attention to the passage concerning Coifi’s attack upon the temple. Barrow notes that Bede's use of "lancea" was "not the word medieval writers normally used for spear", while “"hasta" was the usual choice." Barrow goes on to claim that "lancea" was likely used by Bede as a reference to the details of the crucifixion of Christ provided in the vulgate book of John, thus Coifi’s desecration of the shrine is to be understood "as an inversion of the piercing of the temple of Christ’s body." All of these details support an understanding that Bede had great "warmth and admiration" for Edwin.