Bérenger Saunière and the Mystery of Rennes-le-ChâteauBérenger Saunière, a 33 year old, well-educated priest was assigned to the parish at Rennes-le-Château in 1885. He was so poor at this time that he relied on the generosity of his parishoners to survive. However, Saunière gradually began restoring the tiny village church, and later built numerous other structures in the area, including the Tour Magdala (Tower of Magdalene).
The renovation of the interior of the town's church produced many puzzling inconsistencies. A statue of the demon Asmodeus, whom King Solomon of the Old Testament supposedly tamed to help build his Temple, stands guard near the door. The depictions of the Stations of the Cross are far from traditional and border on the bizarre. One plaque shows a child wearing Scottish plaid, while another has Pontius Pilate wearing a veil. The statues within the church are unusual as well. Mary and Joseph are each holding a Christ child, perhaps alluding to the myth that Christ had a twin. St. Anthony the Hermit is holding a closed book, Magdalene holds a vase, St. Germaine , usually portrayed as a man, releases roses from her apron, and St. Roch displays his wounded thigh, bringing to mind the Grail King Anfortas from the tale of Percevel. Theories about the source of Saunière's sudden wealth vary from the practical to the mystical. Some, such as Abbé Quatrefages, archiprêtre of St Pons cathedral, claim that Saunière traded in saying private Masses, amounting to thousands of francs, plenty to finance his building projects in Rennes-le-Château. Others believe he was blackmailing the Church with some terrible secret, evidenced by the fact that Saunière's confession before his death was so shocking that the priest who heard it denied him absolution and last rites. Most intriguing is the speculation that Saunière discovered the lost treasure of the Templars. It is believed that under an altar stone within the village church, inside a Visigothic
TO DOGABERT II KING AND TO SION BELONGS THIS TREASURE AND HE IS THERE DEAD A second message was deciphered: SHEPHERDESS NO TEMPTATION THAT POUSSIN TENIERS HOLD THE KEY PEACE 681 BY THE CROSS AND THIS HORSE OF GOD I COMPLETE (or DESTROY) THIS DAEMON GUARDIAN AT MIDDAY BLUE APPLES A third cipher exists, not in the parchments, but at Sharborough Hall's Shepherd Monument. The message D.O.U.O.S.V.A.V.V.M. has never been translated. Many have speculated that these parchments provide the answer to where the secret of Rennes-le-Château is buried, and that Saunière's redesign of the church and the town is a map providing the clues.
So what do the mysterious messages mean? Although no one is certain of the messages' interpretation, there is other evidence available to aid in the solution. The famous painting by Poussin entitled Les Bergers D'Arcadie (The Arcadian Shepherds) shows four shepherds gathered around a tomb with the mysterious inscription "Et in Arcadia Ego" which translates to mean "Even in earthly paradise, I (death) exist." A strikingly similar tomb can be found right outside of Rennes-le-Château. As mentioned previously, a representation of the demon Asmodeus guards the door of Saunière's church (the daemon guardian?). Also, some say that the rays of the sun passing through the glass at midday create an optical effect called "blue apples". Despite the many theories published and the indepth research by treasure-hunters and occult enthusiasts, the location of the treasure and the ancient secrets are still unknown. When Saunière died in 1917, he left the 'secret' of his wealth with his housekeeper Marie Denarnaud. Though she intended to reveal the answer on her deathbed, she had a stroke which left her paralyzed and unable to speak before her death in 1953. Noel Cosby, who cared for Marie Denarnaud after her stroke, and who possibly learned something from her incoherent dying whispers, was killed in a terrible car crash in 1953 that some believe was not an accident. Thus, the mystery of Rennes-le-Château remains unsolved, and the questions regarding the source of Saunière's sudden wealth and his curious refurbishment of the town remain unanswered. Sources: |
