Design of Mea Culpa from the official art book.
The Mea Culpa is the sword used by the Penitent One. Desamparados also calls it "The Sword of the Father" and the "guilty blade".
Mea Culpa was created when a woman asked The Miracle for punishment for her sins by hitting her chest with an image of the Twisted One. The Miracle caused a sword to spawn from the statuette, impaling the woman through her chest, and turning her into stone. The woman would thereafter become the Kneeling Stone.
The sword's handle is thus adorned by the effigy of The Twisted One, and thorns that follow the edges of the blade. After meeting Deogracias for the first time, another thorn is added to the handle with the purpose of harming the sword's wielder to feed on his blood and guilt. This thorn will continue to grow until it reaches its final form, the Cvstodia of Sin, if all of the Confessor Dungeons are completed.
It's possible that the sword was originally destined to be used to defeat His Holiness Escribar or put an end to the effects of the Miracle, as evidenced by the fact that Crisanta of the Wrapped Agony guards the entrance to Escribar's chambers and her dialogue both in the comic and before her boss fight.
After the death of the High Wills, the sword crumbles to dust as the Miracle disappears for good.
Mea Culpa was not originally available during the main game of Blasphemous 2, and is instead replaced by three weapons: Veredicto, Ruego Al Alba, and Sarmiento & Centella. The eponymous Mea Culpa DLC, returns it to the Penitent One's arsenal with brand new abilities, replacing the currently occupied Ruego Al Alba slot the moment the player re-acquires it. The player can switch between the Mea Culpa and Ruego Al Alba at any time.
Blasphemous[]
Mea Culpa Altars[]
The power of the Mea Culpa can be increased by visiting Mea Culpa Altars, which allow access to further abilities in return for Tears of Atonement.
Altar Locations[]
- Albero, in the house of the Wound Kissers in the basement.
- Convent of Our Lady of the Charred Visage, after defeating Our Lady of the Charred Visage.
- Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow, when approached from the side of the Mountains of the Endless Dusk.
- Mother of Mothers, before the Melquiades fight, at the top of a tall room.
- Library of the Negated Words, after the Exposito fight in The Sleeping Canvases
- Archcathedral Rooftops, 3rd floor, on the right
- Chalice of Inverted Verses challenge, started in the Desecrated Cistern, on the left in the elevator shaft. Requires Linen of Golden Thread to reach.
Blasphemous 2[]
Mea Culpa returns as the central focus of the eponymous Mea Culpa DLC. The weapon's hilt is safeguarded by Crisanta's spirit following her defeat at the hands of Eviterno. The retrieval of the Mea Culpa is the main goal of the mysterious Brother Asterion who seeks the weapon and impede the Penitent One on the instructions of his unknown master.
Following a battle against Asterion, the Penitent One emerges victorious and is able to reconstruct the Mea Culpa with the aid of Anunciada, as the blade is forged from a woman that is faithful, and lacks sin.
Upgrades[]
Unlike the other weapons, Mea Culpa has only a single upgrade statue, which can be found in Santa Vigilia as part of the same segment where it was obtained. Normally progress through Santa Vigilia and it will be found, it cannot be missed.
Due to being an ancient weapon, Mea Culpa doesn't utilize Mark of Martyrdom, but rather utilizes the exclusive Mark of the Preceptor. There are a total of 14 which can be found all across the map in additional areas that require Mea Culpa to navigate.
Weapon Performance[]
Strengths[]
- Effectively an improved version of Ruego Al Alba.
- Just as equally versatile and with higher damage potential.
- Easy to fully upgrade as it requires minimal currency which is relatively easy to find.
- Incarnate Remorse can purge Guilt instead of restoring HP.
- Can activate Mirrors and Bells with the proper Altarpiece equipped.
Weaknesses[]
- Obtained very late on the game at the earliest.
- Incarnate Remorse can cause players to accumulate massive guilt if not careful, making it a high risk, high reward mode.
Achievements[]
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Blood and Tears |
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Mea Culpa |
Location Gallery[]
Relevant Item Descriptions[]
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Heart of the Holy Purge[]The Legend of Mea Culpa, the Sword of Guilt It is said that this stone statue covered with petals was once a young woman who, tormented by a deep feeling of guilt, struck her chest with the figure of Our Father, asking him to be punished. The Miracle manifested itself in the figure of the Father, emerging from her a wide and long edge, a great rooted sword, which pierced her guilty heart to later transform her body into stone. That sword was called Mea Culpa in allusion to the last words of the young woman. |
Relevant Dialogue[] | |
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| Desamparados in Blasphemous: The Kneeling | The Sword of the Father is born again. It has been forged from the guilt of the blessed soul which claimed it. |
Trivia[]
- Mea Culpa translates from Latin as "My fault/guilt" (nominative) or "Through my fault" (ablative). This is drawn directly from the Confiteor said by the sacred ministers in the Traditional Latin Mass of Catholicism.
- Crisanta of the Wrapped Agony refers to Mea Culpa as the "guilty sword" and that "using it is a crime against the Mother".
- The Mea Culpa being drawn from the petrified woman is a clear allusion to medieval chivalric legends of King Arthur, albeit instead of a worthy hero drawing a bright and glorious sword to claim kingship, a lowly man ridden with guilt claims a dull thorned blade as key to completion of his penance. Also like Excalibur or Caliburn, the Mea Culpa could also be considered a holy sword given its origin.
Gallery[]
