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[Sebatianos]

I'm not a biology expert, but we got a very good explenation of that during history lectures at the university. Here goes:

The rotting of the wood is is very similar to the fregmentation of alchohol, that's why it's giving off energy. It's like small flames (instead of bubbles while things are boiling - when giving of energy). This can be seen if it's dark enough. Basically you were watching the pieces of wood rot away before your eyes!

Now why did we have to know this for history?
During the church reformation in the first half of the 16th century (Marthin Luthar) there were several so called "people's sects". They were gathering at places they believed, that the angels would bring the body of Christ to for the final rest (angels would not allow the body of Christ to be lost in the lands of non-believers - Muslims). That's why they gathered and build crypts for Chirst (there are at least three such locations in Slovenia). Their rituals were conducted during moonless nights, where they danced themselves to trance and they often worshiped the glowing wood. That would usually be a rotting piece of oak (or chest-nut tree) and the person holding it would be their leader. They believed that person had special powers, that can make the wood glow. This would place this person above the preacher in the church - so this people started burning churches, because they allowed the holy lands to fall under the muslim rule, claiming the church has no more power and they need somebody more powerful. It was all quite herretic really. Anyway - the glowing wood was real, but it wasn't supernatural - it was just wood rotting away and it glows in the dark.