The mooning gargoyle on Freiburg Minster in Germany has a fascinating backstory: it’s rumored to be the playful act of a stonemason who

What drove him to make such a bold statement?

Religious historians and Star Wars enthusiasts are abuzz with excitement over a remarkable finding in a medieval masterpiece.

A religious manuscript dating back to the early 1300s has an intriguing depiction of a monk bearing a striking resemblance to the renowned Jedi Master Yoda from the Star Wars movies. Image credit: British Library

A long time ago in a monastery far, far away, a manuscript emerged featuring a mysterious figure who bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain diminutive, yet formidable, green character from the Star Wars franchise. This unexpected correlation between a religious manuscript and the realm of science fiction is leaving many baffled.

According to NPR, the figure and its striking resemblance to the Jedi master was first discovered by historians Damien Kempf and Maria L. Gilbert, who shared their findings through a blog post on the British Library’s website. Their article, titled “Ten Things to Know about Medieval Monsters,” featured the Yoda-like depiction as the tenth entry, playfully suggesting that monsters could bear a resemblance to famous “Hollywood movie stars.”

“The Yoda image comes from a 14th-century manuscript known as the Smithfield Decretals,” the British Library’s curator for the blog, Julian Harrison, told NPR. “I’d love to say that it really was Yoda, or was drawn by a medieval time traveler. It’s actually an illustration to the biblical story of Samson — the artist clearly had a vivid imagination!”

The manuscript, also known as “The Decretals of Gregory IX with gloss of Bernard of Parma,” originated in southern France during the period of 1300 to 1340. Decretals are compilations of papal letters encompassing judgments (decrees) concerning church law and doctrine.

During an extensive interview with The Guardian, Harrison elaborates on the British Library’s efforts to enhance the online accessibility of its archives. This includes sharing captivating illustrations, which have garnered significant attention. The library’s social media campaign has gained popularity, reintroducing contemporary audiences to characters who may or may not have drawn inspiration from medieval times.

Harrison revealed to The Guardian that the blog’s viewership has soared from a mere two hits per day to an impressive 36,000, largely due to its active presence on Twitter.

Discovering ordinary characters from the past within older works adds to the enjoyment, and Harrison himself stumbled upon some medieval LOLcats from the Middle Ages.

Maybe it’s to much to say that this decretal could be counted among the anthropological origins that influenced Star Wars creator George Lucas in crafting his tales of a distant galaxy, but the resemblance is undeniably remarkable, particularly in regard to those distinctive ears. Furthermore, considering that Yoda’s character was depicted as being approximately 900 years old, the connection becomes even more intriguing.

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A sociologist and English major by degree, I’ve worked in the area of civil society & human rights and have been blogging in the fields of travel, nature & science for over 20 years.