Yesterday, the Telegraph reported that a modern day Templar group in Spain has filed a unique lawsuit against the Vatican. The Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ claims to be ultimately seeking an apology from the Vatican for the arrests and dissolution of the Order in the 1300's. However, it's the way in which the lawsuit has been filed that could bring about some interesting results.

The lawsuit claims that the Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ is a direct descendant of the medieval order. As such, they are claiming damages to the tune of 100 billion Euros for the seizure of Templar monies and properties in the 1300's.

The tactic is an original approach to getting the Vatican to apologize for past sins. One cannot file a lawsuit seeking a simple, "Gee guys, we're sorry for what we did." A lawsuit generally has to have some type of monetary damages attached to the claim. The lawsuit is tantamount to extorting an apology from the Pope. I can hear the lawyers now, "We'll drop our suit if the Holy See admits their actions were wrong."

Whatever you think of the tactic, it does raise an interesting question. In order to succeed in any lawsuit, one must prove some type of standing. This means that not only do you have to prove that damages were caused, but you have to prove that the damages directly affected you. If this lawsuit were ever to go to trial, The Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ would have to prove that they were harmed by the actions of the Vatican 700 years ago. Simply put, they would have to prove to a judge that they are legitimate Templars.

Lawsuits against the Vatican seeking historical damages do have some president. Alperin v. Vatican Bank was filed in a Federal Court in San Francisco in November 1999. The plaintiffs believe Croatian Nazis concealed concentration camp victim's assets in Vatican run financial institutions. This is not to mention lawsuits filed against the Vatican for sexual abuse by priests and even for "acts of God" such as Hurricane Katrina.

If Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ has their ducks in a row, this could turn out to be a legal mess for the Vatican. A well funded legal team could be an annoying fly in the Papacy's bonnet. I can imagine motions and subpoenas for access to the Secret Archives and requests for depositions from the Pope would be a start for a lawsuit of this nature.

I'm not sure if any of this could work, but it will be interesting to sit back and watch…

I have found through writing that muses are fickle little minxes that come and go as they please.  My own personal muse has taken a few shots to the chin since I returned from the Bloodline press conference in New York in May.  Since then, long hours at work and a general summertime "the world is going to hell in a hand basket" malaise have topped the list of creativity drains.

Case in point.  I was getting ready for work the day after the US Open had concluded.  Usually I have some news program droning in the background while I gird myself for another day of battles at work.  My ears perked up at a story about a Revolutionary War era British warship that had been found at the bottom of one of the Great Lakes.  The piece was all of 45 seconds long, but I was impressed that it had made the first few headlines of the day.  

The hopeful feeling I had about the public being interested in a historical mystery was soon doused by Robin Roberts.  The piece on the sunken ship was barely over when she make the comment, "Enough of this boring stuff, let's talk about Tiger [Woods] this weekend."  Roberts then went into a lengthy discussion about Woods performance at the previous weekend's Open even discussing the manner in which Tiger pumped his arms after making a particularly difficult shot.  The discussion about a man smacking a ball into a cup went on for a couple of minutes among the GMA anchors.

Not that I have anything against Tiger Woods, golf, or the state of arm motions at sporting events.  It was simply indicative of a public that is more concerned with the fate of celebrities than the fate of those who came before us and what events have unfolded to bring us here.  So it goes.

While this singular event has not kept me from writing anything as of late, it is simple a part of those things that have battered the Grail Seeking muse of late.  Slowly, but surely things are getting back into line.  After all, the Grail won't find itself and there are those of you out there that are still willing to search.  In light of that, how can I not stand to keep looking myself.  Besides, there is news of Templars in Bulgaria, evidence that Mark Twain might have met with Charles Warren, and a pesky thought I have after seeing some Poussin paintings at the Met in May that I need to look into.

Once a Grail Seeker, always a Grail Seeker I guess…

My long time friend, Charlie Millson has always been supportive of the work here at Grail Seekers. He's one of those friends that much of the topics I cover in the blog interests him, but has not plumbed the depths of the underground stream very much. Charlie was a history teacher for a number of years, so he is naturally attracted to the crypto-history Grail studies brings up.

As such, Charlie asks questions and brings a point of view that is much different than those I have regular correspondence with. I received an email this week with the following in it, "Taking the Shakespearean meaning of 'wherefore' as 'why', I didn't see any link or commentary on why people seek the grail. Why do you? A standing editorial, perhaps, might be a good starting point."

You're exactly right Chuckles. Often I get caught up in the hunt and forget the "why" portion of the equation. I think that it is much easier to take action than it is to take stock of one's motivations. My trip to New York for the Bloodline press conference is a prime example. Taking the steps to make that trip happen was difficult, but a much simpler task than asking myself what possessed me to do so.

Percival had the same issue that I am now realizing I have. For him, the action of the quest was the simple part. Answering the question of, "Whom does the Grail serve?" was his stumbling block. I decided to look within myself to answer Charlie's original question, "Why do you?"

The answer I came up with wasn't earth shattering or particularly insightful, although it turned out to be instructive to me. I seek the Grail because it is the ultimate end point. I realized that I have turned the Grail into an Ayn Rand knot of selfishness. No matter what your vision of the Grail is, by finding it all of one's questions would have to be answered. It's not the world changing power that the Grail might hold I wish to hold. The usefulness of such things is better left up to others I think. But my desire to simply have the questions answered on the myriad of topics that hit on the Grail, is why I seek.

Now this doesn't help in making me the sort of pure of heart character that is worthy enough to answer, "Whom does the Grail serve?" As my wife Laura can tell you, I'm much too cranky and temperamental to fit any type of Joseph Campbell heroic mold. However, I do have an answer to the original question. That's a start.

This also got me thinking about some of the correspondence I've gotten in the two years I've been writing the blog. From time to time I receive e-mails from readers that allude to why they are searching for the Grail. After writing the Nanteos Cup article, I got an e-mail from a woman that wanted to know if I had contact information for the Mirylees family. She had a sick family member and wanted to be able to use the Nanteos Cup for its legendary healing purpose. On the other end of the spectrum, I've received e-mails from folks that believe they are the end point of the Bloodline, those who know where the Ark of the Covenant is at, and have seen evidence of the Grail floating in the sky.

Grail Seekers this since last time:

Needless to say the last couple of weeks have been action packed. My trip to New York wasn't just taken up with the Bloodline Press conference; I got a chance to view the Poussin exhibit at the Met. I'll be sharing some thoughts on Poussin and his art work later this week. I was also denied seeing the Antioch Chalice, again, while in the Big Apple. The powers at the Metropolitan Art Museum decided to move the piece again back to the Cloisters. Being on a short time table, I didn't have the chance to visit the Cloisters again. So the Met is officially off my Christmas card list. Enough grouching, it's time for a whole heap of news…

On Audio:

The Occult of Personality interviews Dr. Paul Clark is a renowned writer and lecturer, as well as the Steward of the Fraternity of the Hidden Light.

Oopa Loopa Café will interview Lloyd Pie on the 16^th.

Peter Gandy and Timothy Freke will be on the Laura Lee show on the 16^th and 17^th speaking on the secret teachings of Gnostics.

While not a Grail topic, physicist Michio Kaku was interviewed by Dreamlands on the 10^th. He's fascinating to listen to and makes complex physics theories accessible to common folks like us. Ok, so I'm a geek…

In the News:

World Net Daily has an article entitled 'Ark of the Covenant altar' found in Sheba's palace. Its a little light on the evidence on the altar, but what is interesting is they figured out the palace was aligned with the star Sirus.

Add Prestwick, UK to the growing list of places the Holy Grail is thought to reside. I wouldn't get too excited, the article only mentions "mysterious researchers" as making the claim.

An exhibit at Glastonbury Abby follows the life of Frederick Bligh Bond, who became the first official archeologist of the site in 1908.

Rosslyn Chapel has been linked to many things, but now there's a Maya Temple lurking in the carvings.

The Archimedes Codex and has been somewhat unraveled.

Danny Penman reports on hypnotic regression that uncovered he died in Jerusalem in 1276. I'm not sure about reincarnation, but I do think there is something to genetic memory.

Viking sword fragments have been found on the Isle of Mann.

An intricate mosaic floor is being restored in Westminster Abby.

New Marian apparitions are "approved" by the Catholic Church

A new book claims Michelangelo painted hidden message in his art work.

On Film:

Well everyone and their brother have weighed in on the Bloodline documentary. From the good, the bad, to the ugly. I'll reserve comment since I haven't seen it yet…

Get out the wooden stakes and garlic, the Templars will be fighting vampires soon. I can imagine DeMolay is not amused from the great beyond.

Blog On:

Illuminati Under the Microscope blog links the Golden Ratio, to Poussin, to Thomas Jefferson.

Philip Coppens gives a history of St Edmund's Church using Andy Marshall's photography to tell the tale.

Was Elvis a secret Rosicrucian? Thank you very much…

Societe Perillos hits the high spots on Otto Rahn.

Running around the auditorium was producer Rene Barnett making last minute arrangements and jolly-glad-handing the media heavy hitters. Requests from reporters were flying past Rene, and from a distance sounded like adults talking in a Peanuts cartoon. I had to just sit back and observe the spectacle of the pre-event simply as an exercise in people watching.

Standing on the stage, next to the box found at the Cave of the Magdalene, in Rennes-le-Chateau, was an imposing figure of a man dressed in black with a Templar crest sewn onto his suit coat. I came to find out this man was a modern day Templar named Victor. He and his cousin Gloria Amendola had been tasked by the film's crew to be the security detail for the relics that were about to be presented to the world.

Chest found in the Cave of the Magdalene

In making my way to introduce myself to Rene, I caught tid-bits from the media moguls gad-flying about the room. Their timbre was less than excited about what might be presented. One local reporter was grousing about having to be there. "Yea, I've got this to do then I go to the Met for the Superhero as art exhibit. But that kind of ties in, Jesus was the original superhero wasn't he?"

Finally I got over to Rene and introduced myself. The rather gracious, if not harried native Oklahoman, thanked me for coming and offered to spend some time with me after the event was over. Almost before I could accept, she was drawn over to the stage for requests to take pictures of the relics.

Reverently, Victor took the chest from the panel's table and laid it open for everyone to see. This slightly larger than a shoe box sized chest was opened and contained: 29 coins ranging in date from 100 BC to the Crusades (30 were found in the chest originally, but only 29 were on display), a small cup, an alabastra phial, a rolled parchment and long necked jar. Could I really be looking at the Holy Grail was all I could muster in my thoughts in observing the contents of the chest.

Shortly thereafter, the press conference began. Below is the video of Bruce Burgess' presentation. I would urge you to go to the Bloodlines web site and check out the other video clips from the news conference. I've looked at them all and they give a good representation of what was presented.

I was impressed with the tone of Burgess' message. The subtext to everything was that this is a beginning point. Burgess made clear that the finds need to have further examination. He is quite sure that the relics that were presented at the conference were from the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene because of the Bérenger Saunière documents found by Ben Hammott. As to the Templar Tomb, Burgess believes that someone of importance is buried there. Is it Mary Magdalene? Burgess believes it is highly likely, but is waiting for further excavations to prove the theory.

I asked the question in the conference what was to become of the relics and the stance of the French Government on the finds. Burgess's answer was that everything has been done with the full knowledge of the French authorities and he would like to see all the relics on display for full public access.

After the conference was over, I ended up having lunch with producer Rene Barnett. In between phone interviews Barnett and I talked about everything from the process of "birthing" the film to the Priory of Sion. It was clear from our conversation that she and Burgess had sunk every last dime they had in getting this story out. "There were times Bruce was flying to Europe and we didn't have the money for a hotel room for him." she said. "Somehow we would mange to scrape together the money to put in the account for him on each trip".

On the film's detractors, Barnett was not too worried. In recent articles, the veracity of the film's claims and the authenticity of the finds have come into question. Not batting an eyelash, Barnett said they had e-mails, pictures, and video to document each part of their story. Her tone was one of a person that would not associate her name with an elaborate hoax. "The film is dedicated to my daughter that passed away as filming began. Do you think I would dedicate this film to her if this were a hoax", she said.

I then asked her about the Priory of Sion and the allusions in the trailers to their lives being in danger during the filming. "Oh, Ben's brake lines were cut on his rental car at one point and film was stolen out of his camera. Not the camera itself, just the film." Barnett said. I then ask if she thought they were in danger in New York. With a wistful grin, Barnett said, "If we were a little smarter we probably should be."

I parted with Rene heading to another interview and I was left with the feeling I had just talked to a true believer. With the rest of the day on my hands, I made my way to play country come to town in the Big Apple. During my sightseeing, I was contacted by Erika Jones from the production company inviting me to dinner with Barnett, Burgess and a majority of the panel from the press conference. Well, who was I to say no?

I made my way to Harlem and Patsy's Pizzeria for the engagement. Present was Dr. Gabriel Barkay and wife from Bar Ilan University in Jerusalem, retired Scotland Yard Homicide Detective Colin Taylor; Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe and his wife. The talk throughout dinner was of the finds, their importance, and the press conference. There wasn't anything conspiratorial about the meeting. Everyone's conversation was more of old friends chatting about a day at the office.

Which brings me to my conclusions about everything I had seen that day. I have no doubt that everyone I came in contact with, that had anything to do with the film, are open and honest. Everyone had the air of acting on the good faith of the evidence that had been presented to them and what they had found and examined. Now the possibility exists that Burgess and Barnett have been duped by outside forces. Then again, that's always a possibility when dealing with anything in the underground stream. Never once did my spider sense tingle that I was being led down the primrose path by Burgess or Barnett.

So I will take the same approach that Burgess did in the press conference. Bloodlines should be a beginning point and not the final solution to the Rennes-le-Chateau mysteries. The Templar tomb, when excavated might very well be that ending point. But for now, I will wait with the rest of the world to see what the next chapter in the Bloodline story holds.

I apologize to all of you who were looking for my audio blogs about the Bloodlines Press Conference today. For some reason, I could not gte through to post anything past the first posting I did. I'll try it again later tonight. The good news is that I spent a good bit of this afternoon with the film's producer and had dinner with Bruce Burgess and the panel at the press conference tonight. Unfortunatly, even a Grail Seeker has his limits. My dogs are barking and getting to my hotel at 1am this morning is taking it's toll. I promise, the story will be worth the wait. Now for some long overdue rest.

BK

I just got finished making my final travel arraignments for a very quick visit to New York on Monday and Tuesday of next week.  My avowed purpose for making this quick jaunt is to cover the Bloodlines Documentary press conference at the Jewish Museum on the 5^th.  

Now why would I take the time effort and energy required to make such a trip?  You see fellow Grail Seekers, the producers of the film are making the claim that they will be showing the Grail on Monday.  

According to the press invite I received, "Among the relics are a simple pottery drinking cup and a small ointment vase that were said to have been used at the wedding of Jesus and Mary Magdalene over 2000 years ago.  According to the priest who hid them away a century ago, they have been passed down from generation to generation as sacred relics - the true Holy Grail - which symbolized this secret wedding."

I will not speculate on the validity of this claim at this time.  In truth, it still up to the individual to recognize what they believe the Grail is, and I have no wish to influence your views.  However, if everything is on the level, this is big…

I'm planning ..to post audio blogs about the press conference so everyone can get the first news about the event.  For those of you who follow on the My Space feed, the audio blogs will only be available on my Blogger page and on the Grail Seekers web site feed page.  I'm using the Utterz service for the audio blogs.  As I post the audio blogs, they might not show up with a title or any text.  Simply hit the play button on the post and the audio should magically spring forth.  

Keep checking back on Monday for any other developments as they unfold.  With 48 hours in New York, there's no telling what adventures I'll find myself getting into…

On 17 Mar 08, a report came through on the Huliq web site that Tudor Parfitt's Ark of the Covenant had been stolen.  The story claims that an Ephraim Sadiki went to see the Ark at the Harare Museum, and was turned away on two separate occasions.  The first he was simply told he could not see it, the second visit he was told the Ark had disappeared. Sadiki got the impression that the Ark had been stolen.   The article's author went to Harare and according to him, "was given the same treatment."

Keep in mind that Huliq is a user based news reporting site.  This means that just about anyone can submit a new story and the Huliq staff will review it for publication.  Unlike "regular" media outlets, the onus of factual stories is on the author not the publisher.  This format does create the possibility for inaccurate reporting, just like reading a blog has to be weighed for factual content.

One would think that given the buzz earlier this year about Parfitt's Ark, some more follow up from the media and academia would have happened.  The news wires have been largely silent about Parfitt's Ark since the airing of the History Channel program that chronicled his theory.  Any news relating to the Parfitt's Ark has been relegated to TV listings for repeats of the History Channel Documentary.

There are four possibilities that exist regarding the piece in Huliq.  

1. It's a fabrication. 

2. The Harare Museum staff simple did not want to be bothered with folks banging down their door to see the Ark and made up a ruse to keep the masses away.  This seems unlikely; there would be a profit motive for Museum officials to display the Ark.  "Hey kid, give me a dollar and I'll let you see the Ark of the Covenant", comes to mind.

3. The Ark has been sold to some unnamed collector or institution and the Museum doesn't want to admit it.  Parfitt even mentions in the documentary that the folks at the Harare Museum wanted to sell the piece to him. If the Huliq report is accurate and the Ark is no there, this seems the most likely scenario.   

4. The Ark was actually stolen.  Art and artifact theft is a big business across the world.  All one has to do is to go to the Saztv web site to get a scope of this type of theft.  That is unless the Israelis sent in commandos to steal the Ark.  That seems as likely as ninja assassins storming Edinburgh Castle to steal the Stone of Destiny, but is a possibility…

So where is the Ark?  Is it still resting in Harare or is it some collector's den?  I don't know the answer to that question.  I've been keeping my ear to the ground for the last month for any other related news, and there's' been nothing.  The only thing I'm sure of at this point is that no one else is talking about it.