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Since late 2003 Alpheus received much internet traffic
by people looking for information on the Priory of Sion
(PoS) and finding Robert Richardson's article The
Priory of Sion Hoax. This is probably caused by Dan
Brown's best-seller The Da Vinci Code, in which the
author affirms, correctly, the existence and, erroneously,
the exalted status of the Priory of Sion as a "Fact"
(p.2).
Find below a collection of links relevant to the historical
truth regarding the "Priory of Sion," including
articles by, and a discussion between, the two PoS-experts
Robert Richardson and Paul Smith.
Articles by Robert Richardson
The
Priory of Sion Hoax
Article exposing French extreme right-wing forces behind
the Priory of Sion myth. A plausible answer to the many
questions raised by Michael Baigent et.al. in their bestseller
Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Originally published by Gnosis
(No. 51, Spring 1999). [50KB]
The
Priory of Sion Secret and The Da Vinci Code
[96 KB]. Article on the "illusory society"
the Priory of Sion, its roots in Ultra-Traditionalist Catholicism
and its efforts to take over the esoteric scene by way of
a compelling, though fabricated, overarching narrative.
Resources by Paul Smith
The Priory-of-Sion.com
website of Paul Smith. Collection of smaller and larger
papers and documents on the mysteries surrounding Rennes-le-Château,
Bérenger Saunière, Priory of Sion, Alpha Galates,
Pierre Plantard, etc.
Priory
of Sion Debunked.
The
Real Historical Origin of The Priory of Sion.
Pierre
Plantard the Traditionalist Roman Catholic and Pierre
Plantard Profile. Exposing the founder of the Priory
of Sion.
Michael
Baigent. Critically examining the main author of Holy
Blood, Holy Grail.
Priory
of Sion Fake Parchments: History of a Hoax
History and analysis of the two parchments allegedly found
by Sauniere.
The Richardson-Smith discussion
Robert Richardson's research finds ample confirmation in
the research done by Paul Smith, but also receives some
critical comments in his articles. The point of disagreement
betweeen the two researchers is about Pierre Plantard's
status of being either a "front man" (Richardson)
for more mature and older Catholic groups and individuals,
or being an inventive, megalomaniac "lone nut"
(Smith).The subsequent discussion between Robert Richardson
and Paul Smith went in the following chronological order:
"The
Priory of Sion Hoax" by Robert Richardson (4/23/03)
"Priory
of Sion Misconceptions: Robert Richardson and Steven Mizrach"
by Paul Smith (Summer 03)
Response
by Robert Richardson (9/7/03)
"The
Robert Richardson Hoax" by Paul Smith (9/8/03)
Response
to Paul Smith by Robert Richardson (9/10/03)
My
Reply to Bob by Paul Smith (9/10/03)
Response
from Robert Richardson to Paul Smith's "The Robert
Richardson Hoax," analyzing five specific criticisms
Paul Smith leveled against him. (1/6/05)
More
Robert Richardson Hoaxes by Paul Smith
Other sources
Priory
of Sion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Good start.
Beyond
The Da Vinci Code: History and Myth of the Priory of Sion.
By Massimo Introvigne. Thorough paper by a leading scholar
on new religious movements. Paper presented at the 2005
conference of CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions)
An
enquiry into the sources of ‘The Da Vinci Code.’
By Marie-France Etchegoin for Le Nouvel Observateur (9 September
2004).
The
ruins of a mystery. Review of Henry Lincoln's The
Holy Place: The mystery of Rennes-le-Château: Discovering
the eighth wonder of the ancient world for Times Literary
Supplement by Paul Bahnof.
The
Da Vinci Con. Review of The Da Vinci Code for
the New York Times by Laura Miller.
The
Da Vinci Crock. Article by Laura Miller for salon.com
(12/29/04). Author points out the many ideas Brown lifted
from the 1982 bestseller Holy Blood, Holy Grail,
the authors of which are suing Brown for "breach of
copyright." (worth wading through the ads)
Bloodline
of the Holy Grail: The Hidden Lineage of Jesus Revealed.
By Laurence Gardner. Reviews from Publishers Weekly and
Charles W. Evans-Günther. "... an amazing patchwork
of scholarly trappings and dizzy tomfoolery stitched together
with myth and fable ..." See also a critical
look at Gardner's Grail King pretender "Prince
Michael of Albany."
Ruling
in the Baigent & Leigh vs. Random House Case
Judgment in the case of Holy Blood, Holy Grail authors
suing Dan Brown for copyright infringement.
Judge:
'Da Vinci Code' did not breach copyright laws
AP article on the judgment, its background and consequences.
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