King René, Priory of Sion, and The DaVinci Code
by Mike Raymond • January 2006 • 12 Comments •
Dan Brown’s book The DaVinci Code, with its conspiracy oriented theme, was so popular it spawned numerous books supporting or refuting his controversial interpretation of the Holy Grail’s meaning in the mythology of Christian Europe. I enjoyed both the “thriller” and “secret history” sides of the story, shared it with others, and finally stored it on a book shelf.
Order of Merit and Mary Magdalen
There is another connection between Dan Brown’s book The DaVinci Code and Lambda Chi Alpha. This connection takes the form of the design of the Order of Merit medal.
This medal is described in the 1962 edition of the Paedagogus as being a “…cross fleurette arising from a crescent … surrounding this pair of symbols … is an oval of light rays above which appears the name of the Order on a streamer.”
Our Order of Merit medal is modeled after the emblem of the ancient Order of St. Mary Magdalen.
Every reader of The DaVinci Code knows that Mary Magdalen’s place in Christian History is at the heart of the controversy associated with this popular book.
The 1962 Paedagogus states that the Order of St. Mary Magdalen was one of the most ancient societies, founded in 1614, but traces its linage back to the Order of the Lilly founded in 1048.
Both Holy Blood, Holy Grail and King René d’Anjou and His Seven Queens establish a connection between Mary Magdalen and King René.
The connection is made through René d’ Anjou’s ownership of a wine cup claimed to have been used at the Cana wedding as described in the Bible.
King René inscribed this rather cryptic verse on the wine cup:
“Whoso drinks me
God shall see.
Whoso at one good breath drains me
Shall God and the Magdalen see!”
No matter what this saying means, other questions remain to be answered.
Did King René believe this wine cup was the lost Holy Grail? Or did he have secret knowledge of the occult Holy Grail?
No matter what the answers are to these questions, the fact remains that there is a connection between Mary Magdalen and Lambda Chi Alpha.
That connection is the emblem chosen to represent our Order of Merit by the Chicago General Assembly in 1933.
A few months ago, when I started to do some research concerning Jack Mason (Pennsylvania 1913) and René d’Anjou, I found a connection between King René, the Priory of Sion, and The DaVinci Code.
Grand Master René
It is well known that Brown drew upon many esoteric and occult sources of information for concepts that are pivotal to his book’s storyline. One of his main sources of creative inspiration was Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln.
This popular book was first printed in 1982 and remains a consistent seller to people who are interested in epic conspiracies and hidden plots. I read this book many years ago and remembered it featured a list and biography of the Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion in the book.
After a brief search, I retrieved my copy of the book and discovered King René name listed on page 421 as a Grand Master of this organization. The authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail wrote a six-and-a-half page historic and esoteric biography on our legendary founder.
What are we to make of this claim? Was King René a Grand Master of the Priory of Sion and thereby a guardian of the real secret of the Holy Grail? This theory certainly makes for an exciting and entertaining experience for people who like to view history in a non-traditional manner. Is the Priory of Sion a fact or a fiction of western history?
Dossiers Secrets
A Frenchman by the name of Pierre Plantard claimed to be the latest of the Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion. He spent much of his life promoting the existence of this organization as the protector of the real Holy Grail.
In truth, there is no evidence of the existence of this organization prior to 1956. In that year a document, the “Dossiers Secrets,” was published claiming that the Priory of Sion was founded by Godefroi de Bouillon in Jerusalem in 1099 and that Jean de Gisors served as the first Grand Master or “Nautonnier” from 1188-1220.
While De Bouillon is a well documented historical figure, Gisors is about as mysterious as the Priory of Sion.
The “Dossiers Secrets” also mentions that King René was a Priory Grand Master from 1418-80, meaning the connection of King René to the Priory of Sion was first claimed in a manuscript published in 1956.
Did Mason Know?
It is interesting to note that there is no evidence that Mason discovered this occult or hidden side of King René’s life. If anybody back in his time would have uncovered this connection, it would have been Mason.
Mason was famous for his ability to do scholarly work. He was tireless, meticulous, and extremely knowledgeable about doing proper historical research. Old issues of the Purple, Green, and Gold document his dedication to careful work as he developed our ritual.
I think it is unlikely that Mason would not have written something about this alleged occult side of King René. The fact that he did not write about this subject indicates to me that the historic record about René alleged involvement in the Priory of Sion did not exist at that time.
On the first page of The DaVinci Code, Brown asserts that the Priory of Sion is a real organization with a long historical pedigree. However, a recent biographical profile of Plantard documents that in 1993 Plantard admitted, under oath, in a French Court headed by Judge Thierry Jean-Pierre, that he had fabricated the story of the Priory of Scion.
With this admission, there can be no doubt that the Priory of Sion was the creation of Plantard.
Perhaps Plantard, who died in 2000 at the age of 80, created this fantastic story to further his life-long need for publicity or to gain personal political power. Whatever the case, this information provides an interesting footnote to the story of how a 15th century French king inspired Mason to create Lambda Chi Alpha’s ritual.
Tom Earp Says:
January 2nd, 2006 at 4:56 pmOnce again Brother Raymond You have done The Members proud with You astute Knowledge and delving into History!
It is always well accepted by those of Us who love the Historical Facts.
Thank You so much for giving not only Us as Alums but New Members LXA History!
It seems that one said, History is not in the minds eye, but a repetetive reposatory of life.
Outstanding Article as always!
In ZAX,
Marty Schaller Says:
January 2nd, 2006 at 5:51 pmMike-
Very interesting and entertaining piece on an aspect of The DaVinci Code, Dan Brown’s super-best selling novel. One thing that so many people have failed to note is that it is a NOVEL. Your brief article regarding the Priory of Sion’s nonexistence is one more proof that reinforces the obvious conclusion that Dan Brown wrote a work of fiction, not an effort to reveal “truth.” After all, the same Harvard professor went through the same kind of adventures in Angels and Demons, which I think is a better story. Those who believe the final revelation in The DaVinci Code need to realize that it is highly unlikely that such a secret could remain hidden in modern times with our penchant for “leaks.’
Todd Levari Says:
January 2nd, 2006 at 8:18 pmThe DaVinci Code is baseless, and seeks to turn people away from the truth of God’s unyielding word. I am surprised to see it gaining attention in a Christian Fraternity’s publication.
Todd Levari
High Pi
EKZ @ Drexel University
John Weium Says:
January 3rd, 2006 at 1:17 pmIt is inevitably obvious for any one who is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and also a Freemason that one should look at the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in which state Jack Mason resided and get a records request to see if he was one. I have heard that almost all of the IFC fraternity rituals were written by freemasons. Any freemason (including myself) who is also a member of lambda chi alpha could easily tell you there are many aspects of not only blue lodge freemasonry but also many aspects of the scottish rite and york rite of freemasonry in the ritual.
John Weium 32
Baylor University ‘03
Glen Alan Graham Says:
January 5th, 2006 at 5:51 pmHistory was my minor as an undergraduate at the University of Idaho, and has always been one of my three great loves (the others being Spanish and other foreign languages, and, tops, our Lord Jesus and His earthly Body, the Church). Dan Brown’s book dismayed me when I first read itm because he presents so much pseudo-history as the novel’s “background”. He even opens with a page purporting to stress what IS fact in it; one of his “facts” is the existence of this Priory of Sion. Thru my extensive reading and research of history, including medieval Eurpoean history, I knew that a lot of what Brown stated in the book was false. Reading “The Da Vinci Code” spurred me to review the research and re-confirm that, for example, the Secret Dossiers were forgeries, the Priory a hoax, and Jesus our Savior being married with children an extreme flight of fancy, if not outright malice.
I enjoyed this article. However, some of the wording could be better written, to strengthen the historical fact that Rene DID NOT have anything to do with the Priory or with occultism. And actually, he was never truly a king (altho’ the brotherhood calls him that).
Glen Alan Graham Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 1:53 pmI had to exit the terminal before I was finished (public library time limit). But I also wanted to say that, even tho’ Brown’s novel presents very questionable historical “facts”, as FICTION (from first page to final) it was very entertaining reading — a true “page-turner”.
In ZAX,
EG 540 (Glen Alan Graham)
University of Idaho 1976
Glen Alan Graham Says:
January 6th, 2006 at 4:36 pmOh, and I also wished to reply to a couple of the replies.
For one, Brother Levari’s reply echoes, sort of, my initial response to the novel. Actually, it was a good thing that my intro it was in a book-reading club, and when I expressed my dismay at the deceptiveness of the “historical” background, the other readers in the club reminded me that it is, after all, fiction. And as I say above, it’s FICTION from first page to final, including that erroneous “Fact” page. And, Bro. Levari, why should not our Christian fraternity discuss attacks, deliberate or (as I think Brown does) inadvertent, on our faith’s foundations, so that borther may be informed? In this case, that Brown’s novel is fiction without historical foundation. I concluded above that I considered that Brother Raymond had done that, with a minor exception (concerning “King” René himself).
Second, being myself a Freemason (Idaho Lodge No. 1) as well as a Lambda Chi Alpha, I deeply appreciated Brother Weium’s words. I of course knew from my education as an Associate Member that Bro. Jack Mason was a Freemason. And I was High Phi at Epsilon-Gamma Zeta when I did my Masonic degrees. Naturally, I was quite impressed by the many similarities between the two rituals. (Of course, I cannot go into these.) The Bro. Jack Mason connection between L.C.A. and A.F.& A.M. became crystal clear!
Thaks, brethren all of you, for your comments on this topic! May our Lord Jesus Christ bless Lambda Chi Alpha, as the Fraternity’s ritual blessed — and continues to bless — me!
In ZAX,
EG 540
Owen Says:
January 19th, 2006 at 10:42 pmGreatly enjoyed your blog. I just finished reading the DaVinci Code and found it riddled with historical errors, but highly entertaining. For example, Dan gets it dead wrong about the Council of Nicea. Nicea was a battle over whether Christ was fully or partially divine; not whether he was solely human or solely divine. If you have a moment, take a look at my blog at http://emissaryx.blogspot.com/. Best!
Ed McCrohan Says:
May 17th, 2006 at 11:42 amI think that the posible relationship between the Priory and the French push for EU and Euro is an interesting focus for conspiratory buffs.
If it were a fact that the French monarchs were decendants of Mary and Jesus perhaps the current French Prime Ministers attitude and actions are intented to assert their claim to leadership of the Western branch of Christanity as opposed to American born again Christians.
Esclarmonde Says:
June 26th, 2006 at 6:02 pmI’m just wondering if anyone has heard about a new documentary film featuring interviews with the Priory of Sion? I’m looking for released date info. Thanks.
Esclarmonde Says:
June 26th, 2006 at 6:09 pmI’d like to inquire whether anyone has heard anything about a new documentary coming out with Priory of Sion interviews? Thank you.
Donna Williams Says:
March 6th, 2007 at 9:50 pmHow do we know that Plantard was telling the truth. Just because he made an admission in court, doesn’t make it so. Maybe he admitted to the Priory of Scion being his creation to protect himself.
Dan Brown’s book has some interesting theories that could have some truth in them. Is there any reason why Jesus could not have been married to Mary Magdalene?