If you’re looking for the Church of the Plague Sacred Tear in Elden Ring, you won’t have to go too far once you know where to look. The church is hidden away in eastern Caelid, on the cliffs beyond Sellia, Town of Sorcery.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly where the Church of the Plague is, the easiest way to reach it, and what you can find nearby. You don’t need to defeat a boss or complete a major quest just to collect the Sacred Tear, so you can grab it fairly early if you’re already exploring Caelid.
Where to Find the Church of the Plague Sacred Tear
The Church of the Plague is located in eastern Caelid, on the cliffs above the area around Sellia, Town of Sorcery. It’s also southwest of Fort Faroth, which makes that Site of Grace one of the easiest starting points if you’re trying to reach the church quickly.
Once you get close, the church itself is pretty easy to recognize. It’s a ruined, narrow-looking structure with a Site of Grace directly outside, also called the Church of the Plague.
The Sacred Tear is inside the church, sitting at the foot of the Statue of Marika.
There are a couple of Kindred of Rot near the entrance, so be ready for them when you arrive. You don’t need to defeat a boss to claim the Sacred Tear, though, so don’t overthink this part.
Once you get inside, simply make your way to the statue and pick up the Sacred Tear.
This is also the only Sacred Tear in Caelid, so I definitely recommend grabbing it if you’re already exploring the region. Upgrading your Flask of Crimson Tears or Flask of Cerulean Tears can make a noticeable difference, especially as enemies start hitting harder.
How to Reach the Church of the Plague
There are two useful ways to reach the Church of the Plague.
The route you take mostly depends on where you’ve already explored. If you have access to Fort Faroth, I’d personally use that route because it’s much quicker and avoids having to deal with Sellia’s puzzle.
Fastest Route: Fort Faroth Spiritspring
The easiest route starts from the Fort Faroth Site of Grace.
From Fort Faroth, head southwest until you reach the edge of the cliffs. You’ll find a Spirit Spring there.
Hop onto Torrent and use the Spirit Spring to jump down onto the lower plateau.
Once you’ve landed safely, ride up the hill and continue toward the church. The Church of the Plague should be directly ahead.
This is the route I’d recommend if you just want the Sacred Tear without spending time solving Sellia’s puzzle.
You don’t need to fight your way through a huge dungeon or defeat a boss. Just use the Spirit Spring, ride up to the church, deal with anything blocking your way, and collect the Tear.
Sellia Brazier Puzzle Route
The second option takes you through Sellia, Town of Sorcery.
If you’re approaching the Church of the Plague from the southern side, you’ll eventually run into Sellia’s magical barriers. To open the way through the town, you need to light the three braziers located around Sellia.
This part is much easier with Torrent because you’ll be jumping between rooftops, branches, and elevated platforms.
Look for the towers around Sellia and use Torrent’s double jump to reach them. Once you’ve lit all three braziers, the magical barriers around the town disappear.
After the barriers are removed, you can leave Sellia through the Backstreets area and continue toward the Church of the Plague.
One thing I want to point out is that you don’t need to speak to Gowry before doing this.
Gowry can give you information about Sellia and its secret, but the brazier puzzle can be completed regardless of whether you’ve started his dialogue.
So if your only goal is the Sacred Tear, don’t feel like you have to stop everything and complete a quest first.
Millicent at the Church of the Plague
There’s another important reason to visit this church besides the Sacred Tear.
Millicent can be found inside the Church of the Plague, leaning against the wall and suffering from Scarlet Rot.
This is an important location in Millicent’s questline, so if you’re interested in following her story, you’ll want to remember this church.
However, you don’t need to complete her quest to get the Sacred Tear.
You can simply enter the church, walk past Millicent, collect the Sacred Tear from the statue, and leave.
If you do want to help Millicent, that’s where things get more complicated. You’ll need the Unalloyed Gold Needle, which is obtained through the events involving Commander O’Neil in the Swamp of Aeonia.
For the purpose of this guide, though, you can completely ignore the quest and grab your Sacred Tear.
Sellia Hideaway: Secret Area Nearby
Once you’ve collected the Sacred Tear, I recommend taking a few extra minutes to explore the area around the church.
There’s a hidden dungeon called Sellia Hideaway nearby, and it’s one of those locations that’s very easy to completely miss if you’re simply following the main road.
From the Church of the Plague Site of Grace, head north toward the cliffside underneath Fort Faroth.
You’ll eventually come across a large gravestone with a sorcerer nearby.
There’s an illusory wall behind the gravestone.
Hit the wall and you’ll reveal the entrance to Sellia Hideaway.
And this isn’t just a one-wall secret. The dungeon contains several more illusory walls, so if a wall looks suspicious, it’s always worth giving it a hit.
Find Lusat Inside Sellia Hideaway
If you’re already exploring Sellia Hideaway, there’s another reason to go all the way through the dungeon.
You can eventually find Lusat, the Glintstone Sorcerer, sealed away behind a magical barrier.
You’ll need to interact with the appropriate seal to reach him.
You don’t need Lusat to obtain the Church of the Plague Sacred Tear, so this is completely optional. But if you’re working through the relevant questline or simply like exploring every secret area in Elden Ring, I think it’s worth making the detour.
Tips for Getting the Sacred Tear Safely
If you’re heading to the Church of the Plague early in your playthrough, keep a few things in mind.
First, use Torrent whenever possible. The area around Caelid can be dangerous, and there’s no reason to fight every enemy you encounter while you’re simply trying to reach the church.
Second, if you have Fort Faroth unlocked, use the Spirit Spring route. It’s much quicker than going through Sellia.
Third, don’t worry about completing Millicent’s quest before collecting the Sacred Tear. You can grab the item without progressing her storyline.
Finally, activate the Church of the Plague Site of Grace once you arrive. Even if you’re not planning to explore the area immediately, having the Grace unlocked makes returning here much easier.
What You Get From the Church of the Plague
The main reward is the Sacred Tear found at the Statue of Marika.
Sacred Tears are extremely useful because they increase the amount of HP or FP restored by your Flask upgrades. As you progress further into the game, having stronger Flask recovery becomes increasingly important.
Since this is the only Sacred Tear located in Caelid, I’d definitely pick it up while you’re in the region.
And while you’re here, you can also:
- Meet Millicent
- Activate the Church of the Plague Site of Grace
- Explore Sellia Hideaway
- Find Lusat
- Continue exploring eastern Caelid
The Church of the Plague Sacred Tear is one of those Elden Ring collectibles that sounds more difficult to reach than it actually is.
If you’ve already unlocked Fort Faroth, the Spirit Spring route makes the trip especially simple. Ride southwest, use the Spirit Spring, head up the hill, and you’ll reach the church.
Once you’re inside, grab the Sacred Tear from the Statue of Marika and activate the nearby Site of Grace.
I also recommend exploring the surrounding area afterward because Millicent and Sellia Hideaway give you plenty of reasons to stick around.
So, if you’re collecting every Sacred Tear in Elden Ring, make sure the Church of the Plague is on your list. It’s a quick pickup, it’s the only Sacred Tear in Caelid, and you can grab it without having to defeat a major boss first.