The second man that stepped on the Moon, astronaut Buzz Aldrin confined that during Apollo 11, when he and Neil Armstrong were stepping on lunar soil, they held a secret religious ritual. The ceremony was hidden from the public due to a former incident that occurred during Apollo 8. Severe criticism was pointed toward NASA’s decision to read during spaceflight Apollo 8 religious texts that represented a single religion.
“I wondered if it might be possible to take communion on the moon, symbolizing the thought that God was revealing Himself there, too, as the man reached out in the universe,” remembers Buzz Aldrin.
To avoid the second wave of criticism, the public was prevented from witnessing Aldrin’s saying John’s words: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:6).
How a secret religious ritual was held on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission
Instead, the “Eagle” said: “I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the last few hours, and to give thanks in his own individual way”.
There was a radio blackout during which Aldrin claims he said John’s holly words and conducted the communion. The “wine curled slowly and gracefully up the cup’s side” in complete solitude. Ok, Armstrong was there, so maybe not precisely isolation.
This way, no religion would be offended or excluded. Not even atheism. “As time has gone on, I think it was the right thing to do, it allowed everyone to appreciate the accomplishment,” said Aldrin.
Anyway, the Apollo 11’s secret religious ritual on the Moon has a piece of evidence — A bag in which was the vessel, the bread, and the wine. And the pouch will be sold at RR Auctions between April 9th and April 16th. The auctioneer estimates that the amount for the bag that was supposedly on the Moon will be higher than $250,000.