The presbytery of Rennes-le-Château Part 1: Gateway to the kingdom of the dead?

 

 

A scorned building…

One building, in the enigma of Rennes-le-Château, has received little attention among the researchers and authors on the matter: the presbytery, which sheltered Saunière on his arrival in this parish. Only a few words are ever said about the building, before everyone rushes into a discussion of the church, the castle and the cemetery of the village…
The building sits next to the church. Its southern side has a small court and now faces the Villa Bethania, the house Saunière built for himself. On the northern side, it borders on the cemetery. It thus sits in a central location, but despite this position, it has remained out of scope for most of the discussions… which is remarkable.

A little chronological litany

Starting from the 18th century onwards, we note that the presbytery existed in 1725. It is the year, when definitely on July 15, repairs are being done to the masonry and ironwork of the building.
In April 1726, the council needs to borrow money to do more work, which is finally finished in 1727. The council seems to be extremely poor, as they have to appear in front of the justice, in order to “discharge the community of the payment for this work, as it was only repair work and no alterations. The presbytery is described as being there since time immemorial, and was repaired at the request of Bernard, the priest of the village, who had asked for the repairs in 1724, as the masonry of the building was collapsing each day a little more, becoming uninhabitable.
At the time of the French Revolution, it is the home of Bigou, who is alleged to have hidden inside the church various relics, hoping that they will not be stolen, when he flees to Spain. Question: why did Bigou hide his items in the church? Why not the presbytery? Churches must have been more likely raided and plundered than the presbytery, specifically one as abysmal as that of Rennes-le-Château. And if, as we are led to believe, the secret had to do with priests, would priests not more likely find it in the presbytery, rather than in the church? And if it required discretion on the priest’s part, than a location inside the presbytery would be ideal…
Still… On August 18, 1796, the “presbyterial house” is sold for 1400 pounds to a certain Raymond Bosc, who sells it again on February 4, 1798, to Michel Captier. The sale is not for the entire lot, however, which thus ends up having multiple owners.
On April 15, 1803, the community was, by decree of the Prefect, required to provide a residence for the resident priest.
Throughout the time of the Revolution, the building was left untouched. Its purchasers equally never changed anything. On February 16, 1805, the mayor of the village states that the presbytery, as well as the bell-tower, the church and the cemetery are almost in ruins. The report results in the approval of “extraordinary expenditure”, given on May 18, 1807, which gives money for the repairs to the roof of the church and the roof of the presbytery.
It then turns out that one of the owners refuses the priest passage to go up to the floor where his room is. This means that on May 15, 1809, the municipality has to intervene and installs, at its own expense, a second staircase. This intolerable situation is finally resolved when the mayor intervenes and repurchases both shares of the property. By 1820, the building and its appendices (including the court) once again are one building.
But its precarious state remains. Urgent repair work seems to be required around June 17, 1832, based on an estimate that has survived. On August 10, 1834, the municipality adds a small stable opposite the presbytery, for the needs of the priest. However, on September 10, 1838, the mayor once again states that the presbytery requires many repairs. The work cannot be born by the finances of the village, which results in the village putting some grounds on sale, so that the money raised from the sale can finance the work to the presbytery.
On September 16, the community is still faced with the need to enlarge the presbytery – though in which direction is difficult to find out. This enlargement is done by the purchase of another house. On December 7, the new communal grounds are bought, as the installation of the presbytery continues. In 1853, further repairs to the presbytery are required. And on October 12, 1878, another estimate for repair works is received; the total is so high that it is refused by the council.
On December 29 of the same year, it is still the old story. There is an incredibly long list of work to be done, showing the frightening decay of the building. One can only wonder what one has been able to repair after 50 years of non-stop repair workings… and still find the building in a near ruinous state.

The state of the church was not much better and a major storm created even more damage. An imposition had to be raised for urgent repairs to the roof of the presbytery in 1882, but it is unknown whether or not they were actually executed. When Saunière is about to take up his residence, we find that his residence has been continuously repaired, for almost one century. But we need to add that between 1818 and 1836 no priest was in residence in the village. Was this because of the precarious nature of the building? It seems unlikely as throughout this period, work is being carried out to maintain the room in an acceptable state. But from 1836, three priests would take residence there: Pons, followed by Mocquin in 1881, and finally Croc until 1885. Then Saunière takes up residence…

Saunière’s Rennes-le-Château

Bérenger Saunière took up his position on June 1, 1885. On his arrival, the church was near ruin and the presbytery was in such a state of decay that he had to temporarily find lodgings with a landlady and perhaps in the local grocery (according to the work of Emile Saunière).
He soon tries to convince his flock of the benefits of the monarchy. On December 1, the prefecture suspends him. His bishop, guaranteeing his survival, puts his name down in the Seminary of Narbonne, in January 1886. On July 1 of the same year, Saunière is reinstated by the prefect and is allowed to rejoin his parish. He will not leave until his death on January 22, 1917 – which occurs in the presbytery.
According to the available information, Saunière settled with the Dénarnaud family in the presbytery about 1891-1892, after repair works had been carried out to it. Other sources state that about 1895, the priest began with significant building works, in order to settle there definitively with the Dénarnaud family. Their daughter, Marie, then 24 years old, would remain with the priest until his dead, working as his devoted maidservant. We suggest that it is 1891 when he settles in the presbytery, with the Dénarnaud family.

Saunière’s choice

There remains little documentation about the restorations of the presbyterty and the expenses incurred by Saunière, who financed the entire enterprise on a personal basis. Some invoices, detailing the supplies of the materials, exist, from 1894 to 1898. In his report of 1910, in which Saunière was asked to defend his source of income, he wrote that he had repaired the presbytery both inside and outside. He also installed a wall and an iron door to the cemetery, other features in front of the church and an enormous amount of work, money and effort in the parish church itself.
On top of this, he built – apparently for himself – the Villa Bethania. Even though he would finance it, even though he held memorable receptions there, in the end, he continued to live in the presbytery. Why did he prefer the confines of the presbytery over the luxury of his own – purposefully built – house? Was there some imperative or reason that he preferred the presbytery over the Villa Bethania?

We therefore know that this building was the headquarters of “Operation Saunière”, but at the same time, we know that few if any have paid any attention to the building. Today, the old presbytery is a museum, in which one finds objects related to the life of the priest. It is run by Terre de Rhedae, who started it in 1992. It contains waxen images, representing Saunière and Marie Dénarnaud.

An ordinary presbytery?

That the residence of the priest is next to the church should not come as a surprise. And the presbytery in Rennes-le-Chateau is attached, on one side, to the church. Other than that, it is a building on three levels, whereby the front of the building sits on the same side as the entrance of the church – a logical arrangement, so that the priest would not have to go too far between his home and office.
What is remarkable is that the presbytery and the church are perfectly aligned, one in the prolongation of the other. It shows the skill or workmanship that has gone into the execution. It seems that one wall supports the two constructions. This is a major engineering feature, specifically as the thickness of the wall seems perfectly preserved throughout.
Secondly, with the presbytery in such a precarious state, we should ask why a new presbytery wasn’t erected on the opposite side of the court, where the Villa Bethania now stands. This would allow for a step by step construction of the new building, whereby afterwards, the old presbytery could be demolished… or sold. It is clear that the building was in a dire state; rebuilding must have been easier and cheaper, but money was continuously poured into restoring the old building. Why?

Saunière, his presbytery and coincidences

As already mentioned, work on the presbytery occurred with restoration work on the church. Some key dates:
1891, June 21. The installation of a statue of the Virgin on the “Visigothic pillar”, which is reversed and has the engraving “penitence! penitence!” and “Mission 1891”.
- the delivery of a new pulpit (Giscard House, Toulouse).
- affixing on the porch of the church of the weapons of Mgr Billiard and those of Pope Leon XIII.
- September 21: "letter of Granes - Discovery of a tomb, rain in the evening".
1891, marks the end of the major work in the church of Rennes-le-Château.
1891. Saunière starts to thoroughly hold an accounting system of the masses he is asked to perform.
The following year, he begins with the installation of the “grotto” and the cistern, as well as his office and library, next to the cemetery’s entrance.
In 1894, he adds to the cemetery and the church. The following year, the priest runs foul of his flock, who do not like what he is doing in the cemetery. Two petitions, dated March 12 and 14, are addressed to the Prefect, asking him to stop these acts.
In 1898, he begins a series of acquisitions, which will eventually become his domain, to include the Villa Bethania. In 1901, construction will begin, and will complete in 1905. In 1906 he will build the Magdala Tower, the walkway along the cliff, the various verandas and the pleasure gardens. The ensemble is finished in 1907. He then makes reciprocal wills for him and Marie Dénarnaud, which will mean each other’s future is safeguarded.

Saunière’s fortified camp

Dazzling receptions are held, until 1909, when significant financial difficulties are uncovered. The bishop, Mgr. de Beauséjour, is furthermore anxious and curious about the ostentatious behaviour of the priest; he should be very poor, yet is very wealthy… how come? He asks for clarity, which he does not; by 1910, there is a lawsuit for religious abuse of his power. Saunière, however, will never budge and literally makes the village into his fortress. Furthermore, even though he is forced to leave, and he could move into the Villa Bethania, he decides to remain encamped in the presbytery. Thus, Saunière is not only not willing to go elsewhere – a posting in a different town; he is not even willing to leave the presbytery.

Nostalgia or secrecy?

Marie Denarnaud

Marie Dénarnaud would remain throughout his faithful and devoted servant… This is remarkable, as she had to endure a lot. Saunière never seems to have been a popular figure, and when he barricaded himself into the presbytery, she virtually became his hostage. A hostage who had to endure the rattle of the scandalmongers and others talking about him… and no doubt “her” also… whereby sexual undertones must have always been close or on the surface.
After his death, she became his heir. But whereas she could sell and leave, she faithfully stuck to guard over his estate. Why? Why not sell and move into a more maintainable accommodation? She was now a rich person, but somehow, the estate is ill-matched. Even though Saunière had died, she continued to defend his fortress. Furthermore, she is now able to move into the Villa, but decides nevertheless remain inside the presbytery. On March 25, 1917, two months after the death of Saunière, she renews the lease of the presbytery… for a period of nine years. Why?

The true place of the Presbytery in Saunière’s secrecy

And it is now that the presbytery could well take the place which it perhaps deserves. For sure, there is nothing strange or bizarre about a presbytery that sits next to the church. But throughout history, there is an obstinate desire of everyone involved to make sure that the presbytery stays where it is… and specifically, it is a continuous effort of restorations – patching it up, rather than a more profound attempt to rebuild it. Even if it was desirable to rebuild it on its present location, surely the priest could move out, before moving into a new building?
The one exception is Saunière, but then it is clear that it was his rebuilding work may have been the source of the discovery of this secret. But when asked – forcefully – to leave, Saunière then turns the presbytery into his fortress, and his heir, Marie, continues its occupation, until her death in the early 1950s… when the mystery of the village is born, at first in the local press and soon in the writings by Gérard de Sède…

So, what if… what if Saunière knew there was something in Rennes-le-Château? The local community may have known as much. But they carefully preserved the enigma, and did not touch it. It were the independent means of Saunière that enabled him total liberty: he was not at the disposal of the funds of the community, and with his private money, was able to transform the church and the presbytery… and it is there that the fame of Saunière would begin…
So, what is it that ties this presbytery to Saunière’s rise to fame?

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