“The Hollywood version of Kabbalism has been dumbed-down but yes, like Madonna. Kabbalism has its roots in ancient Egypt and its sciences. Remember, a belief in astrology, alchemy and magic—what we might call witchcraft today—is really nothing more than a quest to understand the stars, chemistry and nature. Perfectly consistent with the Templar thirst for knowledge.”
“And perfectly inconsistent with the Church’s emphasis on blind faith over intellectual reasoning,” Amanda said.
“Exactly. The Templars chose knowledge over faith, secretly rejecting the Church to which they had pledged their allegiance. The Templars—and their religious beliefs—directly conflicted with orthodox teachings of the Church.”
Cam watched a squirrel snatch an acorn and scamper up a tree. “That would explain the whole Friday-the-13th roundup and massacre, what you said earlier about them being accused of heresy.”
“Yes, especially if you look at the historical context. I believe that in the 12th and 13th centuries the Church and the Templars formed an uneasy alliance: The Church needed the Templar army and the Templars hoped to change the Church from within. And they both were willing to overlook differences with the other in order to expel the Muslims from Jerusalem. But the Holy Land was lost in the Siege of Acre in 1291, ending the Crusades and in essence making the Templars obsolete. So, by 1307, the Church was faced with an extraordinarily wealthy and powerful military wing that no longer served any useful military purpose and had lost much public support due to the loss of Jerusalem. Not to mention the small matter of the Templars practicing a secret, pagan religion. It is no surprise that the Church moved against the Order. Perhaps because they feared the Templars might preemptively move against the Church.”
“Is there any evidence the Templars really were following pagan rituals?” It always came back to a question of evidence.
“There is. Of course, confessions made under torture are not reliable. But you know as a lawyer that when prisoners isolated from one another tell similar stories, even under torture, the evidence cannot be ignored.”
“So one confession corroborated another?”
“Correct. The Templars admitted to worshiping a figurehead named Baphomet. Some people think Baphomet was a real skull—the preserved head of John the Baptist, maybe one of the things they found while digging in the ruins of Solomon’s Temple.”
Amanda crinkled her nose. “They worshiped an actual head?”
“It was actually quite common during medieval times. As I said, John, as an Essene, was a follower of the ancient Isis worship. It could be the Templars revered his skull as a link to the early Egyptian pagan beliefs.”
Cam’s own skull felt full, like it did before law school finals.
“The other possibility is that Baphomet wasn’t a real head but rather a code word. Using an ancient Kabbalistic cipher, the word Baphomet translates into Greek as Sophia, which means wisdom. It’s also a name for the ancient Goddess, the Holy Sophia. In fact, the Gnostic texts often equate Sophia with Mary Magdalene. In other words, by worshiping Baphomet the Templars were worshiping knowledge and science and learning as well as the Goddess and Mary Magdalene.”
Interesting but probably not enough to sway a jury. “Any other evidence?”
“The Templars were a secret society so no records exists. But the circumstantial evidence is strong. For example, here is a picture of the floor pattern of the Convento de Cristo in Tomar, Portugal, a main Templar castle.” He dropped another image onto the table. “The elliptical pattern on the floor is called a yoni, an ancient symbol of the Sacred Feminine, representative of the female vulva.”
[Photo courtesy Kimberly Scott]
YONI PATTERN ON FLOOR OF CONVENTO DE CRISTO, TOMAR, PORTUGAL
Cam studied the picture. “Couldn’t it just be some arbitrary pattern?” He thought about Freud for the second time in the last few days. “Isn’t a cigar sometimes just a cigar?”
The Monsignor smiled. “With the Templars, nothing was arbitrary.” He clasped his fingers together, rested his chin on them. “I spoke to a colleague in Lisbon. Apparently the entire Convento de Christo complex contains ancient pagan symbolism. Remember, the Templars were still ‘in the closet,’ as it were, when it was built. So the symbols are tucked away—carvings that are low to the ground or turned sideways or lost in a mish-mash of other carvings. But if you know what to look for you can’t miss the signs.”
Marcotte dropped his hands to the table. “Perhaps the strongest evidence of the true Templar beliefs comes from studying the life of Bernard de Clairvaux. Bernard, now known as Saint Bernard, was an extraordinarily powerful Cistercian monk in the early 1100s—I believe I mentioned him earlier as referring to Mary Magdalene as the bride of Christ. In fact, back to Amanda’s question about preserving heads, Bernard’s skull is preserved to this day at the Troyes Cathedral in France. Bernard came from an ancient Merovingian family, so we suspect right away he worshiped the Sacred Feminine. And these suspicions prove correct—Bernard was the driving force behind elevating the Virgin Mary to sacred importance in the Church. Before that, she was only a minor figure, barely recognized by the Church. It was also Bernard who convinced the Pope to accept the Templars as the army of the Church, and he who governed Templar religious practices. Bernard ordained that every Templar chapel be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and that every battle be fought in her name.”
The Monsignor shifted uncomfortably. He slid another image onto the picnic table. “In fact, I came across a rather graphic medieval painting of Bernard lactating at the breast of the Virgin Mary. This is from a dream he had, in which the Virgin Mary cures him of an affliction with her breast milk. A disturbing image of a man later canonized as a saint but, again, his behavior and this image are more evidence of worship of the Sacred Feminine.”
[From “Medieval Images of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux”, James France (Cistercian Publications Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2007)]
BERNARD De CLAIRVAUX LACTATING AT THE BREAST OF THE VIRGIN MARY
Cam stared at the picture. No disputing it was the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. Again Cam thought of Freud. But this time it had nothing to do with cigars; it had more to do with Saint Bernard’s relationship with his mother. In any event the image made it impossible to dismiss Marcotte’s assertion that Bernard revered the Sacred Feminine.
The Monsignor seemed eager to move on. “Two more interesting facts about the Cistercians.” He explained that many of their practices—dress, lifestyle, vocations—were identical to those in the Essenes community. “Remember, it is the writings of the Essenes that the Templars may have found under Solomon’s Temple” He also explained that, during Bernard’s time, the order enlisted the assistance of Kabbalistic rabbis to help translate and study ancient Hebrew texts.
“Weren’t the Jews being persecuted at that time as non-believers?” Amanda asked.
“Very much so. Which makes the collaboration between the Cistercians and the Kabbalists all the more strange.”
Fair point. Why consult with the Kabbalists if you believe them heretics? And what exactly were they translating if not ancient Essene writings contemporaneous with the life of Jesus?
“Finally, we find more proof of Templar beliefs when we look at the Freemasons.” He described how Venus worship and symbolism played a crucial part in Masonic ritual. “The Statue of Liberty is an example. It was a gift from the French Masons to the New York Masons. The original architect, Frederic Bartholdi, conceived the statue as an effigy to Isis, who of course herself is a representation of the Sacred Feminine.”
The Monsignor stood. “I don’t come to these conclusions easily. And I don’t expect you to take just my word for it. Much of what I have told you is out there, written in books by scholars in Europe, some pieces here, some pieces there. It was just a question of pulling the threads of the tapestry together.” He sat again and removed a folder from his bag. “For example, this is a quote from Stephen Dafoe; he and Alan Butler have written
numerous books about the Sacred Feminine and the Templars: ‘It has long been the belief of Alan Butler and myself that the Templars, while Christian on the surface, were dedicated to reuniting the feminine aspect of divinity with the Godhead. It is not at all surprising to note that the patron of the order, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, was an absolute devotee to the Virgin Mary and was largely responsible for her present place of prominence within Catholicism. The Templars, as stated earlier, dedicated all of their properties to the Virgin Mary.’”
The Monsignor made a pretty compelling case. More importantly, the information was consistent with everything else Amanda and he had learned.
Amanda interrupted his thoughts. “That helps explains the Rex Deus fixation. They pronounce they are the guardians of the true teachings of Jesus. But what are those secrets? Perhaps now we know.” She looked at Cam. “And if Rex Deus families know the secrets, you can be bloody certain the Consortium knows them as well.”
“I think that’s a fair conclusion, Amanda,” Marcotte said. “And it explains much of the Consortium’s secretive behavior. This is not something they probably want to be associated with. At least not at this point in history.”
Cam backtracked. “Let’s go back to 1307 for a second. The Pope figures out the Templars are really a cabal that is, as the word itself suggests, practicing Kabbalism or some other pagan religion. And worshiping the Sacred Feminine. So with the French king’s help he rounds them up, tortures them, puts them in prison, takes their land, burns a bunch of them at the stake. What happens next?”
“Well, whatever the truth of the allegations against the Templars, the result is not open for debate: As you said, the Order was decimated; those that weren’t killed or imprisoned were forced to flee and go underground.” Marcotte grimaced. “I can only imagine the pain this must have caused them. These are men who had sworn their lives to the Church, who had forsaken families and material wealth to serve their faith. And, importantly, probably had no idea they had somehow crossed the Church. To be suddenly excommunicated, ostracized, exiled….” He shook his head. “I can tell you what happens to priests today who are defrocked. The psychological impact is severe, their whole concept of who they are is shattered. And these are priests who have committed grave sins, who deserve to be cast aside by the Church. For the Templars, the blow must have been devastating.”
“How could they have not known they were being … heretical?” Amanda asked.
“Just as Cameron is Rex Deus yet had no idea of the true teachings of Jesus, so too the average Templar Knight, stationed in some abbey in Europe, knew nothing of Baphomet, knew nothing of the secret rituals performed by Templar leaders in France. Most of them couldn’t even read. Like any soldiers, they were not privy to the inner secrets of their central command.” Marcotte swallowed. “They worshipped Christ and the Virgin Mary just as other Christians did; in fact, they often gave their lives for them. Today, thankfully, the Church is much more forgiving in its treatment of its priests.”
Perhaps too much so. Cam never had much sympathy for defrocked priests, especially in light of his friend Marty’s experiences. But Marcotte’s anguish for the Templars was real.
“Do not underestimate the power of faith and religion. These men and their families—the remnants of the Templars—were not the type to just slink away. They were fighters. I would be very surprised if they did not play a large part in this mystery of yours.”
* * *
Salazar hesitated before placing the call to Reichmann. The Monsignor was, after all, a servant of God, no matter what his persuasion. The life of a holy man should not be taken lightly. But there was no choice—he needed to buy more time for Thorne and the girl.
“I am in Maine, following Monsignor Marcotte. I think he set up a meeting with Thorne.”
“So you are back on their trail?”
“No. Something must have spooked them,” he lied. “They didn’t show. The Monsignor waited an hour; he’s getting back in his car now.”
“He might still lead you to them. Follow him. And keep me apprised of your location—I think it is time we had a little talk with this Judas.”
CHAPTER 13
[Thursday Afternoon]
“By now they will have figured out you are not in Nova Scotia,” Monsignor Marcotte had warned when he bid them farewell. “They will be getting more and more desperate to stop you.”
Cam drummed on the Subaru’s steering wheel; he didn’t really have a destination in mind. Amanda now agreed it was almost certain that a Vatican fringe group, feeling threatened by their research, was intent on stopping them in any way possible. “It’s like we talked about earlier. The only way this ends is if we figure out what the treasure is and where it’s buried. Otherwise we’re going to have to just keep driving around forever, running from this hit squad.”
Amanda said, “Well it seems to me that if we want to locate this treasure, we need to begin thinking like medieval Templar Knights. After all, they’re the chaps who buried it.”
“Brandon told me they never took off their loincloths, even to bathe.”
She crinkled her nose. “I said think like them, not act like them. Besides, they were celibate.”
His face flushed; he tried to hide it by scratching his ear as he smiled back at her. Today was Thursday. They had been on the run since Monday. She had dyed her hair on Tuesday morning and the rash on her face, though largely faded, had been conspicuous since Newport. It was as if the blond, bitchy, cream-skinned Amanda of their initial meeting never existed. Only the accent remained.
She stared out the window a few seconds. “Among all the carvings at Roslyn Chapel, all the thousands of images, there exists only a single written inscription. It reads, ‘Wine is strong, a king is stronger, women are stronger still but the truth conquers all.’”
The truth conquering all statement went against the concept of blind faith. As for the women comment, feminism wasn’t exactly in vogue back then. “It’s not what you’d expect to find in a medieval chapel.”
“Unless the chapel was built by someone who worshiped the Sacred Feminine. And believed in truth over faith.”
“A Templar. William Sinclair.” Prince Henry’s grandson.
She looked out the window again. “And there’s another matter. The Monsignor spoke of the Grooved Ware folks, who evolved into the Druids, who were also Venus worshipers. Fancy this: The Druids always met in groves of oak trees.” She looked at him knowingly.
“I’m not following you.”
“Sorry. Sometimes I forget you’re so new to all this. Almost every important site in America is associated with oak trees. The Oak Island Money Pit, for example—of the 300 islands in that area, it is the only one with oak trees. And we seem to always find oaks, sometimes red and sometimes white, near artifacts like the Westford Knight and the Newport Tower and the Boat Stone.”
“You think the oak trees were planted on purpose? Maybe to help mark the spot?”
“Precisely. Recall that the Templar colors are red and white, like the oaks.”
They rode in silence for a few minutes before Amanda spoke. “One more observation: If the Templars worshiped the Sacred Feminine, it stands to reason they also understood the importance of ley lines.”
“Ley lines?”
“Ancient energy lines, believed to contain the psychic energy of the earth. The ancient megalithic peoples—the Grooved Ware people, for example—built most of their structures on or near them. Think of them as areas where the earth’s energy is released—fault lines, mountain ranges, rivers, canyons.”
“Wait. So you think Prince Henry would have been looking for these ley lines?”
“I do. It’s part of the Mother Nature worship. They believed these sites were sacred.”
“Do you know what Nashoba means?” he asked quickly. Nashoba was the Indian name for the Westford area.
“No.”
“It means ‘Hill that Shakes.’ You know, like an earthquake. Westfor
d sits on a geological fault line. That enough energy for you?”
“The Knight is on a bloody ley line.” Amanda whistled. “I didn’t know. Of course it makes sense—Prince Henry would have been looking to settle along an energy line.”
“You know what else? This goes back to what Forsberg was telling us about where to find the stone holes—on top of the highest hills, along rivers, at the coastline.”
“Yes. They’d all be considered energy line areas.”
He pulled into the fast lane. “I think we should head back to Westford. Brandon mentioned Cowdry Hill. If that stone foundation in the Gendrons’ backyard really is Prince Henry’s encampment site, and if he really did mark it with the Boat Stone, there may be other clues up on that hill.”
She smiled wryly. “May we camp out again?”
The light was fading in the early evening but the sky remained clear. “I think it’s too dangerous to get a hotel room, especially close to Westford. So I guess we get another night under the stars.”
She took his hand, squeezed it, her voice suddenly serious. “Actually, please drop me at my flat. I’m sorry but I’ve had enough of this.”
His head jerked around involuntarily. “What?” A cold knot tightened his chest.
She laughed, her eyes shining. “Just wanted to keep you on your toes. You might as well get used to it. You’re stuck with me.”
* * *
Navigating a series of back roads into Westford, Cam followed an old railroad bed deep into the woods and hid the Subaru in the brush. As the daylight faded, he and Amanda set up camp in the same East Boston Camps site he had spent his first night on the run. They did so quickly, efficiently, a brisk wind again keeping most of the mosquitoes away. Cam ate an energy bar and an apple as he worked.
“I’m filthy,” she announced. She pulled off her shirt and trousers and stood before Cam in a black bra and panties. “I’m going for a swim.” She unceremoniously stepped out of her panties and unclasped her bra. “Join me, won’t you?” she said, holding out her hand.
Cabal of The Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower (Book #1 in the Templars in America Series) Page 25
