Templar Dig in Bulgaria

The news last week of the modern day Templar Organization Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH) will begin excavations in the Russe region of Bulgaria isn’t really news. At least the part about archeological activity in Russe relating to the Templars isn’t news. Back in April, archeologist Nikolai Ovcharov conducted a survey of the area for direct evidence of Templar holdings at the behest of the OSMTH. Ovcharov, the self titled “Indiana Jones of Bulgaria”, came to international attention in the archeological community when he announced coming into possession of a 7,000 year old tablet. According to Ovcharov, the stone contains the world’s earliest example of a written language.

It would now seem that the OSMTH has taken up the role of financing excavations in the Russe region. The OSMTH have dubbed the dig the “Nisovo Project”. Nisovo is a small village near the Romanian border. The above link cites that “remains of closes ancient necropolis where typical Templiers [sic] crosses were found”. So it would seem that we have a good idea where in Russe the excavations are going on. The OSMTH also is considering trying to excavate a Catholic Church in the ancient capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo.

I was able to get a better picture of the Russe area from former history teacher at Memphis’ prestigious Harding Academy, Charlie Milson. After a number of mission trips to Romania, Charlie was able to visit Russe. “It's still an international crossroads and a great place to ford the Danube. A huge bridge is there now; it replaced another that was built in the 1920’s. There are some stone relics of older bridges that lie nearby”, said Milson. This would have made Russe the perfect place for Crusaders going to and from Constantinople to cross the Danube. It is no wonder evidence of the Templars can be found in this area.

Bulgaria would seem to be a treasure trove for those who would just look. Post Communism, the trade in illicit relics in Bulgaria “is more profitable than the drug trafficking.” “There are ruins all over Romania and Bulgaria one can just walk up to without anyone saying a word. The Communists didn’t have any idea what to do with the sites, so they left them alone”, said Milson.

Another event from the Bulgarian past that was publicized just days before the initial survey was announced could give another clue to what “Project Nisovo” might uncover. The remains of Tzar Kaloyan was laid to rest in an undisclosed Church in Veliko Tarnovo. Kaloyan is a central figure in Bulgarian history for securing the state in wars with Byzantium, Hungary and Serbia. During the late 1190’s, Pope Innocent III was in negotiations with the Tzar to make Bulgaria’s official religion Roman Catholic. The Tzar is also noted in history for capturing Emperor Baldwin of Flanders during the 4^th Crusade.

The story of Kaloyan serves as simply a clue to what could be found near Russe. After the 4^th Crusades’ sack of Constantinople, the Russe region would have had any number of those returning overland with their spoils in the interior of Europe. What might the Templars squirreled in the region from the riches of Constantinople? Hopefully, if the OSMTH expedition finds anything of note they will share it with the world. At present the Bulgarian branch of the OSMTH has not replied to my request for an interview.

The Miraculous Templar Diamond

Last month, I cited a press release about the nearly unbelievable story of a diamond having a near perfect Templar Cross in the center of the stone.  Last night, I was able to talk to the diamond’s owner David Rafaeli in depth about his find.

Los Angeles diamond broker David Rafaeli takes a few trips a year to brokerage centers in Antwerp or Tel Aviv.  During one of these trips, David sees and bids on more diamonds than most people will see in a lifetime.  It was on one of these trips to a Tel Aviv auction house in the fall of 2006 that Rafaeli found himself bidding on what seemed to be a standard lot of diamonds.  Before the auction, David had spotted the unusual gem that would become known as the Miraculous Templar diamond in the lot.   “I was the only one that recognized the significance of the diamond”, Rafaeli said.

What is so special about the diamond?  The stone is a 2.73 carat green-yellow diamond containing a  distinctive four-sided, Templar like cross. The cross is formed by a dark spot almost in the dead center of the stone.  The diamond was extracted recently in a South African diamond mine and cut in Israel.  Rafaeli claims that the Cross could not have been manmade. “We have a letter from the GIA [Gemological Institute of America] that states the diamond is totally natural.” a spokesman for Rafaeli said

.

Since he purchased the diamond, Rafaeli has come to consider that the diamond's center piece was a sacred occurrence.  Rafaeli feels that the Templars recognized that there needed to be a unification of all the world’s religions and were working towards that goal.  The diamond has become a symbol of unification and world peace to Mr. Rafaeli.  The stone is a “story from God if we will only recognize it”, Rafaeli said.

There does seem to be a synchronicity with the diamond’s discovery and recent Templar related events.  Rafaeli thinks that the timing of the discovery only strengthens his claim that the diamond signifies more than just a geological anomaly.   Mr. Rafaeli feels that the diamond signifies “things are starting to happen in the world” and it could be used as a vehicle for humanity to find a common ground.

In keeping with thoughts of brotherhood, Rafaeli would like to find a venue for the diamond to be shared with the world. A number of groups have been contacted about displaying the diamond -  including the Vatican.  At the time of this report, the Holy See has not responded to Rafaeli. 

I wish Rafaeli success in his quest to use the diamond to bring about unification of diverse groups in these troubled times. If the faith Rafaeli places on the diamond’s discovery is any indication of if it’s potential, it very well might have the power to change the world.

Grail Seekers Media Watch for the Week Ending 1 Dec 07

Grail Seekers since last time:

It’s been an interesting week. The Exonerate the Knights Templar petition has gotten off the ground this week. I’d like to thank RLC Research and Resource site and The Templar Globe for helping get the word out. If you haven’t seen the petition, please check out the above link and sign it if you are so inclined.

Big thanks to Henrik and Fredrik Palmgren from Red Ice Creations who were kind enough to post my review of Longevity and the Grail on their site. It’s a great documentary if you haven’t seen it yet.

And someone sent me a link to a “discovery” regarding sacred geometry this week. I have lost the e-mail. If it was you, please resend the link and I’ll be happy to check it out.

On Audio:

Dreamlands talked to William Henry and sindinologist James Barrett the Shroud of Turin on the 24^th.

In the News:

Looks like the folks at RLC Research and Resource site scooped the “mainstream media” on the news of Richard Leigh’s death. Our condolences go out to his friends and family. He will be missed.

A modern day Knights Templar group is funding excavation work in Bulgaria to find traces of the Templars that were once there. More to come on this…

Dan Brown’s new book will “unveil Washington’s Masonic past”. Really Dan, no one has ever thought of that one before…

The Smithsonian magazine follows up on Graham Hancock’s work on the Ark of the Covenant and Ethiopia.

On Film and TV:

September Films announced it is working on a two hour documentary for the History Channel on University of London professor Tudor Parfitt’s work on the Ark of the Covenant. The special should air next year.

Blog On:

The Favorite Pastimes blog reviews the new novel Glastonbury Tor

The Seer blog gives an overview of “Modern Alchemy”.

Richard Leigh is Dead?

The RLC Research news page reported yesterday that Richard Leigh, co-author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail , died on 21 Nov 07. At this time I have not been able to confirm this through any news source other than the link at RLC. The folks at RLC are quite connected with folks in the “Grail World”. At this point, I have on reason to doubt the validity of the story. I’ll post if I find out anything different or see an official statement.

No matter what you thought of Leigh’s works, he will be remembered for drawing attention to the Rennes-le-Chateau mysteries. How many of us we first introduced to this world after reading Holy Blood, Holy Grail? The possibilities that were presented in that one book have opened the eyes of the world to possibilities that were never before imagined. For that alone we can thank Richard.

Longevity and the Grail Review

Last month I posted a video clip of Red Ice Creations short documentary Longevity and the Grail. This morning I finally had a chance to sit down and check out brothers Henrik and Fredrik Palmgren’s first foray into short films.

The documentary explores a nexus point of symbolism, emerging science and science fiction as it relates to cloning. The Palmgrens have done so by making connections with key players in the world of cloning and the human genome project. Groups like: the Methuselah Foundation, Sinclair Research, the Roslin Institute, and Clonaid efforts to advance the genetic sciences have been thrown into the ring. Each of these groups have either subtle or overt symbolic connections to topics as wide as the Grail, Freemasonry, the Templars, and Aliens. The documentary then goes into their present work and how some of their actions and public presentations can be viewed in a symbolic nature.

Some might view the ties the Palmgrens make as tenuous. However, there is a subtext to the documentary. The question isn’t whether the connections the Palmgrens make are valid, but how the symbolism meshes with cloning being viewed as a “Holy Grail”. Are the players in this field acting according to esoteric traditions or are they manifesting esoteric traditions through their work? The result of either is a mind bending “chicken or egg” argument. If one views the subject on one side you have a conspiracy, on the other one has self-fulfilling prophesy.

The Palmgrens make their subtext easier to understand by utilizing science fiction into the documentary. Would present scientists feel hard pressed to consider if artificial intelligence could turn dangerous if it wasn’t for the Matrix or Blade Runner? Or have some of the scientist and institutions had the spark of inspiration lit by the works of science fiction?

The point where all this meets is a new chapter in the ever changing symbolic nature of the Holy Grail. The Grail represents life, hope, and the miraculous; no matter what the application of the Grail symbol is. The Palmgrens have made an opening salvo in viewing the Grail in a marriage between the esoteric and future science. It is defiantly worth taking a look at and stewing over the implications they have presented.

Longevity and the Grail is available through the subscription service on Red Ice Creations. The bothers Palmgren also host a biweekly internet radio show that is available for free with additional content accessible by subscribers.

Exoneration of the Knights Templar Petition

There is no doubt that the media spotlight has shown brightly on the Knights Templars over the last couple of months. With the release of the Trail of the Templars by the Vatican press, and the 700^th anniversary of the Order’s arrests the plight of the Templars has never been more publicly recognized. The media has even focused on Templar activists, such as the Acheson Twins who have called on the Vatican to officially apologize for their misdeeds.

I personally think it is high time that the voice of the people be heard on this matter. Given the position taken by Pope Clement V in the Chinon Parchment, I believe the Knights Templar should be exonerated from any charges that were leveled against them 700 years ago.

There are many of you that feel the same way that I do on this matter. That is why I have set up an online petition for the Exoneration of the Knights Templar on the Ipetition web site. It is my intention to let the Vatican know that there those out there that do believe the actions of the Church were motivated by political and malicious reasons. It is my intention to send the signatories of this petition to the Vatican on 18 March 08, the day that Jacque DeMolay was burned at the stake.

I have no idea if this will sway the opinion of the Holy See in this matter, or if it will even be accepted by the public. However, the time has come and the mistakes of the past should be corrected.

I ask that you take the time to sign the Exonerate the Knights Templar petition and let your voice be heard.

Dan Green's Lincoln Cathedral Videos

Dan Green has posted a four part video series on You Tube that chronicles his theories about the Lincoln Cathedral. Dan was put to the famous 17 questions a month or so back by Andrew Gough as well. While Dan has tried to put the folks at Lincoln Cathedral’s feet to the fire on his theories, he’s met with a bit of resistance. Check out his videos and shoot him a comment if you’re supporting his work. I’m sure he would be appreciative of that.

Grail Seekers Media Watch 1 Nov to 23 Nov 07

Grail Seekers since last time:

The months of November and December are generally a blur to me. The industry that constitutes my “day job” is one of those that help everyone else get ready for their holiday festivities. Needless to say, the time, effort, and energy that I have to put in sucks the life out of my more “creative” endeavors. My blog and e-mail inbox have turned into a untended garden that needs to be tended. I apologize for my prolonged absence. With that, back to the business at hand. Some of the news and items might not be “in date”, but at least it will help me get back on track.

On Audio:

Rick from Oopa Loopa Café talks with Templar Church Bishop David Richarde on the 29^th.

Radio Rennessence has an interview posted with author Kate Mosse on her latest book Sepulchre

If you’re not checking out Red Ice Creations interview section twice a week, you should.

Binall of America interviews David Hennigar on Oak Island

In the News:

A press release claims that a Los Angeles diamond dealer has found a diamond with an Templar Cross in the center of it.

The Last Supper has been put to music, or at least there’s a claim music has been hidden in the fresco. Haven’t we been through this before?

A new documentary takes on a new view on the “Lost Tomb of Jesus”.

More news of cat napping in Britain.

The Scotsman features a number of videos on Rosslyn Chapel.

The Vatican has entered into talks with ending the rift with the Orthodox Church. Once again, this makes me wonder what the Papacy is up to.

On Film:

An X-Files sequel is on the way. I hope this time around they tie up those Twin Peaks like loose ends they left out the last time around.

The Hollywood writers strike is pushing back the production of Angels and Demons.

On the Web:

I received this note from Coran de Raaf from the RLC Research page this week:

“I am proud to announce that www.rlcresearch.com, Rennes-le-Château Research, has been completely overhauled. There's an entirely new website with tons of new content and photos.

It's much more user friendly and accessible than it was, items are linked and better navigable. All info has been updated with the very latest insights and discoveries. I don't think you'll find a more complete inventory of everything Rennes-le-Château.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself. Take the time to check out this valuable resource.

Andrew Gough puts his 17 questions to rocker and Grail Seeker Rat Scabies

Blog On:

The Humanities blog claims that the Ark of the Covenant is in Kenya, not Ethiopia.

The Golden Dawn blog explores the links between alchemy and the Golden Dawn.

The Square and Compass blog looks at the similarities of a carving at Rosslyn and Masonic ritual.

Grail Seekers Media Watch for the Week Ending 27 Oct 07

Grail Seekers this week:

You can’t swing a dead cat on a Goggle News search without hitting the story of the Templar Trial Documents being released this week. With that being said, I’m surprised there was as much going on in the Grail related world as there is.

Also, don’t forget if you know of a source that I might find interesting and am overlooking, drop me a line.

On Audio:

You won’t doubt that author Michael Tsarion has a lot on his mind about everything from Lay Lines to the Templars in this Red Ice Creations interview.

In the News:

National Geographic reports that artifacts from the ear of Solomon’s Temple have been found by Muslim workers on the Temple Mount.

The Last Supper is now available to view on line at 16 bazillion megaboom-booms, or whatever measure digital images on line use, at haltadefinizione.com Warning the server is slow.

The San Diego Natural History Museum beings it’s exhibit of some of the Dead Sea Scrolls this week.

Actor Brian Cox believes he was a guardian of the Holy Grail in a previous life.

The Mary Victrix blog makes the news for blasting the Acheson twins last week.

A recent UK television show blasts the Nanteos Cup story.

According to a death bed letter of a leading Israeli Rabbi and Cabalist, Jesus is the Messiah.

Aleister Crowley’s 1928 Diary is sold at auction for $45,000

Padre Pio’s stigmata could have been faked with carbolic acid. Looks like the Vatican is batting a thousand this week in the “we screwed up” category.

On the Web:

The In Rebus site has a rough translation of the Chinon Parchment in English. Well, that’s a start.

Blog On:

Thanks to the Templar Fellowship site for the link to the October 13^th article.

Fellow Tennessean Randall Carter Gray’s blog Moor’s Code deals with the theory that the Last Supper was depicting a Passover meal held in an John Mark's African home.

Susie’s Site blog has a description and pictures of the Magdalene Caves near Rennes-le-Chateau and a recollection of her chat with Henry Lincoln.

The Eternal Idol blog connects Stonehenge and the Vatican Observatory.

Speculations on the Release of the Knights Templar Documents

As most of you know, yesterday the Vatican released the “Lost Templar Documents” including the Parchment of Chinon. These documents indicate that Pope Clement V had absolved the Templars from charges of heresy that had been leveled against them in 1307. According to this Canadian Press article, there are 300 copies of this publication are available for purchase. At a price tag of $8400, I’m not surprised there are a few left.

I’m going to let my “wild speculation” side come out on this topic. There are a number of interesting hints and tid-bits about the whole process of the publications of these documents that do raise some questions. Besides, it’s fun to turn into the blogger who comes up with the off the wall theories.

Why release the documents on 25 October?

It would have made a bigger publicity splash if the Vatican had released the documents on the 13 Oct, the 700^th anniversary of the Templars arrest in France. Surely the Vatican knew that such a publication would have gotten media attention, so why not make the symbolic gesture of releasing them a few days earlier?

I think the Vatican is trying to downplay the potential importance of the documents. They obviously have made the information contained in the texts outside of the grasp of the masses. Sergio Pagano, of the Secret Archives, was quoted as saying (in the above Canadian Press article) “The archive follows a humble style. We are convinced - perhaps we are among the few - who believe that books are published to be read and studied, not to be presented.” Well if the Vatican was interested in the documents being studied, their dissemination techniques are a bit lacking.

There is also a symbolic possibility that center around the 25^th of October. That day is recognized in the Church as remembering the 40 martyrs of Wales and England. Could it be that the Vatican wanted to subtly connect the persecution of the Templars with a day recognized for remembering those who were martyred for the faith?

So what’s the big dead about the documents in the first place?

The documents represent that some of what we previously thought of Templar history is incorrect. It also represents something that the Church has known all along, that the Templars were simply placed on administrative leave so to speak. According to the article on the Secret Archive’s site about the Chinon Parchments, “...the pope [Clement V] removed the order from the reality of that period, without condemning or abolishing it, but isolating it in a sort of “hibernation”, thanks to a clever device of the canon law.”

The study of this “device of canon law” might have lessoned the impact of the 1312 suppression order given by Clement V. Not being an expert in canonical law, I can only speculate that if Clement V was slick enough to give the Templars a loophole in 1308, the same loophole might have stood with the 1312 order. After all, the Secret Archive’s article mentions that Clement V’s goal was to reform the order at a later time.

This all falls on the recent heels of talk of official apologies from the Vatican for the suppression of the Templars, and another rumor that surfaced last year. In May 2006, there was a letter circulating around Germany speaking of reforming the Templars. This letter was supposedly from the Vatican. The Vatican even posted a short note in the L'Osservatore Romano stating that the letter was a forgery. The above article quotes the Vatican as saying, "As is known, the old Order of Templars was suppressed by Pope Clement V (1305-1314) and was never reinstated by any of his successors." The language of the quote does raise some questions. The terms “old Order of the Templars” and “never reinstated” do carry a subtext all their own. It’s also telling that the Vatican took the time to dispute the validity of this letter.

Why is a copy of the documents being presented to the Pope?

Yesterday’s Canadian Press article goes on to say that, “plans in the coming days to present one to Pope Benedict.” What exactly does that note? Is the presentation of the documents and historical commentary of interest to the Pope or is it necessary for some other purpose?

Once again the gears of speculation and rumors turn in my mind. A report surfaced in 2005 in the Hertsford-Essex News, reprinted here in the Insider.org, that while a Cardinal the present Pope contacted Dr Alan Thompson of the University of Hertsfordshire. The claims that have been hinted to in the media about the potential Hertfordshire connections and the Templars can be found in this article I did earlier this year.

It would seem that the present Pope has an interest in the Templars. This interest may just be a historical curiosity and nothing more. However, let’s remember that under this Pope’s watch there has been more official Vatican talk about the Templars than under any previous Pope.

Wrapping it all up

Whew! I’m glad I’ve gotten all that out of my system. I’m not sure if any of this connects and dots in reality, but it does make one think that there is something in the background with the release of these documents.

I would call on either the Vatican or someone that has purchased a copy of this material to make it easily available to those interested in scrutinizing it. At present, the Vatican is not even releasing a list of those that purchased a copy of the documents. This means that if your local university purchased a copy of the text, it will take some digging to find it. At very least, the academic institutions that purchased a copy of the texts should be made known so that historians have a chance to examine the contents.

That is unless there is some benefactor out there that wants to purchase a copy and make PDF’s available on line. Any takers?

Longevity and the Holy Grail Video Clip

Henrik & Fredrik Palmgren of Red Ice Creations have taken a slightly different tack on the interpretation of the Holy Grail. In this promo clip of their 32 minute documentary, Longevity and The Holy Grail they explore how the Grail could literally be the key to extended lifespans. To get the whole video you have to be a subscriber to Red Ice Creations. On the site, the Palmgrens conduct audio interviews with guests representing topics as diverse as those found on Coast to Coast AM.

Grail Seekers Media Watch for 7 Oct to 19 Oct 07

Grail Seekers this week:

It’s nice to be home again. Overall the trip was fantastic. Laura and I hit all the usual “tourist” sites while in Paris and Edinburgh. We also visited Chartres and I’ll be working up an article on that soon. Along with all the other articles I’m working on…

Thanks again to everyone that e-mailed wishing us well on the trip. One bit of advice; when in Paris make sure the hotel you’re at will let you make phone calls outside the room. When I did the segment on Oopa Loopa Café show on the 13^th, I had to do so from a payphone on the street. That was a treat, but the interview went quite well I think. Now to get back to the business of tracking topics of Grail related interest in the media since I’ve been gone.

On Audio:

Red Ice Creations featured interview is with Jay Weidner on: The Future, Freemasonry, Franklin and Films.

In the News:

BBC News wonders what the Knights Templar are up to now.

If you want to get a copy of the Templar Documents released from the Vatican, it will cost you $8000 and a favor from the Pope. This makes the chances of me getting a copy quite slim.

More information in the news surfaces about the Acheson twins from Hertford. This time Ben Acheson has called on the Vatican to officially apologize for the persecution of the Templars. Then again, we knew they were up to that based on comments left on this site from Tim. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I wish the brothers all the luck in the world in this endeavor; it’s been much too long in coming.

Has Pope John Paul II been taking a fiery shape and waving to the masses?

For those who have gotten interested in Rune Stones, another one has been found and deciphered in Rennesøy, Rogaland.

Scottish author, Jack Lawson, believes he has proof that Jesus’ twin was crucified in his place.

A book of Hitler’s letters is being published this week. I wonder if any of the information will shed some light on his fascination with the Grail and the Spear of Destiny.

On the Web:

Grail Seeker friend, Jeff Nisbet publishes his Rosslyn Motet article on the Mythomorph site. A must read if you’ve bought into the thought the Rosslyn Cubes have been deciphered.

Author, and Grail Seekers friend, George Smart has made the 2^nd edition of The Templar Chronology available as a download through his web site for free. There’s also a section of the same page that tracks modern day Grail Hunters and their activities.

Was Sauniere a Freemason? It might explain a lot if he was.

Biblical Archeological Society takes a look back at the James Ossuary.

Society Perilos looks into the Coumesourde Stone in relation to the RLC mysteries.

Blog On:

The “In puris naturaibus” blog discusses the Ark of the Covenant and it’s relation to Chartres.

In the detractors to the Achesons, the Mary Victrix blog thinks they’re posers. Everyone is welcome to their opinion, but I have faith in the lads…

The Templar Globe reprints an article from Reuters on Tips to Becoming a Templar.

Morbid Frog talks about the Templar conference on the 13^th at the Atlantis book store.

Burning Taper reports on a township in Illinois that wants Compass and Squares removed from public monuments.

A special thanks goes out to Melissa at the Templar Epilogue blog for the kind words about Grail Seekers. There’s some good work on this blog and it’s worth checking out.

A Visit to Rosslyn Chapel

My first time visiting Rosslyn Chapel was in 1999. Remember the pre Da Vinci Code days when you were reading Born in Blood and people were perplexed when you told them the book was about Templars and Freemasons? Those were the heady days when I visited Rosslyn.

There was no one in the Chapel except myself, my buddy Craig Bryant, and maybe two other folks. The Chapel was a quite place of reflection on the mysteries the Sinclairs left for us. It was almost like the stones talked to you in the silence. Possibly the voices we heard was from the hangover from the copious amounts of Scotch we’d drank the night before. No matter the reason, it was like stepping into the Holy of Holies when entering the Chapel in those days.

Another Biblical scene entered my mind when visiting this go around. The money changers had entered Temple when Laura and I visited Rosslyn this Monday. There were at least 150 people roaming around the tiny Chapel and the grounds when we arrived early Monday. Loud, plodding tourists had invaded one of the world’s most enigmatic structures. One had to literally step over the other visitors just go get a decent picture of anything in the Chapel. The up side to the increased traffic to the Chapel is additional funds for conservation and research. I just hope the additional funding is going to the right places.

However, this trip wasn’t without a few new insights and revelations into the Sinclair’s masterpiece. The first being a cordoned off area right behind the Apprentice’s Pillar. There was a 4’x3’ area enclosed with yellow and black caution tape around a thick piece of plywood sitting on the Chapel’s floor. I had asked one of the Chapel’s employees what was going on in the cordoned off space. Their answer was that it was, “Repairs or some such work going on over there.” There is a slight step behind the Apprentice’s Pillar that could have been damaged by increased foot traffic.

Is the cordoned off space keeping visitor’s safe or is it keeping the public from seeing something else that’s going on behind the pillar? Whatever is happening behind the Apprentice’s Pillar happened sometime between the middle of September and the first of October. I searched back through my Google alerts on “Rosslyn Chapel” and found some bloggers that had taken pictures in the Chapel in the last few weeks. This image on Fickr uploaded on 22 Sept 07 does not show the barrier. The picture in this blog dated 3 Oct 07, with almost the same perspective as the first photo, shows the barrier up. I had one picture turn out with the barrier shown, and in the slide show below. The other pictures I took of the barrier were on a bad memory card. I’ll be searching though the video we took to see if I have some better shots today and will post when, and if I can find them.

With everything that’s been transpiring in the news and the anniversary, it makes one wonder if the folks at Rosslyn aren’t trying to find something behind the Pillar. It is long been thought that the secrets of Rosslyn are hidden in the Apprentice’s Pillar. Could this be a small shaft to look at what’s inside the Pillar from below? Once again, Occam’s Razor and wishful thinking usually get the best of me.

Since Rosslyn is also the working Saint Matthew’s Church, we had happened on a ten minute prayer service. Laura and I decided to descend into the crypt area of the Chapel to explore while the short service was happening. The crypt area was much as I remembered it with one exception. In the first two niches in the wall, as you walked down the stairs, were sprays of flowers. A bouquet of red roses in the left niche and one of white in the right niche were present. Both sets of flowers looked like they were a few days old. Evidently, someone had the same idea about placing flowers at Templar related sites at Rosslyn and Paris on the 13^th.

Going back up to the main floor after the service was over, I had an errant thought. There is little dispute that the Chapel was designed to teach or show a story. This would make the entire Chapel a type of Masonic Tracing Board in the form of an actual building. Possibly, each set of windows in the Chapel represent a lesson that would be taught to an initiate. If this was the case, there is one thing missing that would be the key to deciphering the whole meaning of the Chapel, the original stained glass. There is not a single piece of the original stained glass in the entire building. I began to fear that the mysteries of the Chapel would never be found without that information. The Sinclairs had frustrated me yet again…

Laura and I left the Chapel shortly thereafter and headed over to the Grail Restaurant (I’m a sucker, what can I say?) for a lunch. With haggis, neeps, and taddies fortifying our souls we headed over to the bus stop to return to Edinburgh. We realized that I had misread the times on the bus schedule and had another 45 minutes to kill in the village. Wandering around, we found the Rosslyn-Sinclair Masonic Lodge just down the village’s main road. Tucked away behind the main buildings of the burg, it was nice to see where my Brothers meet in this village of mystery. Maybe next visit, I’ll arrange to set Lodge there. Those guys must have some stories to tell…

Making our way back to the bus stop we ran into a couple of interesting travelers. They were two down on their luck gents who were obviously backpacking around the country looking for a home. One of the fellows had a very loyal dog with him who rarely left his side. The dog’s owner had a number of tattoos on his right forearm of various esoteric symbols. One was of the Eye of Horus between his left thumb and index finger. Both men sat very quietly waiting for the bus and did not seem to be your usual down on your luck types. Maybe the lads had some other purpose in being there that day. Pushing my penchant for the fantastical out of my head we waited for the bus to continue back to Edinburgh.

Below is a sideshow of some of the things we saw that day. Due to the restrictions on flash photography, some of the photos didn’t come out as well as I would have wished them to. I’ve also thrown in a not-so-good picture of the Stone of Destiny where it sits in Edinburgh Castle. The photo was taken outside the vault where it rests. I had to take this one on the sly since photos were not allowed inside the vault. However, no one said I couldn’t take a picture of the Stone from outside the vault looking in…

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets Trailer

There are lots of Scottish Rite images in the trailer, and I'm sure there's also a ton of "hidden" imagery as well. The movie is set to be released on 21 Dec 07, the Winter Solstice.

700th Anniversary of the Knights Templar Arrest in Paris

There is an unmistakable power in the first rays of sunlight peaking over the horizon. The renewal of daybreak vanquishing the darkness and despair of night is not only an esoteric metaphor, but in some cases a physical reality. Soldiers, parents of sick children, and disheartened souls have but a single prayer in the darkness, “Please God, just let me make it through this one night. Everything will be fine in the morning. Just help me make it through until morning.”

The journey from darkness into the light is all part of life’s natural progression. That was until the dawn broke on 13 October 1307. French sheriffs broke the seals on their orders at dawn, those that could read saw the words, “By order of Phillip the Fair; arrest all Templars.” The prayers of all Templars that day would turn the natural progression into, “God, just let me make it thought this one day.”

At 8:07 AM this October 13^th, my wife Laura and I made our way to the site Jacque DeMolay was burned at the stake. Paris was barely alive as we started out that Saturday morning. Drunken revelers from the night before and those unlucky enough to be on their way to work were all that rode the Metro that morning. Each stop that got us closer to the Ile de la cité made me a little antsier about what we might find at dawn’s break.

For years, I had planed this trip. For the last eight years, I had wanted to be at this place at sunrise on this day. It wasn’t the type of Richard Dreyfuss’ obsession in Close Encounters of the Third Kind to get to Devil’s Tower, but a nagging in the back of my mind. I had told myself that no romantic notions of shadowy figures handing me documents clouded my vision. Just a simple wish to connect with an important part of history drove the though on.

The train stopped at Cité station around 7:40, a quick ten minute walk and we were at the Pont Neuf bridge. We hustled down a long staircase from the bridge to the park below. Before breaking the bottom stair, I looked back at my wife and gave her a secret smile. Prematurely thanking her for following me on my quixotic vision half way around the world for some unknown payoff.

At the bottom of the staircase we found the plaque that marks the place Jacque DeMolay was burned at the stake in 1314. In a city of ornate and larger than life monuments, the plaque is much too simple a marker for the injustice that happened at that spot. Below the marker we found a spray of long stemmed white roses with a ribbon that read, “Geoffrey de Charney” and burned out votive candle. A simple memorial left to the man that followed DeMolay into the flames.

Sitting a few feet below where the flowers were located was a man that could have been Johnny Depp’s younger brother. There was nothing else there that morning. No grand group of those that wished to remember, no messages left to honor those who had gone before us, just my wife, I and Johnny Depp. We didn’t speak to Johnny, but it was obvious he was there for the same reason we were. Digital camera in hand, Johnny gauged us in the same way we looked at him. Somehow, we must have thought it irreverent to have spoken in that predawn moment.

Laura and I stood there until the sun rose over the Pont Neuf bridge and I wondered how horrible this day must have been 700 years ago. From this point then, one could have seen both Notre Dame and the Temple’s headquarters. One can only imagine what extra bit of punishment it must have been for DeMolay and de Charney.

After a few pictures and my silent vigil, we decided to catch some breakfast and head to Temple Square. All that is left of the Templar’s headquarters has been made into a playground and garden. In the park is also a small pond that was possibly built with some of the foundation stones from Templar’s keep.

When Laura and I got to the park, we found the same thing Phillip the Fair’s men found that morning. There was a hint of the Templars, but none of the Knight’s treasures. Behind a low railing and close to the pond, there was another floral arraignment. This time it was red roses in the shape of a cross in a field of white roses. Having Laura play lookout, I jumped the barrier to get a closer look. At the head of the arraignment was a small flag with a red cross, the Templar motto “Non Nobis Domine Non Nobis Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam” and the dates 1118, 1307, 1312, and 1314.

That was all that was evident of the Knights Templar in Paris that day. Someone had traveled to the same places we did for the same reasons, but no more. There were no organized remembrances or grand “happening” in Paris that day I was aware of. As Laura and I walked away from Temple Square, I turned to her and told her that I thought I was on a fool’s errant. Secretly I had hoped something would happen, someone would be at those places, and some part of the mystery would be swept away.

Laura looked at me almost angrily and reminded me that I should never think that. I was scolded into remembering what I’ve said so many times over, that our quests are our own and for that I had succeeded. God love her, she’s much wiser than me. In my slight shame for doubting my purpose, I remembered that the pilgrimage was to honor those that had been such a fascination for me for so long. In that I had succeeded. At that, I took Laura’s hand and we set out to explore more of Paris and to remember why I had came.

Homeward Bound

Laura and I are sitting at the Edinburgh Airport anxiously waiting for the KLM check in counter to open. Paris and Edinburgh can sure take it out of a person. We should be home later today and I'll have a ton of pictures and stories to post. Thanks to everyone for all the e-mails and words of encouragement while we were on the road. Now to find some coffee and to get rid of this red oversized suitcase we have. It's funny when I travel alone, my suitcase is never this heavy. keep your eyes on the blog later tonight or tomorrow for news from Paris on the 13th and Rosslyn Chapel.

BK & LLK

Grail Seekers Media Watch for the Week Ending 6 Oct 07

Grail Seekers this week:

There will be no news next week. Well I’m sure that there will be news, but I won’t be doing my weekly blog due to the “big trip”. I’ll try to do some posting from the road as I have the chance, and I will be on the Oopa Loopa Café show on the 13^th. Everyone think good thoughts for me and Laura as we jump the pond.

On Audio:

The Occult of Personality site has a Philip Coppens Podcast this week.

Thanks to the Daily Grail for the heads up on this one. The CJOB web site archives Coast to Coast AM shows and catalogues each night by the show’s hour. No more missing interviews in the middle of the night for me.

The Laura Lee Show

Tues, 9 Oct 07: Doug Vogt thinks he’s discovered the real Mount Sinai.

In the News:

California University of Pennsylvania will be holding a day long event on Thursday all about Templar history.

Fathers 4 Justice has helped clean up the purple paint on Glastonbury Tor because one of the group’s sympathizers was responsible for it.

The Notre-Dame de Marceille Madonna has been decapitated

A digital scanning process can now pick pout faint letters on gravestones. This handy bit of tech could be used in any number of investigations.

Labyrinths once more attract the faithful and those looking for inner peace. No, I’m not talking about renting the DVD of the Jennifer Conley/David Bowie movie.

After the Vatican releases the lost Templar Documents, the Papal University in Rome is hosting an astronomy conference.

On the Web:

Alchemy and ancient Egypt is in the bag for The Alchemy Web Site this week.

The Gardale web site has presented a new theory about the location of the Grail. Get your calculators out to follow this line of logic.

The Zaadz web site gives a 101 course on English language gematria.

Blog On:

What’s in a name and why is your family crest of two woodland animals chasing a rattlesnake? The Templar Globe helps you understand Medieval Heraldry.

Thanks to Bob Freeman at Quid Est Veritas blog and the Surfing the Apocalypse forum for the reprint of the Templar Document article.

Vatican Set to Release Templar Documents

The countdown to the 700^th anniversary of the arrest of the Knights Templar is now in full swing. Yesterday, the Vatican announced that on 25 Oct 07 they would release a limited edition book Processus contra Templarios that would have previously unreleased material from the Chinon Parchment and additional transcripts of the trial of the Templars in France.

The Chinon Parchment was discovered in 2001 by Professor Barbara Frale in the Vatican’s Secret Archives. The parchment gives indications that Pope Clement V absolved the Templars of any heretical acts. In a description of the Chinon Parchment the Vatican’s Secret Achieves Web Site, “The Act of Chinon, which absolves the Templars, but does not discharge them, was the assumption required to carry out the reform, but it remained dead letter. The French monarchy reacted by triggering a true blackmail mechanism, which then urged Clement V to reach the ambiguous compromise ratified during the Council of Vienne in 1312: unable to oppose himself to the will of the King of France, Phillip the Fair, who imposed the elimination of the Templars, the pope removed the order from the reality of that period, without condemning or abolishing it, but isolating it in a sort of “hibernation”, thanks to a clever device of the canon law.”

The big question is why now? There has been speculation in the wind that “something” might happen on the 700^th Anniversary of the Templar’s arrests. In the 4 Jan 2005 edition of the Guardian, Tim Acheson is quoted, "Among my peers, there are people like me who believe that these issues deserve further attention ... There's a new generation coming through that strongly believes it's time to be a bit more open. I'm part of that generation." Besides, he says ominously, "Things are about to happen that will deserve attention." Acheson has been a central figure asserting that modern day Templars still use the tunnel system in Hertford, England.

It seems unlikely that the Anniversary of the arrests and the release of the Vatican Documents are not linked. Could it be that the Vatican is simply trying to cash in on the publicity surrounding the 700^th Anniversary? Do Vatican officials have some knowledge of an event or announcement that will require a response and they are simply trying to “get ahead of the 8-ball”? Your guess is as good as mine.

Whatever happens or doesn’t happen, I’ll be in Paris on the 13^th. Sunrise at the site that Jacque DeMolay was burned at stake seems to be a fitting place for my pilgrimage to begin on the 13^th. I have the distinct feeling that I will stand close to the spot and wonder what events may or may not be taking place around me.

Don’t forget that I will be a guest on the Oopa Loopa Café Blog Talk Radio show live from Paris that night. If something is afoot, then you’ll be some of the first to know.

Grail Seekers Media Watch for the Week Ending 29 Sept 07

Grail Seekers this week:

Not much going on this week. I guess everyone is trying to avoid the same change of season cold I have been. The news for now and next week Paris…

On Audio:

Laura Lee Show

3 Oct 07: Lesley Hazelton, author of Mary : A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother will be Laura’s guest.

Red Ice Creations

I missed this one, but you can pick up Wayne Hershel’s interview about the “Masonic Star Map” from 16 Sept 07. You can find some comments of mine about on the Daily Grail Site about issues with the Tracing Board theory. He’s never answered me back….

In the News:

The tower on Glastonbury Tor has been vandalized by being painted purple.

A Hawaiian man starts hiking what he calls the Templar Trail for peace.

The “Devil’s Bible” is on display in Prague. Thanks to the Templar Globe site for the link.

The quarry of the Second Temple has been found in Jerusalem.

Blog On:

If you can figure this one out, let me know.

The Futurecult Blog thinks there is a “second” Priory of Sion out there. Just know I reported this article, well you’ll understand when you read it.

Philip Gardiner interviews author Oddvar Olsen of the The Templar Papers fame on his blog.

Assassin's Creed Trailer

For all you gamers out there that are not playing Halo 3 at the moment... Here's a new trailer from Ubisoft's upcoming release Assassin's Creed. Looks like the Templars are the bad guys in this game. I'm sure this will renew interest in the Templars in the 12-22 year old demographic. Or at least in those of us who are 12 year olds at heart.