Grail Seekers this since last time:

With any luck, I should be returning to New York for the Bloodlines press conference at the Jewish Museum on 5 May 08.  I've been in contact with Bruce Burgess and the folks at Cinema Libre Studios about getting a press pass to attend.  So cross your fingers and throw some salt over your shoulder… If the trip does materialize, I'll be doing audio blogs to keep everyone up to speed on the press conference.

On Audio:

Dreamlands was busy in the last week… Dr. Karen Ralls, author of the Templar Encyclopedia appeared on 19 Apr 08.  Laurence Gardner appeared on 12 Apr 08 talking about his take on the bloodline of Jesus.  Catch these interviews before they go into the archive vault.

Radio Rennessence has posted their interview with Henry Lincoln of Holy Blood, Holy Grail fame. 

In the News:

A possible druid grave has been found in Colchester, UK.  

Was Da Vinci of Arabic descent?

Could Gordon Brown open the way for Catholics to ascend the throne in England?

Viking artifacts have been found in Northern Scotland.  

More news of illegal digs in Rennes-le-Chateau surface.  You'll need a translator or the ability to read French for this article.

The BBC follows the excavations inside the ring at Stonehenge.  The article has embedded video of the dig.

On the Web:

The Alchemy Lab web site has a concise history of alchemy from Egypt to modern day.  

Softpedia explores the monolithic Churches of Ethiopia.  Check out the pictures in this article.  It's hard not to see the connections between the Templars, and Freemasonry of that matter, after seeing these images.  

Sacred Texts posts Pike's Morals and Dogma on line.

 

Blog On:

Bruce Burgess has been busy with around 20 entries into the Official Bloodlines blog in the last week.

Anthony North asks, Does the Devil have a Halo?  I know the Devil plays Halo 3,  and he's running around with an energy sword which he commonly skewers me with…

The Truth Will Set You Free blog digs up the theory that Stanley Kubrick was killed by the Illuminati for making Eyes Wide Shut.  

According to the 16 Apr 08 edition of the Mainichi Daily News, the Holy Grail has been destroyed in Japan. The article claims that sometime in January, "The Amagusa Kurishitankan (Christian Building) was demolished as part of a restoration project funded by the special road maintenance taxes and the Christians' Holy Grail was obliterated".

The thought that the Grail resided in Japan might come as a incongruous to some. It's not as far fetched as you might think if you consider the traditions of the Kakure Kirishitan, (Hidden Christians) and the village of Shingo in Japan. Shingo's claim to fame is that that Jesus came to the island after his brother James took his place on the cross. In 1935, Sajiro Sawaguchi, a native Shingoite even claimed to be a descendant of Jesus.

What isn't so evident about the January destruction of the Amagusa Kurishitankan is a matter of semantics. The article refers to the relics being destroyed in the Amagusa Kurishitankan and the Amagusa Kurishitankan also being thought of as the Kakure Kirishitan's Holy Grail.

This begs the question could the Kakure Kirishitan's have held the Grail? The answer might be that a military standard used by 17th century Japanese Christian Amagusa Shiro during a Christian rebellion against the Shogun is preserved was Amagusa Kurisuchian, depicts the Grail. In 1935, a golden cross was found in a Christian's grave who fought against the Shogun. On the cross was an inscription in an indecipherable sentence that many believe will lead to treasure Amagusa Shiro had hidden. Some believe the Grail was part of that treasure horde.

Were these the relics that were destroyed in the Amagusa Kurisuchian in January? If so, this Grail tradition might very well have died with the destruction of the museum.

The fine folks at Cinema Libre Studio sent me this press release yesterday. I have a feeling the buzz about the Bloodlines movie will only increase after this. The following is the unedited press release.

TOMB DISCOVERED IN FRANCE CONSIDERED KNIGHTS TEMPLAR –WHEN EXCAVATED, FINDINGS MAY CHALLENGE THE TENETS OF CHRISTIANITY

EXPLORED IN NEW DOCUMENTARY 'BLOODLINE' PREMIERING MAY 9

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 17, 2008) – An underground tomb found in the Languedoc region of southwest France has been discovered, which may help substantiate the existence of a Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene bloodline, according to the new documentary BLOODLINE, premiering May 9 in New York and May 16 in Los Angeles. The rare find will be further examined at a Monday, May 5 news conference at the Jewish Museum in New York City. The chamber contains a mummified corpse on a rose-colored plinth under a shroud bearing the distinctive red cross of the Knights Templar, and is surrounded by wooden chests, revealing a cache of gold chalices and coins. The discovery has been reported to the French Government agency, Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles Languedoc-Roussillon (DRAC-LR), and plans are underway for a full scale survey.

"After the Crusades, it was rumored that the Templars had discovered treasure underneath the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem that could debunk the Catholic Church's doctrine," said BLOODLINE director Bruce Burgess, of the unprecedented discovery of what appears to be an intact Knights Templar tomb. "This treasure was believed to be priceless relics - documents, the Holy Grail, even the embalmed remains of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene – which was then brought to southern France, and hidden."

The subterranean chamber was discovered by an English adventurer, Ben Hammott, using a hidden code in the decor of the church at Rennes-le-Chateau left behind by the 19th century priest, Berenger Sauniére. The film team was able to gain access into the tomb by using a remote camera inserted through a small air shaft at the top of the chamber. (Clips visible at http://blip.tv/file/827329/)

Relics were not removed, although the team was able to extract a few hair strands from the corpse, which have undergone testing by the Paleo-DNA Laboratory at Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada. "Like most ancient or degraded samples, we knew our best chance for successful results would be to focus our efforts on mitochondrial DNA," said analyst Renee Praymack Fratpietro. "We were able to determine a Middle Eastern maternal origin of the individual based on haplotyping information. After we found out where this hair sample came from, we realized the significance of this work."

BLOODLINE producer René Barnett concluded, "Given the DNA results, the region's Templar history and the legend of priest Sauniere which indicated that he found a tomb in the area that could "shake the Vatican to its core," we think this is a staggering find."

The DRAC Commissioner in the region, Jean-Pierre Giraud said, "This is certainly a very intriguing discovery, but it's just too early to tell how important it is. We need to do a full survey of the site to determine the age of the corpse and the other items in the tomb. The archeology department of the DRAC-LR will be carrying out an examination of the site as soon as access has been made possible."

The area surrounding Rennes-le-Chateau features prominently in the bloodline legend which follows the premise that Mary Magdalene escaped Jerusalem with child, sailed to France and settled in the region.

For the latest updates – including clips, press releases and updates on the dig - visit www.bloodlinethemovie.com.

Grail Seekers this week:

Time and tide changes all things, or so my fortune cookie from last night’s dinner said…. Maybe my outlook on life, the universe and everything will change this week.  

On Audio:

The Oopa Loopa Café will have a show on Oz’s visit to the Kensington Rune Stone on the 10^th.  

The Laura Lee show will have Michael Heiser on ancient Semitic languages on the 10^th; and Michael Cremo on the 12^th.

In the News:

Well Jimmy Page’s Grail tapestry didn’t sell at auction this week.  I wonder if it will show up on Ebay?

Well we now know the Achesons from Hertford aren’t part of the "Ancient & Noble Order of the Knights Templar".  I had a feeling they would denounce the group.

A North Fort Myers Masonic Lodge was broken into and $49,000 worth of "relics" were taken.  

Two Israeli Rabbis think the Ark of the Covenant is still in Jerusalem.   

The Times Online opens up the English HQ of the Hospitilars.  

Was Sodom and Gomorrah hit by a comet?

The BBC reports excavations inside the Stonehenge ring will start soon.  

On Film:

Movie Vine reviews Philip Gardiner’s The Bond Code...  Who knew Flemming was into alchemy?

On the Web:

Priory of  Sion.com examines André Bonhomme’s role in the formation of the POS.

Red Ice Creations posted all of the Occult History of the Third Reich.. documentary.  

Live Science takes us back to the Council of Nicea

Blog On:

The "to be continued" blog has a concise history of the Oak Island mysteries.

Numerologist Gary Van Tenuta has an open letter on Tracy Twyman’s blog on some intriguing gematria.  

The Kemo’s Journal blog explains the Templar’s greatest secret…

When the Vatican Press released Processus contra Templarios (Prosecution Against the Templars) last October, there was a cloud of speculation as to what the book contained and who was going to one of the 799 available copies. Many of those who purchased a copy did not want any publicity, and the Vatican would not release a list of those who obtained a copy.

Lambuth University in Jackson, TN took a different route. Last Friday, Lambuth unveiled copy number 241 of Processus. Joining Stanford, Cornell, and the University of Manchester (UK); Lambuth is one of the few institutions that has made the acquisition public knowledge. They’ve even gone a step further and invited the public on to campus to celebrate the addition to their library. I made my way to Jackson yesterday to see the documents for myself. I never thought I would ever get the chance to view a copy, especially just two hours from home.

Processus is housed in a simple wood and glass case in the front of the Luther L. Gobbel Library. The University acquired the text after trustee Steve Brook donated the funds to purchase the set. When ask what Brooks motivation was to acquire the text, library staff members simply said Brooks thought it would be a good addition to the library.

The library’s staff seemed a little overwhelmed at the prospect of having such a rare text in their care. Chief of Circulation Elaine Walker admitted she didn’t know much about the Templars before the acquisition but admits, "The Knights Templar and I have spend a the last few months getting to know each other."

Yesterday’s event at the Gobbel building was like a meet and greet with the text. Walker did a short presentation about the history of the Templars and the import of the text. Then the staff opened up the Processus for everyone’s examination. The staff passed out white gloves for everyone to take a peek at the documents.

The main book contains commentary and trial transcripts in English and Italian. The set also came with an exact reproduction of the Chinon Parchment. Water spots, pin pricks, and all other imperfections were all there. The only thing that was missing was a translation of the Chinon Parchment. There is a transcript of the original Latin available in the text.

Lambuth’s goal is that the text be made available to researchers and all those interested in examining it. I applaud Lambuth for opening their resources to me and the rest of the world. There will be a day very soon I’ll be back to spend with the Processus.

Grail Seekers this week:

Sorry for the update being a few days late this week.  With Easter, work, family, and other such "real world" things going on; I’ve been a little hampered in my writing.  But then again, isn’t that always the case?

There’s not a ton of news out there this week, by the first two headlines in this week’s mix do raise some interesting questions.  The first is about a neo-Templar movement that has taken out an ad in a UK newspaper, and the second is about the disappearance of Tudor Parfitt’s Ark of the Covenant.  Interesting times indeed…

And finally, for those who already miss Arthur C Clark.  Grail Seekers graphics guru Barry Edwards has created a memorial shirt for the sci-fi visionary.

 
On Audio:

Nothing out there this week trips my trigger…

In the News:

A new Templar organization that has popped up on the grid with the aims of restoring the good name of the Templars.  I can get behind that.

Evidently, Tudor Parfitt’s Ark of the Covenant has disappeared from the Museum that was holding it in Zimbabwe.  

Jimmy Page has sold his Holy Grail tapestry.  Luckily, he’s not selling his photo album just yet.

The BBC asks why the controversy over the Shroud of Turin will be explained away easily.

On Film:

The Danish film, The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar will be released in Malta later this month.  

Blog On:

Atlantean Times blog has ferreted out a connection between Heath Ledger and Rennes-le-Chateau

Ars Latomorum has a very brief piece on Freemasonry and Alchemy

The Burning Taper blog has won a Sunshine Award; Huzzah!

Tracy Twyman wonders why Marc Dutroux and the Priory of Sion are linked in the following video.  I guess my 3 years of German in high school isn’t cutting it on this one.  If you can shed some light on this one, Tracy would appreciate it.

 

I always believed that people should follow that little voice in the back of their heads.  You know the one that tells them they need to take on a particular project, "just because".  The advice of one’s inner muse should be listened to more often than we generally do. I ran across one such person who listened to his "little voice" a couple of weeks back.

Andy Marshall is an award winning architectural photographer in the UK. His "day job" is something any number of us wishes we could do. He packs up his gear and makes stunning visual records of architectural forms and the context to their environment. His success or failure at his endeavors is largely based on the perception we as the public have of his work.

This of course means the popularity and glamour means commercial success for Andy. In e-mailing Andy, I have the feeling he listens to his inner voice more than most. He has undertaken a project to make photographic records of what he calls "Masonic Churches" in the UK.

Andy has begun photographing Saint Edmund’s, Falinge near Rochdale, because of its overt Masonic symbolism. "…. from the carved altar rails to the brass memorials. I intend to photograph all of the symbols and put them together into one image. We have several "Freemason" churches in this area which are now unfortunately under threat [of being closed]", said Andy.

The marriage between architecture and Masonic symbolism is not a unique phenomenon. Men who are professional craftsman and Architects often incorporate Masonic symbols in their work. Examples of this type of incorporation can be seen in Wren’s additions to the Temple Church in London, and Saint Giles in Edinburgh. It is only natural that members of organization that encrypts moral lessons in their symbolism would want to incorporate these designs in a church. For the conspiracy theorists out there, I wouldn’t read a whole lot into this. Men do and design these things because they are Masons, not because Freemasonry as a group directs them to do so.

Andy felt a pressing need to start making a record of Saint Edmund’s and other churches with Masonic symbolism because he fears their architectural treasures may not last much longer. "The churches are being closed because the congregations are dwindling and costs for upkeep are increasing. There is statutory protection (via our listing system) but this cannot protect them from vandalism and deterioration, unfortunately.", said Andy.   To this end, Andy is donating his time to preserve these images for posterity.

I’d like to thank Andy for all his work and dedication to this project. If you’d like to see more of Andy’s works, his web site is www.fotofacade.com. (You’ll have to be Flash enabled to view his main site) On Fotofacade, check out the Archmedia tab. Here you will find links to his custom Google Maps of architectural sites, Podcasts, and a video section.

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this one. Someone took the time and effort to hack the Grail Seekers forum today. I wish I had that kind of time on my hands. For the moment, if you have the forum book marked, don’t bother going. Unless of course you want a visual representation of what it’s like to be "owned" by a hacker.

I’ve taken down all the links to the forum on the web site and it will be out of commission until further notice. To all of you who have been participating in the forum , thank you. I have no idea if posts will come back up after the host clears this up. I’ll keep everyone posted....

Toady we remember one of the great travesties of justice history has seen, the burning at the stake of Jacques DeMolay in 1314.  Here are some images of Pont Neuf in Paris where it happened.  Jacques, you are remembered. 

One might not expect to see a replica of a medieval monetary in a park that commemorates Revolutionary War battle. As improbable as it sounds, New York City’s Tryon Park holds both a battlefield history and a refuge for medieval art and architecture known as the Cloisters.   

The Cloisters is not far from the site Margaret Corbin took control of her fallen husband’s artillery battery to beat back Hussian attackers in 1776.  Part of the Metropolitan, the Cloisters was opened to the public in 1938 to showcase George Grey Barnard’s collection of medieval antiquities.  Barnard had gone deep into debt for construction of a gallery for his acquisitions.  In the 1920’s John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the funds to create the building that is there today.

 

Inside there is a stunning collection of artifacts, artwork and original architecture pieces from the 12^th to 15^th Century.  Much of the interior scenes in the building were transported piece by piece from Europe.  The "cloister" itself was taken from the French Cuxa Cloister.  The fusion of original architecture and artifacts gives one the feel that you are in a historical building in Europe.  If for nothing else, the step back in time is worth visiting if you’re in New York City.

 

Of note to those who are interested in the Margaret Starbird approach to Mary Magdalene, there is a room full of unicorn tapestries.  The tapestries were donated by the Rockefeller family who had acquired them in a French Chateau.  One can draw their own conclusions as to why the Rockefellers were so interested in unicorns and chalices…

If you’re thinking of visiting and looking at the Cloisters web site, beware.  The site is not very user friendly and exhibition notes are not always up to date.  My main goal in visiting the Cloisters last week was to see the Antioch Chalice, but alas they had moved it to the main Met.  Too bad for me the web masters didn’t see fit to note this in the collection notes.  If you’re looking to see a specific piece, I would suggest emailing the Cloisters directly to make sure its still there.

Getting there on Public Transportation – Take the "A" Train to the 190^th Street station. From the station, the Cloisters is located about half a mile up Margaret Corbin Drive.  On the way you can walk up to the Fort Tryon memorial, which is located on your left.  Or if you don’t want to walk, you can take the M4 bus directly up to the Museum.