With our quest guide, you’ll breeze through “Secret at the Church” and claim the church’s relic without wasting time searching.
During the “Secret at the Church” quest in Crimson Desert there are three points where players often get stuck: finding the correct building in the orphanage, entering the right button sequence for the safe puzzle, and activating the “Pillar of Radiance.” Our guide walks you through the entire process from start to finish.
Where does the quest “Secret at the Church” in Crimson Desert begin?
Once “Secret at the Church” becomes active, you’ll be directed to the area around the orphanage near the West Church of Demeniss. The search zone is clearly marked, so you won’t have to comb through the entire area. Conveniently, the orphanage and the church are very close to each other, making the trip between them quick.
The quest unfolds in three stages:
- Gather information at the orphanage
- Obtain the church’s relic
- Activate the “Pillar of Radiance”
How to progress in the orphanage
The first objective sounds simple but often leads players to the wrong door. You don’t need to enter the main orphanage building—instead, head to a specific house in the northern part of the courtyard.
The correct house is located in the northern section of the courtyard and faces a circle of flowers. When you open the door, a cutscene with Abbess Marina will trigger automatically.
Marina explains that the church’s relic was hidden in the basement due to its sacred importance. She also gives you the key to the the church’s basement, which you’ll need for the next step.
- Important: Without this conversation, you won’t be able to progress at the church, as you’ll be locked out of the safe puzzle.
How to reach the church basement
After speaking with Marina, head a short distance south to the Church of West Demeniss. Walk past the main entrance and continue into the church’s backyard.
There, you’ll find a small crypt. Open the door and climb down the ladder into the basement. The safe containing the relic sits on a small altar.
Crack the safe puzzle and find the church’s relic
The safe in the church basement will only open if you press the four corner tiles in the correct order.
The fastest button sequence is:
Step Tile 1 bottom right 2 top left 3 bottom left 4 top right 
- Note: The safe can also be opened with other button combinations. The key is to eventually press all buttons down at the same time.
Return to the pillar with the relic
Once you’ve obtained the “Dagger of Radiance,” return to the spot between the church and the orphanage where the quest began. This is where you’ll find the “Pillar of Radiance.”
Your progress here hinges on a small, easy-to-miss detail: the pillar only reacts properly when you use your lantern.
Here’s what to do:
- Stand in front of the pillar.
- Equip your lantern.
- Open the lantern and aim the light directly at the pillar’s key mechanism.
- Wait for the interaction prompt to appear.
- Insert the “Dagger of Radiance” into the base.
Only then will the mechanism rise from the ground and trigger the final puzzle.
How to solve the disc puzzle at the “Pillar of Radiance”
After inserting the relic, the quest’s main puzzle appears. You’ll see several rotating discs or rings that must align to form an image—the correct motif is an eye.
The core rule is simple: Rotate the discs until all the lines of the eye connect seamlessly.
Which rings you actually need to rotate
You only need to adjust the outermost ring and the second outer ring. The remaining rings are already correctly positioned.
Best approach:
- Select the outermost ring first.
- Rotate it until the lines of the eye align cleanly.
- Watch for visual or audio feedback indicating it has locked into place.
- Then switch to the second outer ring.
- Rotate it until the eye pattern is fully connected.
Once both rings are correctly aligned, the inner sections should already be in place and the puzzle will complete automatically.
The disc puzzle is very precise—even a slight misalignment can prevent it from registering as complete. If everything looks right but nothing happens, chances are one ring is just a tiny bit off.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Don’t just rotate roughly—line up the patterns precisely.
- Wait for clear in-game feedback.
- A correctly positioned ring will lock into place automatically.
- If nothing happens, fine-tune the ring with small adjustments.
The game displays the controls for this in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You’ll also see how to switch between layers and rotate the rings—especially helpful if you accidentally select the wrong one.
Once the eye motif is perfectly aligned, a cutscene begins. The mechanism activates, a tremor runs through the ground, and the “Spire of Ascent” awakens. With that, “Secret at the Church” is complete and the main story continues.
