Christianity can be described by outsiders as a vampiric cult that connotes the idea of its followers drinking the blood of a god that has returned from the dead. And, among its followers who believe strongly in the resurrection of the dead, Christianity is prime soil for sowing the seeds of vampire folklore.

During the Middle Ages the Church adopted the existence of vampires and changed it from pagan folklore to the work of the Devil. In this way it was presumed the Church alone had the power to stop vampires. This is the reason the vampire is suppose to fear the cross. In addition, the cross symbolizes the antithesis to vampire resurrection, the resurrection of Jesus. Those who drink the blood of Christ have the blood of eternal life in their veins. Vampires, on the other hand, are eternally hungry, and can only drink the blood of sin and death, which never satisfies.

 The Church deliberately altered the old beliefs to its advantage as it did for other creatures of the pagan folklore. For example, in the 17th Century, theologian Leo Allatius concluded vampires were often the result of excommunication. The Church also taught that the only way to assure that your beloved did not  return as vampires was to make certain they were buried on consecrated ground.  Consecrated ground simply means ground owned by the Church. So, if you wanted your loved ones buried on consecrated ground you had to give your land to the Church. And, although it was never as horrible as the so called "witch hunts," many a perceived "enemy" of the Church was accused of being a vampire and executed.