The Phoenician Code

by Karim El Koussa

  What am I doing here? Paul fretted, inwardly. He took a deep breath to control himself, his astonishment. Leaving the Fortress was out of the question, now that the curiosity of the seeker in him had been piqued. He had no choice but to wait for things to evolve. “I will get some rest now, thank you for your hospitality,” he managed to say, without sounding defeated.

  “Good. Oh… when time comes, I will be knocking on your door. You will have to meet the Keepers of the Word in the Living Room. Please, wear your new clothes to join us. It’s an important meeting,” he said, as he turned to leave. And then, swiftly looked back at Paul with a wide grin, “I’m Nabil, by the way, a Keeper of the Word, just like you. Welcome among your brothers.” With that late introduction, he disappeared down the stairs.

  Inside the bedroom, rest failed Paul, as he succumbed to his endless thoughts.

  .25.

  Meeting the Keepers

  Wednesday, November 3, 12:21 PM

  Almost an hour elapsed before the expected call came. He leapt to his feet, at once, with his heart at a gallop. Time had come for him to meet fate... his fate. “I am now a member of an Order, a very ancient Order of Keepers of the Word—a Secret Order,” Paul muttered in thrill.

  His hands shook as he tried on his new white outfit. He missed a button or two, unbuttoned the jacket, and then started again. He was quite nervous, and he practiced breathing slowly and repeatedly, in order to calm down, then went to stand in front of the mirror. He smiled, liking his new reflection. It, somehow, reminded him of the Pythagorean Brothers, who used to wear white outfits inside their White City. Come to that, the Asayas, known also as Essenes—a religious fraternity of Mt. Carmel and Galilee—had similar outfits too.

  His curiosity grew, but he managed to remain composed, as he slowly descended the spiral staircase, and headed straight for the Living Room. Paul stood at the door and heard voices inside. A conversation was taking place.

  “Are you absolutely sure that the time is appropriate to reveal ourselves, and the Secret of our Order,” the voice demanded with apparent anxiety.

  “Don’t worry; all the signs indicate that this man is the long-awaited, Fifth element! I’m sure we can count on his loyalty,” this man’s sharp voice replied soothingly. “The Secret will be well kept with him, as it has been with us, and with all those who have preceded us in the Order.”

  No one spoke. Paul felt tense, and swallowed at the silence that followed. Then, the first voice finally broke the silence. “If so, then I would kindly ask our brother, Nabil, to open the door. Let us welcome our new brother.”

  As evident as it seemed, Paul doubted they knew he was eavesdropping behind the door. He stepped back, and waited for Nabil to comply. When he did, Paul was ready to meet those strangers, who had decided to accept him into their Secret Circle. He entered slowly, and saw two men sitting at the Round Table. They stood up, at once, and welcomed him among them in a convivial manner that surprised him. They then introduced themselves as Dr. Robert Bechara and Professor Michel Chahine. Paul noted their white outfits, similar to his, and eagerly introduced himself, before he realized that they already knew who he was. Well enough, in fact, to call him: the Fifth adept of their Secret Order. His mind refused to entertain that notion any longer.

  He advanced, resolutely, towards the table then promptly came to a stop, surprised. A man, whom he had known for a long time, was slowly making his way to the Living Room. Paul gawked, in awe, at Dr. John Najem, whom he could never have guessed to be part of that Order. Dr. Najem… the same friend he had often met and dined with, back in his hometown.

  A serene smile met his bewildered countenance. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of thoughts charged into his head, as the man walked towards him, saying in a comforting voice, “Hello, Paul! Glad to see you here, at last. I have been observing you for a very long time. Frankly, I’ve always delighted in your questions and queries about life and its mysteries. I knew we would, one day, meet under different circumstances, although I wasn’t quite expecting them to be right here, like this.”

  “But… I don’t quite understand. Why did you never tell me about the Order, Doctor?” Paul asked, confused. “I mean, after all these years! You never mentioned anything about it! Why?”

  “Yes, I did. Sometimes, I would imply a few things, here and there. I often used to begin my statements, or end them, by saying, ‘According to Tradition’. Remember?”

  “Well, yeah I do.”

  Dr. Najem nodded with a grin. “And, you never asked me what I meant by Tradition. And if you had, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you, in any case, would I?” he teased him cheerfully.

  Paul didn’t know what to say. He felt their impatient stares on him. “No… I don’t believe you could have,” he finally conceded.

  “Very well then, let’s sit and enjoy our coffee.”

  Then they all smiled cordially, and sat at the Round Table. The unusual situation in which he dwelt reminded him of a famous scene from the past; a movement that flourished at the beginning of the Middle Ages; the Knights of the Round Table. The Round Table had, essentially, served as meeting place for the Knights, its shape a reminder of egalitarianism. Paul immediately recalled Padre Joseph telling him about the Knights, and about their quest for the Holy Grail; King Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin, and Parsifal. Their Semi-Legend, however, has remained one of the most famous fables in recorded history. First mentioned, as early as the 6th century AD, the story had evolved progressively into its permanent, popular form, some time between the 12th and 15th century.

  Tradition relates that the Knights had secretly quested for the Holy Grail: the Sacred Cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. It was the same Grail, which Joseph of Arimathea—the Christian adept—had filled with the blood of Jesus, bleeding on the cross, and had kept with him. Upon arrival in Britain, and according to many ancient and contemporary writers, Joseph founded Christianity, and was known to have built a monastery at Glastonbury in Somerset. Glastonbury could well be identified with the Island of Avalon, mentioned in the Arthurian Semi-Legend!

  According to Tradition, the Grail had passed down, from one generation to another, in Joseph’s family. The Grail, known to possess many miraculous properties, would supply food for those in need, and strike with blindness and muteness the impure and impious, who would dare come into its presence! Whatever the case may be, another movement had appeared in the Middle Ages with a similar secret quest: the Knights Templar.

  Who were the Knights Templar? Was there any connection between both movements? Paul wondered. That was yet another dilemma for him to unlock. Maybe… just maybe, he could find some answers in the books at the Library. Nabil had earlier claimed that nearly everything a man wanted to know could be found there. The Historian decided to indulge in this invitation as soon as possible.

  The time was 01:10 PM in his watch. Lunchtime. The five men sat at the dining room table, and enjoyed their first meal together, as brethren of an ancient Order. Dr. Najem smiled at Paul, across the table, wiped his mouth with a napkin and addressed him, “After reflecting upon your many questions during the course of the many pleasurable evenings we spent together in conversation, I chose to observe you, very carefully. In fact, I have enjoyed every single time we have talked of History, but you caught my attention when you showed so much interest in Secret Societies and the Mystical Alphabet.” He stopped, and took a sip from his glass of wine. Paul looked at him with eagerness. He wanted to know more.

  “Later, I knew you were in Gebel, so I contacted Gabriel, and asked him to keep a close eye on you. He updated me about everything. Slowly, I began to see the signs that, unequivocally, indicated you might be the one we have been searching for…” he halted for an instant before he added, “I won’t lie to you, of course; I had my doubts, at first.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, Dr. Najem,” Paul interrupted him, confused, “What do you mean by ‘the signs’?”

  The other three adepts: Dr. Bechara
, Professor Michel, and brother Nabil, turned their heads to look at him, and then at Dr. Najem. The expressions on their faces reflected curiosity, as if they, too, needed clarification from him. Their eyes lit in expectation.

  “You did exhibit an unusual interest in the Mysteries of Gebel. Then, when Gabriel reported to me your exploration of the Mystery Chamber, and your tenacity in entering it—at a very critical and dangerous time—I understood that you possess the necessary determination, and courage, to face the unknown mystical world around you.” He smiled widely then cleared his throat with a sip of wine, and continued, “So far, you have proved to posses two major qualities most people lack: the will of knowledge and the courage of heart.”

  “In addition, you never mentioned the vision you had experienced to anyone, not even your friends,” he continued. “You have successfully kept the word, without betraying your faith in Jesus Christ, when faced by the creature from hell in the underground chamber. Although you fell in battle against it, you succeeded in refusing its many material temptations,” he paused, “And this, my friend, weighed heavily upon my decision in favor of accepting you,” he ended thoughtfully.

  Paul just sat there, quietly looking at the four men around him, with great interest.

  “To tell you the truth,” Dr. Najem said, resuming his talk. “Rare are those who have penetrated, deep into the world of the Mystery Chamber, and come out enlightened, true Initiates. Other than the four of us, here present, very few in Loubnan, or anywhere around the world, share the Occult knowledge of the Ancients. And yet, my friend, there is still much for you to know.”

  “Like Gabriel, right?” Paul put forward.

  “Right. It is true Gabriel ignores the procedures of the Fortress; however, he is well informed of the secrets of the Mystery Chamber. That is the reason why he stands as its Guardian and Keeper. As for you, I had detected the signs earlier, but waited to be certain, before informing my brothers in the Order.” Dr. Najem paused for an all-around glance at his silent audience. “That is how we have concluded that you are indeed, the Fifth element, needed to complete the points of the Star... the five-pointed star. You are a Keeper of the Word. You will learn from us, and you will be required to keep the word protected. There are others: the Keepers of the Grail, the Keepers of the New Testament, and the Keepers of the Sacred Heart…”

  The four Keepers nodded in agreement with Dr. Najem’s words. Paul took a deep breath, and sighed in relief and gratefulness.

  “At any rate,” Dr. Najem continued, “we have certainly encountered Satan in our Initiation journey. We, as well as some other Keepers in the world, have conquered it, that creature from hell: our deepest illusion. How unfortunate that you’ve failed against Satan, despite the fact that you knew all too well that it was an illusion. Fortunately, though, you survived Tsaddi. In concordance, we will reveal to you the essence of that evil nature. It is your evil side. We are here to show you, and teach you how to defeat it and become what you are: a Keeper of the Word,” he ended with pride in his voice.

  Paul frowned, engrossed with so many speculations. Satan defeated me... my evil side defeated me. He thought of that and of his survival too. The battle is still on, and I must win the next time I meet it!

  In the world of matter, where human beings live, everything seems to be distorted by a certain measure of unawareness. Time and space captures them forcefully. Their unconscious finds itself unaware of its consciousness. Still, life is not about engaging in the act of killing, whatever the case may be, but rather, absorbing the negativity in the world, and turning it into positive energy.

  “We will show you how,” the promising voice of Dr. Bechara captured Paul’s attention. His serious features, softened by the silvery streaks of maturity, made him look like, nothing other than, the prototypical psychiatrist. His somber black eyes inspired respect, as did his strict posture.

  “So… do you believe that I still have a good chance to win the battle?” Paul asked, anxiety taunting the joy in his heart.

  “We will teach you how,” Dr. Najem reassured him with conviction. The eldest among the brothers, Dr. Najem, could pass for a Harvard professor, the kind who had seen it all in the last six decades of his life. There was an air about him, in his manners, that almost made him pass for a know-it-all, were it not for his relaxed and amiable approach.

  “Don’t worry, we will guide you along the way to the light that shines inside you,” added Professor Michel, his grey eyes smiling behind his rimless glasses. In fact, Professor Michel seemed to smile all the time, even when he didn’t. Paul assumed that impression was due to his peaceful features framed in soft grey hair, though it probably had more to do with the dimples on his chubby cheeks.

  Then, Dr. Najem stood up, and they all did likewise. He raised a toast, and welcomed Paul inside the Order. Sharing that unforgettable moment with his new brothers had surely delighted his enlivened soul. He felt, somehow, unable to articulate all the thoughts that he wanted to express so eagerly. In fact, being an adept of that beatified Order was a choice he had to accept—the best choice ever. This is my fate, he believed.

  “I hope you have enjoyed your first meal with us,” Dr. Najem addressed his guest, his brother now, with an inquisitive look and a hint of a grin.

  “Yes, I did… very much.”

  “Very well then, we will have some time for rest now. You may do as you please, feel free to wander around if you like, this is your home.” Dr. Bechara sounded sincere.

  “Thank you.” Paul smiled widely, and nodded.

  “Oh… before I forget,” Professor Michel interfered. “We’ll be seeing you at five, for tea. We expect you to be punctual, okay?”

  Paul nodded again, in agreement, before they headed out calmly with a promising smile on their faces.

  .26.

  The Guardians of the Grail

  Wednesday, November 3, 05:00 PM

  With time on his hands to use freely, he decided to check on some matters at the Library; matters related to the Knights Templar. Paul wanted to know if there was any possible relation between them and the other Order, the Knights of the Round Table. A dilemma he wanted to solve.

  Eventually, as he perused through the immense archive, he came about numbers of stories on the Templars. The most common being the one found in history books, another was written by Freemasons, as well as other secret societies, depicting the Initiation of the Templars by the sect of the Johannite of the Orient—the Mandaeans! However, in almost all the other tales, Paul found no concrete evidence of the link between the Knights of the Round Table and the Templars. He began reading from the classical version described in historical records.

  The Knights of Christ constituted a religious order, officially established in Medieval Palestine by two Frenchmen, Hughes de Payens (Payns) and Geoffroy (Godefroy) de Saint-(Adh) Omer, some time around the year 1118 AD. Seven other people joined in, later. All nine members, French, took a public vow of chivalry to protect the Christian pilgrims, visiting the Holy places, during the Crusades. The Crusades first started in 1095 AD, with one main purpose, and that was to drive the infidels out of Jerusalem, and preserve its Christian character.

  Those Knights lived like poor monks, searching for the Holy Grail that contained the blood of Christ. They claimed to have found it, and kept it protected. Being on good terms with the authority of Rome, they became the bankers of the Catholic Church, in addition to other European royalty. With time, they succeeded in acquiring thousands of acres of lands that belonged to the Feudal noblemen in Europe, and they worked on harvesting and making them prosperous.

  Their blind and greedy ambition made them extremely wealthy and powerful. The King of France, Philip le Bel (the Fair), and Pope Clement V sought to share their wealth. Obviously, the Templars refused, alienating the powers of France and Rome, a big mistake that goaded the Pope and the King to hunt them down all over Europe. As a result, some were arrested and cast in prison.

  The Church accused th
e Templars of spitting upon the image of Christ, denying God, and worshiping a monstrous idol, the Baphomet! These were enough reasons to end the Order. Jacques de Molay, their Master at the time, perished in the flames of condemnation with a few others, on Friday the 13th, around the years 1312 and 1313 AD. No more than a few years later, the Pope and the King vanished in mysterious ways, but the war continued.

  The Knights Hospitaller, who regarded St. John the Baptist as the most important figure in Christianity, after Jesus, opposed the Templars and allied with the Church. Later, they became known as the Knights of Malta. The Church and the Knights Hospitaller confiscated all the wealth and estates of the Templars, and thus, the Order ceased to exist. Those who survived spread throughout Europe, working secretly under a different name.

  Here’s a possible link! Paul exclaimed inwardly. The only solid link between them and the Knights of the Round Table was their quest for the Holy Grail, but that didn’t prove any existing relation. Still focused on the large book in his hands, he decided to ask the Keepers about the Templars, before going through the famous version of the Freemasons.

  At five, they met for tea in the Living Room, as agreed. An urgent matter needs solving right away! he thought. The guidance to the Inner light within him, which the Keepers had promised, would have to wait, for the time being.

  “Excuse me, Dr. Najem; there is an urgent issue I need to discuss with you and the brothers.” Paul addressed him, the moment they settled on their seats. “Recently, I’ve been wondering about the Templars. Who were they? What’s their true story, I mean?” he asked, hoping for clarification.

  “Well, this is an interesting topic that was meant to be taken up in one of our coming meetings,” he answered, understanding his need. “The story of the Knights Templar is a little complex and eventful. We do not need to worry about all its details now. We will only concentrate on the Templars’ belief of the Grail.” His quick and precise answer shocked Paul, who instantly felt as if Dr. Najem had anticipated such a question, and prepared to answer it in the right way. Was he reading my mind? Paul wondered.