Move over Indiana Jones — the next great religious artifact may not be buried in Egypt or hidden in an Ethiopian church. According to one book, the legendary Ark of the Covenant might be chilling somewhere in the bush on St. Croix, possibly under a mango tree, next to an old sugar mill, or behind someone’s cistern.
“If you see a golden box with cherubim on top, don’t touch it. Just call somebody. Preferably not the guy with the backhoe.”
– A sensible Crucian grandma, probably
Wait, What’s the Ark Again?
If you skipped Sunday school, here’s the short version:
The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred chest described in the Book of Exodus. It held the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments — you know, the ones Moses brought down the mountain. The Ark was said to be extremely holy, possibly radioactive (just kidding… maybe), and known to zap people who mishandled it.
It vanished sometime around 587 BC, during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. Since then, theories about its whereabouts have ranged from reasonably plausible to Dan Brown fan fiction.
Enter: St. Croix
In his book, The Ark of the Covenant: A Caribbean Quest, author Jonathan Gray makes the case that the Ark’s final journey led not to Africa, nor to Europe, but all the way to the U.S. Virgin Islands. According to Gray, a series of clues — historical, biblical, and maybe a touch imaginative — point toward our beloved island as the Ark’s final resting place.
You can read more about the book here:
👉 [Link to the book or a review on St. Croix Source]
Now, this might sound far-fetched. (Okay, it is far-fetched.) But stranger things have happened. This is an island where a chicken can chase a tourist and still maintain diplomatic immunity.
Where Exactly Is It?
That’s the million-dollar question. Some suggest it could be hidden in a cave, buried under an old estate, or — if you believe certain internet forums — it’s already been discovered and quietly removed by “the powers that be.” (Cue the X-Files music.)
We don’t know where it is… but we do know where it isn’t:
- It’s not behind the Kmart in Sunny Isle.
- It’s not inside a conch shell.
- And it’s definitely not at Cheeseburgers in Paradise (though we did check… twice).
Should We Be Looking?
Sure — if you’re careful, respectful of private property, and have a decent pair of hiking shoes. But maybe the real treasure is the story itself. After all, what better place for a mystery of biblical proportions than an island that already has pirates, buried treasure, ancient ruins, and more churches per square mile than you can count?
Final Thoughts
Whether or not the Ark is truly here, this theory adds a little sparkle to St. Croix’s already colorful history. Who knows — maybe divine secrets are hiding in plain sight, just waiting to be discovered by the right person with a sharp eye and a sense of humor.
So next time you’re out exploring the island, keep an eye out. And if you do find a gold-covered chest with winged angels on top… maybe don’t open it. Just take a picture and call a historian. Or a priest. Or Harrison Ford.