“And he is there, dead” Part 2: A priest, a notary and a pilgrim

 

From France, to ancient Egypt

It was Champollion who translated the Rosetta Stone; The Emperor Napoleon was fascinated by ancient Egypt and in his conquest of the country, he seemed more interested in carrying the right scientists than soldiers. French freemasonry was mainly responsible for creating “Egyptian-style” masonry, itself heavily influenced by ancient Egyptian rites already.
Today, the fascination with ancient Egypt remains, not only in France, but in most countries of the western world. Both the pyramids and the mummies intrigue us, and continue to be the stage against which our imagination is activated.

From ancient Egypt, to France

A link between France and ancient Egypt seems preposterous. Still, we have recently listed a series of correspondences between ancient Egypt and France, specifically, the Pyrenees. The most authoritative evidence comes in the form of ancient Egyptian statues, found in caves and other sanctuaries in the region. It seems that these caves were also linked with necropolises. Unfortunately, some of these caves, found before the Second World War, have since once again disappeared from the maps, waiting to be rediscovered.

“The King is dead; long live the king”

Let us indulge for a moment in some ancient Egyptian rituals, specifically one, the coronation ceremony. First, we note that this coronation ceremony was often repeated, at 30 years intervals at the least, which was there for the king to show his virility and agility to rule. This festival was known as the “Heb Sed” and seems to have been linked with the pyramids, seeing that many scenes from these festivals have been found on pyramid structures, including the first “true pyramid”, that of King of Zoser at Saqqara, near Memphis (we note, in passing, the existence of the Freemasonic “rite of Memphis”, founded by de Chefdebien).

Jesus’ parallels

There are clear parallels between this rite and what happens at Easter. For one, Jesus is often depicted as a king – though in a mocking way by the Romans. The ritual in ancient Egypt places emphasis on Seth, the destructive power, symbolised by his animal, the ass. Jesus rides into Jerusalem, the “centre of the world”, on an ass, showing his dominance over the animal – and Seth, from which our “Satan” comes from.
The king undergoes a “spiritual death”, identifying himself with Osiris, lord of the underworld or Duat, followed by his descent into the land of the dead, followed by his resurrection from the dead (often on the third day); this sequence of events is identical to the events of the Passion. This sequence of events is also standard in Greek initiation mysteries, such as those at Eleusis.

There are further parallels: from texts and depictions, it is known that this ritual requires either a bed or a sarcophagus. This bed or sarcophagus was used only once: one for the coronation and a new one for each Heb Sed. It would be used as a “temporary tomb”, out of which the king would arise “resurrected”. In short, afterwards, there would be an empty tomb, which some Egyptologists, such as Mark Lehner, are now beginning to realise could explain the presence of empty tombs, in sealed pyramids that show no sign of robbery. We note that an empty, sealed tomb, is also what we have in the Jesus myth. We also note that a sealed structure, identified as the “Tomb of Christ” is what we have in Perillos. We could thus even argue that if the “Tomb of Christ” in Perillos were found to contain an empty sarcophagus… that should not at all be a disappointing find. We also note that this “empty sarcophagus” used in the coronation or Heb Sed is “the” “royal tomb” par excellence, and this is of course the other term used by the notary Courtade to describe the structure in Perillos.

Priests of the dead

The coronation ceremony involved a descent into the Underworld, the Duat, the land of Osiris; today, we would no doubt call it a near death experience, whereas shamans would call it a “vision quest”. To assist the king, a specific type of priests was at his disposal: sem priests. These were specialists in contact with the Otherworld and the dead.
This group of priest seems to share a lot with the “parfaits”, the Perfects, the priests of the Cathar religion. These too were there to perform a unique and important ritual on the dying, the so-called consolamentum. As these priests operated within an area (the Pyrenees) that contained several Egyptian relics, we can only wonder whether they were versed in ancient Egypt rites. It is a subject explored elsewhere. At the same time, the origin of the consolamentum need to be reanalysed, for even though many have been able to point out how Cathars arrived in the Pyrenees, and from where it originated, how the rite of the consolamentum came about is “less” documented; neither whether it arrived with the Cathars in the region, or whether it was “native” to it.

The qeni

In the Egyptian coronation ritual, after a procession and a ritual meal, a lector priest brings a special garment known as the qeni, worn over the chest and back and knotted at the shoulder, which is placed on the king. The king is also dressed in white linen, woven by women whose main if not sole task was to prepare this. There are clear parallels with the Greek custom of weaving a new “dress” for the statue of the deities, such as Athena, in the Parthenon in Athens. We also note references made by Isaac ben Jacob as to how the Cathars were often referred to as “weavers”, as can be shown in one depiction in a chapel in the church of Prats de Mollo, a main cult centre of La Sanch.

One of the most intriguing, though often unknown aspects of the coronation is the use of this “qeni”. The qeni is identified with Osiris and is filled with a spiritual potency of God. This “cloth” or “skin” was “worn” – embraced – by the king, who was thus filled by the potency of this “qeni”. Egyptologists state that it signifies the union or embrace of the Horus king (the new king) and Osiris. The king says: “I have embraced this my father who has become tired, so that he may become quite healthy again.” Experts claim that it was seen as a true fusion, the highlight of the event, in which Osiris and Horus became one; it was the union of the two dimensions, ours and the Duat, unified through the coronation ritual. Finally, experts say that through the embrace, he became a shining spirit (akh) – he had ascended, or resurrected.

What the “qeni” is, remains a question; there are some possibilities. Option one: the “qeni” was a real skin, perhaps mummified, of Osiris, whom in ancient Egypt had always been considered to be a mortal, before becoming a god and lord of the Land of the Dead. Even if only in the imagination, it is logical to assume that there were thus “relics” of Osiris and that these would have been used in these rituals.
Option two: during this ceremony, the new king “embraces” the mummified remains of his predecessor (who at this time was not yet entombed) and some accounts leave it impossible to decide whether this involves a vision (i.e. the new pharaoh sees his ancestor in the spiritual realm) or whether he literally touches/embraces the deceased corpse of his predecessor. Though the former sounds more pleasurable, it is nevertheless more likely the latter.

Sem & Orus

Let us note that not only is there evidence of Egyptian statues in the Pyrenees; there are other hints too. André Douzet has underlined the linguistic link that can be made between the village of Orus and Horus. Nearby is the “dolmen of Sem” and the “Palais de Sem”. This site is important, linked with the Knights Templar, afterwards with the Knights Hospitaller, and visited by Ramon de Perillos at a time when he was grandmaster of the latter order. Coincidence?

Let us also note that this sarcophagus of the king was linked with a new era; identified both by water that washed away the old world, it was equally linked with fire, signal of rebirth – the new flame, with such reminders of the lightning of the Olympic flame still occurring today, signalling the start of a new era.
The water of birth was there to wash away “original sin”. But it was man’s mission in life to not accumulate further sin. If so, the soul would go to purgatory, where a slow fire would “purge” the soul from this sin.

Water and Fire

To this, we add that the festival was named after the short kilt with a bull’s tail that the king put on for its culminating rites. But more importantly, the festival lasted five days and took place immediately after the annual Osiris rites, at the time of the retreat of the Inundation, in short the rebirth of the land, mimicking the creation of the world.
Furthermore, for the five days preceding the festival, a fire ceremony called “lighting the flame” served to purify the festival precincts. We can add that the caves in the Pyrenees were often linked with a solar cult. Furthermore, there is a clear relationship between the sun and fire, such as the lighting of the flame of Olympia by the sun.

This brings us close to the beginning of the 15th century, at a time when Ramon de Perillos has visited St Patrick’s Purgatory in Ireland, to pray for the soul of his deceased king, and where he comes face to face with some family members, who seem to reside in purgatory. Once home, he is equally convinced that there is a gateway on his domains into another world – another entrance? Certain parallels between the unification of two dimensions, ours and that of the dead, as occurring in the Egyptian coronation ceremony seem evident.

We also note the “holy tomb” of Arles-sur-Tech, held in high reverence by La Sanch (and known to Saunière). This is a tomb out of wish holy water flows. As it is the tomb of two saints, which were Persian princes, this is actually a “royal tomb” – from which sacred waters continue to well up. We compare this to the recent discovery of an underground cave on the Gizeh plateau, identified by Zahi Hawass as a symbolic “Tomb of Osiris” – literally “Tomb of the Resurrected”, or “Christ” – surrounded by water. This is equal to the Oseirion in Abydos, mythically considered to be the tomb of Osiris, equally surrounded by water. Finally, we note the presence of water flow next and under the necropolis of the Aragonese king in San Juan de la Peña.

La Sanch

La Sanch, as a confraternity, was originally a group of executioners, later priests, “guides” who helped those condemned to death. Their current procession, in Perpignan amongst other places, is intriguing and is there to remind us to repent – to “wash ourselves” from sin, so that our souls would not enter Purgatory, escape from its fire, and enter Heaven.
It was founded, in the 15th century, by Vincent Ferrer, an Aragon priest who preached the end of the world was imminent, if we repented – an intriguing notion. The organisation was then revived just before Saunière’s arrival in Rennes-le-Château. The work of Isaac ben Jacob has made it clear that they sponsored (some money coming in via Rennes-les-Bains and Boudet) Saunière. We should note that Ferrer was also a close friend of the Perillos family; one Perillos turned bishop asked Ferrer to preach in his bishopric.

There are clear parallels between the “sem priests” of ancient Egypt and La Sanch, but this correspondence should not come as a surprise. As Isaac ben Jacob has pointed out, much of this movement finds it origin in the Cathar crusade and many Cathars that were “converted” somehow made their way into these organisations. With them came their customs and within these organisation, we can only wonder whether these customs survived. Isaac ben Jacob is quite adamant that they did and he has called his investigation “the rise”, after the “resurrection of the dead” that these groups seemed to perform. At this moment in time, we should underline that in ancient Egypt, as elsewhere, there is of course more than one ritual; we are here only interested in one, seeing we are discussing a “royal tomb”.
Let us note that Osiris in this ritual is clad in a white linen, but is specifically wearing the white crown, a long pointed crown, if not hat, somewhat similar to the cagoule that La Sanch wears. We will merely note, without adding importance to it, that some observers have noted that this type of headdress enables easier trance states.

The setting

These coronation rituals are not unique to ancient Egypt; they are found elsewhere, including shamanic African cultures, though equally – though with some variation – in the New World. From Egypt and elsewhere, we equally know that the site on which they were performed, were deemed to be a “place of creation”, an omphalos, “a centre of the world” or “navel of the world”, a place where “men became gods” – like Osiris, a location where “time and space merged” – in short, a stargate or gateway into another dimension.
There is a lot of stellar lore attached to these sites. An important role in ancient Egypt is given to Sirius, the Dog star, linked with Isis. This consort of Osiris is often linked with Mary Magdalene. We equally note that esoteric traditions, including modern Templar revivals, give great dominance to Sirius.
The coronation – and to some extent every royal rite – was a welding of two dimensions, merging space and time. The time was often the New Year, a coronation, the Heb Sed. The space was a sacred space. This “place of creation” was often a conical hill, which itself was linked with a higher, more important hill, which was deemed to be the residence of the Gods. The most famous example is of course Mount Olympus.

Within the setting of the Pyrenees, let us note the sacred nature the Catalans offer to the Canigou… a name intriguingly linked with the dog. Furthermore, we refer to the works of Gerard Lacoste and his three-part series “La Tombe de Virgile”, in which he tries to depict certain constellations on the landscape of this region, not forgetting this sacred mountain.

A secret place

This festival both had a public and a private nature. The procession, very much like that of La Sanch, was a public event. Following the private ceremonies, the king furthermore displayed his agility by running around a sacred courtyard, such as that in front of the pyramid of Zoser, in Memphis.

But the most sacred parts of the rite occurred in a secret chamber and some have argued that this was the central chambers in the pyramids. From the reliefs of Niuserre, we know that this chamber contained a bed, though other depictions show that in certain cases a sarcophagus was used. We know that the pyramids continued such chambers, with empty sarcophagi.
During this ritual, the Sem priests entered this realm in a trance, to aid the king in his visit. All made contact with the dead, as well as the gods, vital steps in “opening” this stargate. It also served to purify – purge - the king in the tomb, which occurred by the Sem priests.

A secret chamber, a “secret tomb”, a “secret royal tomb”, a “tomb of Christ”, i.e. where “the rise” occurred, is exactly what could be at the enigma of Perillos. We have three main descriptions about this site: Saunière names it the “Tomb of Christ”; Courtade a “royal tomb”; Ramon de Perillos a “gateway to another world”. In the case of the Egyptian coronation rituals, all three descriptions come together; and we would argue that this is a perfect fit, which other interpretations may not easily replicate.

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