The origins of the Priory of Sion Part 4: Mirrors

 

A mysterious attraction

The village of Rennes-le-Château witnessed the arrival of Alain Féral, who was the spiritual heir of Jean Cocteau. We can hold as many opinions as we want about the Priory of Sion, whether it exists or not… but Cocteau exists… and so does Rennes-le-Château! Gérard de Sède, Pierre Plantard and several others have mixed these three ingredients to create the infamous enigma of Rennes-le-Château. But beneath the smoke of the Priory, may lay a genuine secret society that is interested in this village… and of which Saunière may have been a member.

Inversions… everything is inverted

It is known and clearly on display in his movies that Jean Cocteau had a great respect for mirrors which were, for him, entrances… gateways to communicate with another world, the world of angels. The best examples of this are “Orpheus” and “Testament of Orpheus”. The mirror as an access to another dimension is an old concept. The Irish Celts stated how the surface of a lake, which reflects the landscape, was seen as a possible entrance to another dimension.
Saunière too was passionate about inversions. The most obvious example of this is the model, which he ordered at the end of his life, as something of a testament. The model is the inversion – the mirror – of a geographical location near the village of Perillos. But there is another example of Saunière’s devotion to mirrors, and this is obvious in the church of Rennes-le-Château. First, there are the inverted stations of the cross, which go contrary to the normal direction. But it is mainly the work of Alain Féral that revealed a “mirror church” that is present in the village. Next to the visible church, sits an “invisible church”, inside the Calvary garden. Key features were placed there in such a way that they would mirror the “actual church”.
The lateral alleys of the garden reproduce the walls of the church. The central alley of the garden equally mirrors the central corridor of the church. This could, indeed, be a mere coincidence, but there is more. The work of Féral shows that the altar inside mirrors the Calvary, just like the Visigothic pillar of the Virgin mirrors the confessional. The confessional is for the sinners, those who confess, whereas the pillar carries the words “Penitence – Penitence”. And perhaps it is a coincidence, but one stained glass window of the sanctuary carries an inverted word… NOIS… SION?

“Terribilis Est Locus Iste”

According to author Christian Doumergue, there was “a church of stone”, the Vatican. But in French, there is a remarkable play on word. Though many English speakers will know that Peter means stone (from the Latin petrus), in French, Peter is Pierre, which also means stone. So one word, two meanings. As such, the “church of Stone” is the “church of Peter”. Opposed to this church is an “invisible church", which exists alongside it. Its existence can only be divined and is only visible to those who have the eyes to see it… how like the layout of the church(es) of Rennes-le-Château this is!
But we shouldn’t stop here. A demon is visible at the entrance of the “stone” church; Asmodeus. Does this not imply that we should see an angel present in the invisible church?
“Terribilis Est Locus Iste”: This place is terrible. That is what we read above the entrance. But normally, the phrase is rendered completely, which includes “hic domus Dei est, et porta caeli”, which means “This is the house of God and the gate to heaven.” Some have wondered why Saunière only rendered the phrase partially. Is this invisible continuation of the phrase that which sits above the invisible entrance to the invisible church? Did Saunière imply this? Does it mean that the invisible church is the true church of God, and a gateway to Heaven? If this interpretation is correct, then the invisible church is quite directly linked with the world of angels and the passage of angels to heaven. This may seem conjecture on our part, but only for those who are not yet familiar with the setting in which the Latin phrase came about: it is a statement made by Jacob. While sleeping on a stone (stone!), he dreams (like Poliphili?) of how angels descend and ascend from that site, between heaven and earth. Can we still argue it is a mere coincidence?

As a final stop on our inverted voyage, let us note that Saunière used his Calvary garden (which he had requested from the town council) to establish a perfect inversion of his church. We note how Saunière uses the “garden of Gethsemane” and its major themes (Golgotha, Calvary Mount, Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, etc.) to create his model. It is clear that this theme is close to the heart of Saunière and is specifically used by him for inversions. But we also need to underline that we are faced here with a garden… and that gardens seem to be particularly close to the heart of the initiates of the Angelic Society, and of Maurice Barrès, as seen in the Dream of Poliphili. Coincidence? If so, how remarkable the ways of coincidence seem to work!

The enchanted hill

Mount Sion, Jerusalem

As to the Angelic Society, author Patrick Berlier stated that “all writings make reference to a hill or mountain, which one is required to climb”. This notion is not merely applicable to Sion-Vaudemont, close to the heart of Maurice Barrès, but equally to “Mount Sion”, so close to the heart of Plantard… but also to Rennes-le-Chateau… as well as to Perillos. All are hills – isolated hills.
With this in mind, we need to pose the question whether Saunière was aware of the ideology of the Angelic Society and used this symbolism in the transformation of his “hill” into an “Angelic garden”.
We also note that Patrick Berlier found certain parallels with the famous Mount Parnassos, which held the site of Delphi, where contact with the divine was established through the intervention of the Pythia. This mountain is required “material” for the Angelic Society. As to Patrick Berlier, he underlines that “a parallel between Parnassos and these ‘serene heights’ and the Mount Sion of Jerusalem is qualified, in Psalm 48,3 as a ‘holy mountain’, a ‘beautiful hill’ and a ‘beautiful belvedere’.”
As to Lyon, it is identified (by Berlier and others) as the site where the Angelic Society held its assemblies, this, of course, on the slope of a hill inside the town. But the Angelic Society had more than one meeting venue in this esoteric capital of France. Far less known is a location where “certain members” got together; it is an address in the street which is nowadays called “rue Soeur Bouvier”. It was in a house that belonged to the brothers Lap (just behind the Debrousse hospital) that these meetings were held, in the strictest of confidence. We will note that this property, known under the name “Montcalm” also sat on top of a Roman underground aqueduct. Let us add that it is in this same street that we can find the last remains of a site that belonged to Gryphe, which was visible until about a decade ago. Gryphe of course stood at the cradle of the Angelic Society in Lyon. The estate was made up from a small domain (“La Pierre d’angle”, after the last tower of the aqueduct). We will add that it is in this sector of town that Soulier lived (who is known to have corresponded with Saunière), as well as a woman who financed the creation of a small painting, now stolen, from the chapel of Mary Magdalene in the Pilat.

Saunière, member of the Angelic Society?

In France, the Angelic Society clung to the hill of Fourvière, which functioned as the “inspired location” where the Society had – of course – its sacred garden which – of course – was named “l’Angelique” – Angelic. This was the property of Nicolas de Langes, grandmaster of the organisation.
Can it be – once again – mere coincidence that the footprints of Saunière are present in this town and specifically present in this area? We also note that Saunière’s visit to this town coincided with him visiting the assemblies of other secret societies, such as the Martinist Order.
This order’s origins go back to Martines de Pasqually, who founded the Order of the Elus Cohens in 1761. The magical rites of this organisation incorporated certain initiation rites… as well as establishing communication with angels… which were deemed to be essential in the eyes of the initiates, as a means through which to establish contact between our world and God.
Martines de Pasqually stayed in Lyon in 1766, where he worked with Jean-Baptiste Willermoz and his adept Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, who was the actual founder of the “Martinist Order”. We can thus note how Martinism was a “specific practice” from the rituals of those involved with angels. No doubt another coincidence therefore that Saunière is asked to participate in some of these meetings… where perhaps angels were called forth? Instead of asking how long a piece of string is, perhaps we should ask how far coincidences can stretch…
Patrick Berlier adds that “the adepts were not required to live in Lyon or the surrounding area; some lived far removed and corresponded by mail with the mother lodge and with other members.” But even though its members can live far away, it is accepted that they needed to occasionally visit the mother lodge. Does that not sound a bit like what Saunière did?

The Angelic Society in Perillos?

Amongst all of these hills, it is easy not to see another one: that of Perillos. It is in the 17th century that the outlines of the Angelic Society became noticed, with members such as Poussin and Cassini. We have already noted how Cassini seemed to be obsessed with the local geography of Opoul and specifically with the area that would later make its appearance on Saunière’s model. We note how Cassini refuses to give any detail about this sector, which on his map he just leaves as white space. From his descendents, we know that Cassini nevertheless spent two years living in Opoul… to make detailed maps of the region. Without casting judgment, we should note that two years is quite a long period to accomplish nothing. Anyone can make a map showing no detail whatsoever. Of course, it is more than likely that Cassini had a good reason as to why he did not give topographical details for that sector… even though he more than likely carried out the work on the site.

We know that Cassini, invited by the king under the influence of Colbert, was weary of coming to live in France to accomplish this project. The final offer of the king of France was of such magnitude that Cassini could not refuse… We note that the king only wanted Cassini, and no-one else… even though several other people, in France and abroad, were able to accomplish this work… for less money.
Why therefore such reticence by the Italian astronomer and why such determination by the French king? We also note that some years previously, Nicolas Fouquet was arrested on the orders of the king himself. The official reason as to why this occurs did not hold up for very long and the researchers into the mystery of Rennes-le-Château believe it has all to do with the infamous letter between Poussin and Fouquet.
We note that similar correspondence existed between Cassini and Poussin. But there is also a document in the archives of the Cassini family that makes it clear that he had at one point access to the church registers of Perillos. So, we note how both Cassini and Poussin were invited – both against their will – to come and work in France, for the French king.
As soon as he could, Poussin left France and returned to Rome. Poussin and Cassini could therefore have similar reasons why they feared their task… and it seems that in both instances, the truth was related to, but not totally identical with, the reason why they were invited.
But what to make of the fact that both are members of the “the Fog”… and that both have a relationship with Lyon… but specifically that “the Fog” is synonymous with the Angelic Society? Also, when they are in Lyon… they reside in a certain sector of the town… but we think it is not required to mention which one… See above! In short, it is clear that both Poussin and Cassini were invited to France because the king knew that they had certain knowledge, which only members of the Angelic Society seemed to dispose off. And the French kings wanted to have that information…

Let us note that Saunière too is interested in this very sector of Perillos, which he transposes onto a model, using inversions of the actual landscape. He mingles with the like of Boudet and Gelis, both vicars in Durban at a time when the parish archives of Perillos were available there. Of course, Gelis is the person who, while presiding over the Catholic flock in Coustaussa, was brutally murdered… with a note next to him, stating “Viva Angeline”… is this a reference to the Angelic Society? Did someone try to get the same information from him?

While having uncovered some of the origins of the Priory that few have observed before, let us briefly return to Jean Cocteau. For him, mirrors were entrances into other dimensions… that of the angels and the dead. What to think of the statement made by Ramon de Perillos when he returns from St Patrick’s Purgatory in Ireland and states that on his territory there is an entrance to “another world”? Yet another coincidence? It seems most unlikely. Instead, it seems that Ramon de Perillos finally figured out for himself what it was that set his grounds apart from others… and why it would become the centre of intrigue in centuries to come, with people like Poussin, Cassini and Saunière walking in his footsteps, trying to locate this “ground zero”, which somehow seemed to act as an axis – an entrance to the world of angels, so cherished by the Angelic Society.

continued >>

Filip Coppens