You're standing in front of a boss that looks like a golden nightmare, and your health bar is a sliver. You chug a Flask of Crimson Tears. It barely moves the needle. Honestly, there is nothing more frustrating in Elden Ring than having plenty of flasks but realizing they heal like a wet napkin. This is where Elden Ring sacred tear locations become the most important thing on your map.
Sacred Tears are the only way to increase the potency of your healing. While Golden Seeds give you more sips, these tears make every sip actually count. You can find twelve of them in total. They are almost always sitting at the base of a statue in a ruined church.
Finding them isn't just about survival; it's about efficiency. If you're running around Limgrave with a +0 flask, you're playing on a difficulty setting that even Miyazaki didn't intend for you. Let's get these sorted so you can actually survive a hit from a Tree Sentinel.
The Early Game Scavenge in Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula
Limgrave is deceptive. It feels safe-ish until it isn't. Most players miss the Weeping Peninsula entirely for the first ten hours, which is a massive mistake because it's basically a Sacred Tear buffet.
Start at the Third Church of Marika. It’s east of the Gatefront Ruins. You’ll find the Flask of Wondrous Physick here too, so it’s a double win. The tear is right there at the altar. Simple. No boss, just some goats and maybe a giant nearby if you pull him by accident.
Then, head south. Cross the Bridge of Sacrifice. You’ll find the Fourth Church of Marika on the western high ground of the Weeping Peninsula. It’s a trek. You’ll deal with some headless knights outside, but the tear is yours once you step inside.
Don't leave the peninsula yet.
The Church of Pilgrimage sits on the northern tip of the plateau. It looks out over the rest of Limgrave. It’s peaceful, honestly. Grab the tear and move to the Baptismal Church of Callu. This one is a bit annoying because of the rats and the "Ailing Village" nearby. The madness buildup from the rats is a genuine pain, so don't linger. Just run in, grab the item, and warp out.
Moving North into Liurnia of the Lakes
Liurnia is huge, watery, and full of lobsters that can snipe you from a mile away. You’re looking for three churches here.
The Church of Irith is the first one. It’s right behind Stormveil Castle. If you’ve just beaten Godrick, walk out the back door and it’s basically right there. Talk to Thops while you’re at it; he’s a good guy even if he’s a bit down on his luck.
Further north, on the eastern landmass, is the Church of Vows. This is the place with the giant turtle (Miriel, the best NPC in the game). The tear is here, but honestly, people usually come here just to talk to the turtle or seek absolution for accidentally hitting an NPC.
Finally, there’s the Bellum Church. You’ll find this on the main path leading toward the Grand Lift of Dectus. It’s tucked away in some woods. It’s a quick grab. By this point, your flask should be hitting much harder, which is good because Caelid and Altus are about to get very, very mean.
The Mid-Game Push: Altus Plateau and Mt. Gelmir
Once you get up that lift or climb the Ruin-Strewn Precipice, the world turns gold. The Second Church of Marika is in Altus. It’s north of the Altus Highway Junction. Be careful here—Eleonora, Violet Bloody Finger will invade you. She’s fast. She bleeds you. If you aren't ready for a fight, grab the tear and run like your life depends on it, because it does.
North of that is the Stormcaller Church. It’s near the lightning-heavy area where the ancient dragon Lansseax likes to drop in and say hello. The atmosphere is oppressive. Thunder constantly crashing. The tear is at the altar, as per usual.
Then there’s the First Church of Marika. This one is actually much later, located in the Mountaintops of the Giants, sitting by the freezing lake. It’s cold. It’s lonely. There’s a giant invisible dragon (Borealis) on the lake nearby. Don't let the fog fool you; grab the tear and get back to a bonfire.
The Final Stretch: Mountaintops and Beyond
By the time you reach the Church of Repose, you’re nearing the end. This is in the eastern part of the Mountaintops of the Giants. You’ll be invaded by Okina here. He carries the Rivers of Blood katana, which was the bane of PvP for months. He’s dangerous. Kill him, get his sword, and take the sacred tear.
Wait. I missed one.
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The Church of the Plague in Caelid. This is part of Millicent's questline. Caelid is a nightmare of red rot and T-Rex dogs. To get to this church, you usually have to light the fires in Sellia, Town of Sorcery, or jump down from the Dragonbarrow cliffs. It’s worth the headache. Your flask is likely near its max level (+12) at this point.
Why Some Churches Don't Have Tears
It’s a common mistake. You see a church on the map, you ride Torrent across a swamp, you dodge a dragon, and you get inside only to find... nothing. Or maybe just some smithing stones.
Not every church is a Marika church. The "Sacred" part of the Sacred Tear implies a specific religious significance in the lore. If the church is dedicated to something else, or if it's completely leveled by a demigod's tantrum, you might find a site of grace but no tear.
Also, keep in mind that the Elden Ring sacred tear locations stay the same in New Game Plus. However, your flask potency caps at +12. Once you hit that, picking up more tears is essentially useless except for maybe selling them for a measly amount of runes.
Maximize Your Healing Efficiency
Finding the tears is only half the battle. You have to actually use them at a Site of Grace.
- Sit at any Site of Grace.
- Select "Flasks."
- Select "Add potency to flasks."
- Consume your Sacred Tear.
If you have a Sacred Tear in your inventory and the option is greyed out, it means you've reached the +12 ceiling.
A +12 flask restores 810 HP. Compare that to the base +0 flask which only restores 250 HP. It’s a staggering difference. If you have 40 Vigor (the recommended "soft cap" for most players), a base flask is a joke. A +12 flask, however, fills almost your entire bar. It allows you to stay in the fight longer, take more risks, and eventually beat Malenia—or at least survive her first flurry.
Don't neglect your FP flask either. If you're a mage, these tears are even more vital. Mind as a stat increases your blue bar, and if your flask isn't potent enough to refill it in one go, you're wasting time and exposing yourself to attacks while you're stuck in the drinking animation twice.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
Stop what you're doing. Check your inventory. If you've left Limgrave and your flask isn't at least +3, you’ve missed the easiest upgrades in the game.
- Go to the Weeping Peninsula now. It’s the highest density of Sacred Tears in the game. You can get three within ten minutes of riding Torrent.
- Pin churches on your map. Whenever you see that specific "ruined L-shape" icon on the map fragment, drop a marker. It is almost always a church, and usually, it's a tear location.
- Don't fight if you don't have to. Most church invaders (like Eleonora or Okina) trigger when you get close. If you're low on health and just want the tear, you can often spirit-spring in, grab the item, and die. You keep the item. It’s a valid strategy.
The game is hard enough. Don't make it harder by ignoring your equipment. Those statues of Marika are waiting. Go get your upgrades.