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words, and if Pope Leo X did pass this "fable" on to Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, they may well have preserved the infor- mation in their sculptures and paintings. It seemed strange that both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo constantly portrayed twin boys. The Church rea- soned that one of the boys was Jesus Christ and the other John the Baptist. However, these artists clearly created identical twins, and in some cases one appeared slightly unfinished as if to imply that something was being held back. Maybe these men left clues for later generations to unravel. words, and if Pope Leo X did pass this "fable" on to Leonardo da _ remains of Jesus Christ; others say he was searching for one of the Vinci and Michelangelo, they may well have preserved the infor- many gold hoards said to be hidden in the region and maybe once mation in their sculptures and paintings. belonging to the Knights Templar, the Cathars or the Visigoths, It seemed strange that both Leonardo da Vinci and whoall once occupied the area. Michelangelo constantly portrayed twin boys. The Church rea- Whatever secret he knew, he seems to have left behind an intri- soned that one of the boys was Jesus Christ and the other John the —_ cate and elaborate system of clues, including veiled references to Baptist. However, these artists clearly created identical twins, and = Mary Magdalene. He built a luxurious villa named Béthanie and in some cases one appeared slightly unfinished as if to imply that —_in 1902 started a four-year construction project to build a tower he something was being held back. Maybe these men left clues for called Magdala (after Mary of Magdala?). He also had carved an later generations to unravel. enigmatic bas-relief of Mary of Magdala and an outsized statue of a horned devil (Pan?) supporting the holy-water font. These items An Intriguing Little Mystery are in the church today. For some reason, he chiselled a cross into The suggestion that Jesus of the Gospels was one of two identi- a stone pillar and then erected it upside down.” cal twins was again supported by the discovery of four antique For the restored interior of the church, Sauniére commissioned parchments in an old church in the hilltop village of Rennes-le- the creation of a series of special decorative wall plaques and Chateau in southern France. There, around 1886, the parish priest some painted statues. Each is characterised by some odd but sub- Bérenger Sauniére uncovered the concealed scrolls while remov- tle contradiction of the Church presentation of the birth and death ing the altar stone during restora- of Jesus Christ. One decoration por- tion. Another discovery of trays a body being carried from a immense importance was also tomb in a nighttime scene with a made. While repairing the floor in ° full moon in the background. The front of the altar. a flat stone was The suggestion that Jesus of the fourteen stations of The Way of removed and its underside bore a Gospels was one of two identical the Cross are shown in the oppo- well-preserved relief of knights on t . ° t d b th site direction to other churches and horseback. It is believed to have Wins Was again suppor e€ M e one illustration shows the Magdala dated from the time of the building discovery of four antique Tower in the background. Two of the church and is known as the statues, one each side of the altar, Dalle des Chevaliers. Sauniére parchments In an old church in the depict Mary and Joseph each hold- used this stone as a step in the gar- hilltop village of Rennes-le-Chateau ing an identical baby Jesus (twin den and it can still be seen in the boys in the Church, as the sup- little museum today. In southern France. pressed Acts of Thomas records). The scrolls were written in Latin All statues in the church look and the first text was a combina- sadly at the ground, and one of tion of New Testament excerpts Mary Magdalene has a skull rest- from the Gospels of Matthew ing at her feet. A curious painting (12:1-8), Mark (2:23-28) and Luke (6:1-5). All three recorded shows a Scotsman in a kilt watching the Crucifixion. almost identical information about what was lawful or not lawful In 1916, Sauniére commenced negotiations over a construction to do on the Sabbath. The second scroll provided narratives from contract worth FF8,000,000, but ill health intervened. Upon his the Gospel of John (12:1-11) about the anointing of Jesus Christ. deathbed, Sauniére summoned a neighbouring priest and longtime Both writings were said to contain secret, coded messages. The friend to his side. After a brief discussion with Sauniére, the two most valuable parchments were believed to consist of priest left the room ashen-faced, "never to smile again". On 22 genealogies of Jesus Christ, recorded within a lineage of descent January 1917, Sauniére died unshriven, at his own request, taking listing the Counts of Rhedae until 1244. It was said that these with him the secret of the scrolls which made him rich. parchments were of immense importance and contained "incon- Because a number of priests were involved in the suppression trovertible proof" that the Crucifixion was a fraud and Jesus was of Sauniére's scrolls, conspiracy theorists consider a great Church alive as late as AD 45. secret has been concealed. But whatever the secret, what was not The Church showed immense interest in the scrolls, and it was secret was the Gospel information on this matter. Judas Thomas said Sauniére later travelled to Paris and revealed their contents to was somebody's twin, for the Gospel writers recorded "Thomas, an unknown party. At the same time, he seemed to have been _ one of the twelve, called the Twin"® and that Jesus Christ had a introduced into esoteric circles and returned to his church with a _ brother called Judas Thomas.” Put two and two together, and just painting of a mediaeval pope, suspected to have been the afore- what other Gospel evidence does the Church need to supply? mentioned Pope Leo X. Shortly thereafter, Sauniére began to receive a supply of funds Postscript that lasted until his death. He spent huge sums of money, much For those who wish to research this topic further, check out the more than his income as a priest allowed.* Some of it he usedto ——_ writings of a close priesthood friend of Sauniére, Henri Boudet, continue the renovation work. Around this time, Sauniére and his edited in 1886. He was an initiate into the secret mysteries and housekeeper, Marie Dénarnaud, started to dig in a nearby ceme- left clues to the Rennes-le-Chateau secret in the page numbers of tery at night. The local villagers were so concerned, they lodged _a strange book he wrote towards the end of the 19th century, an official complaint in writing with their mayor. called La Vraie Langue Celtique et le Cromlech de Rennes-les- Sauniére destroyed an ancient tomb and defaced its headstone. Bains ("The True Language of the Celts and the Cromlech of For nearly one hundred years it had been the last resting place of a_—_— Rennes-les-Bains"). certain Marie de Négre d'Ables, Dame d'Hautpoul. He was Continued 84 searching for something. Some say he was looking for the mortal Postscript For those who wish to research this topic further, check out the writings of a close priesthood friend of Sauniére, Henri Boudet, edited in 1886. He was an initiate into the secret mysteries and left clues to the Rennes-le-Chateau secret in the page numbers of a strange book he wrote towards the end of the 19th century, called La Vraie Langue Celtique et le Cromlech de Rennes-les- Bains ("The True Language of the Celts and the Cromlech of Rennes-les-Bains"). 32 ¢ NEXUS in southern France. Continued on page 84 WWW.NeXU smagazi ne.com FEBRUARY — MARCH 2002