The Mystery of Berenger Saunière and the Legend of the Hidden Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau
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INTRODUCTION
Hello Seekers! I've just returned from an incredible trip through Iberia and the Pyrenees in search of traces of the Templars' presence and the famous legend of the Holy Grail in Europe, but one place in particular caught my attention:
Rennes-le-Chateau.
Obviously, there is an immense amount of content about all the experiences I had there, but if you follow us, you will possibly see them all here. In this one, we will explore the mysteries of the small citadel of Rennes-le-Chateau and its relationships with the Templars and even with the legend of the Holy Grail.
Taking a shortcut, there is a rather famous story that in Rennes-le-Chateau a treasure of immeasurable value was found. Who found this incredible treasure was a man named Berenger Saunière, a humble representative of the church who was sent to the place with the mission of rebuilding an old chapel attributed to Saint Mary Magdalene.
The story is so famous that it gave rise to several bestsellers, including the famous “Da Vinci Code”. Of course, the story there is just a fiction, but it has gathered facts and names from the real story that we are going to tell here.
SAUNIÈRE'S JOURNEY
Saunière was an envoy of the Catholic Church of little means who was assigned to preach, care for and renovate the small church of St. Mary Magdalene. The province where the Chateau is located, is not just any place in history. In addition to having been the scene of the presence of the Celts for millennia, it was also, demonstrably, the ground of mysterious orders and Templar and Cathar missions.
If you don't know what that means, let's keep it simple: The Celts, Templars and Cathars were bearers of great knowledge and treasures not yet completely understood and revealed. For example, it is believed that the Visigoths who inhabited this region would have in their hands great treasures plundered directly from Jerusalem by Emperor Titus, when the Visigoths invaded and sacked Rome during the fall of the Roman Empire.
The treasures of Titus, plundered from Jerusalem (70 AD)
In addition, oral traditions tell that the Templars and Cathars were also defenders of an alleged treasure. This treasure, possibly the Holy Grail, was explored by us in another content that you can check out here.
Returning to Saunière, it is known that the priest, during a restoration work on the church, began to find some very old and mysterious clues left by the former builders of the place. Some even speculate that Saunière was sent by "unknown men" to Rennes-le-Chateau for this preconceived purpose.
Among the clues found by the priest are:
A mysterious set of documents, hidden in a false bottom of a wooden baluster,
A mysterious tombstone below the main altar, with a figure of the Knights Templar and one of Mary Magdalene,
One or more crypts with as yet unknown relics.
SAUNIÈRE'S METEORIC RISE
Mysteriously, Saunière, after proceeding with the exploration and restoration work on the site, began to become incredibly rich, even with the large expenditures on the site. It is proven that Saunière received substantial donations from people linked to the nobility, from the faithful and through his brother, who was a kind of representative and financier for his work. But what is quite questionable is that the amount of money went far beyond simple donations.
Saunière began work on the construction of what is now the entire location of Villa Bethania, with a small castle with a beautiful garden, a tower dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and the complete restoration of the church. Saunière became the owner of works of art and financier of artists who covered the place with hundreds of mysterious figures and drawings.
From this undertaking, rumors began to emerge that Saunière had unearthed a treasure. How could a simple man get so much money in such a short time? The meteoric rise began to arouse suspicion not only among the local population, who said the priest was violating tombs in a cemetery within Church property, but among the clergy close to Saunière.
THE MYSTERIOUS CONNECTIONS AND SYMBOLISMS OF RENNES-LE-CHATEAU
Rennes-le-Chateau's history gets especially weird once you start looking into the details. In addition to all the mystery already proven by Saunière's sudden enrichment and the connection of the place with mystical orders and relic bearers, the Father made a point of leaving many puzzles and mysteries in the way of its construction and restoration.
Saunière seems to have done this to somehow warn someone or a specific group about his findings. We remind newcomers here that allegory and symbolism are an especially useful way of getting a message across to those who matter, dodging the most superficial looks and avoiding the persecution that was very common at the time. Let's look at some of that symbolism here:
The Saints inside the Church of Madalena
Saunière strangely arranged the saints within the Church of Magdalene following a somewhat original sequence. The initials of each one form the word GRAAL, (Saint Germain, Saint Roch, Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Luke), with Maria Madalena in the middle. Was it just a coincidence, or a message for the most attentive?
The Templar Tombstone
The Templar Tombstone found by Saunière under the altar is quite curious, too. On one side, a rather faint figure shows what appears to be a veiled woman, mounted on a mule, carrying an object. Some speculate that she is a newborn, others a relic. On the other side, the figure appears clearer, showing two men mounted on a horse. Although quite strange, this sign is clearly indicative of the Templar presence and common seal of the Order of the Knights of Christ.
The Devil at the Door
I was quite surprised when I saw a huge devil to the left of the church entrance! Usually these figures are not common in these places. After an attentive tour, we discovered that the statue would be more of a carefully constructed symbolism to show the “Map” of the region.
Above the head is the baptismal font with the water source of the entire region. The hands indicate two different places: the Circle of Rennes Le Bains and the Tombstone of Marie de Negre d`Ables in a curious play on words of the hand and the knee (Cinq Genou = Saint Genou) meaning the date of her death. Even the sitting position indicates a stone from the region that is known as the "Devil's Throne". Was it more a coincidence, or a treasure map?
“Et in Arcadia Ego”
A work of art by Nicolas Poussin especially attracted the attention of Saunière, who went to the Louvre himself to buy a copy of it: The Shepherds of Arcadia (Les Bergers d'Arcadie).
The Work of Art is allegedly set in the Rennes-le-Bains region and shows a huge tomb that reads “I was (or am) in Arcadia too”. The most incredible thing is that this tomb actually existed until the 1980s, when it was “destroyed” for attracting a legion of onlookers to the place.
In the future we intend to make another content talking more about this, but what is immediately asked here is: Whose tomb was it? What does this mysterious inscription and its connection with the strange characters in the image mean?
The Cryptogram of Marie de Negre d`Ables
If you enjoy solving secret agent-style puzzles, the story of Rennes-le-Chateau won't let you down. There are a number of cryptograms that were left and discovered here that reveal secret messages. One of them, quite strange is a tombstone of Marie de Negre d'Ables that has several grammatical errors and letters placed out of position. Supposedly these letters reveal yet another clue. Can you decipher?
Blanchefort, Bezu e Rennes-le-Chateau
Lastly, there is a rather strange coincidence, although it is considered just speculation. The locations of Rennes-le-Chateau, and the Templar castles of Blanchefort and Bezù form an almost perfect triangle, with a pentagram on two other peaks in the region (Lauzet and La Soulane). The angles are exactly 72 degrees. Is this more indicative of the secret symbol we see in most of the Templar holy sites? We know that many of the ancient constructions were made using strict principles of sacred geometry.
SAUNIÈRE'S END
As everything that begins has an end, Saunière also ended up having his. The priest, with his projects and discoveries, began to bother some representatives of the Catholic Church a lot. His superiors summoned him, and pressured him in various ways to abandon his personal projects. Wealth was also questioned, which led to intense persecution of Saunière, who was even banned from carrying out his work. Even so, defying the church, the priest continued.
It is unclear what was required of him, but after an avalanche of accusations, trials, punishments, Saunière's health slowly withered to a melancholy death on his estate at the age of 65. He was even offered a pardon, but he declined to remain at Rennes-le-Chateau.
BUT IN THE END, WHAT DID SAUNIÈRE DISCOVER?
Many have speculated that Rennes-le-Chateau's secret treasure is the Holy Grail itself. The big question is: what is the Grail? Was it special knowledge? A magical stone that bestows powers of plenty and abundance? Could it be a royal lineage that goes back to Jesus of Nazareth himself? What is not clear is how Saunière turned all this into riches. Had he given the treasure to some special person or order?
Another speculation is that Saunière found a Celtic, Cathar or Templar treasure. This treasure could be a special relic that was sold, or simply *lots* of buried gold and silver that are quite common in this region. There are many signs of ancient mines from Roman times until today.
Pierre Plantard, the founder of the Priory of Sion order (which really exists, but maybe it's not what you imagine), was very keen to link the Chateau's history to the designs of a new French order, or perhaps even a world order. Many books and documentaries have been made with this story in mind, but unfortunately it is modern and highly contested. Plantard recently passed away after being discredited and denying the whole story that was created by him in a lawsuit by the French Government.
The great mystery of all the history here is that no one has been able to explain precisely why the clues were left and what was kept and discovered here. More than that, the clues still point to possible other treasures that left (and still leave) the community excited to explore the history of the place, characters and their origins.
Myth is one of the tools to motivate exploration. Countless adventurers set out in search of great treasures and knowledge, and some, even though they didn't find it, found paths, characters and stories that are told and shared to this day. The legend of Saunière and the region of Rennes-le-Chateau is the perfect background for another journey with great learning, and who knows, the discovery of the very treasure that lies within us.
Greetings, and once again, the truth is out there!
Anthony of Padua (born 1195, Lisbon, Portugal—died June 13, 1231, Arcella, Verona [Italy]; canonized 1232; feast day June 13) was a Franciscan friar and a dedicated patron of the poor. Portugal and the city of Padua, Italy, claim him as their patron saint, and he is invoked for the return of lost property
Anthony was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history, being canonized less than a year after his death.
Anthony was born Fernando Martins de Bulhões in Lisbon, Portugal.[3] While 15th-century writers state that his parents were Vicente Martins and Teresa Pais Taveira, and that his father was the brother of Pedro Martins de Bulhões, the ancestor of the Bulhão or Bulhões family, Niccolò Dal-Gal views this as less certain.[3] His wealthy and noble family arranged for him to be instructed at the local cathedral school. At the age of 15, he was received into the Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross at the Abbey of Saint Vincent on the outskirts of Lisbon.[3]
In 1212, distracted by frequent visits from family and friends, he asked to be transferred to the motherhouse of the congregation, the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, then the capital of Portugal.[4] There, the young Fernando studied theology and Latin.
In Alvise Vivarini's painting, Anthony is distinguished from the other saints by his attributes: the book and the white lily stalk.
After his ordination to the priesthood, Fernando was named guestmaster at the age of 19, and placed in charge of hospitality for the abbey. While he was in Coimbra, some Friars Minor arrived and settled at a small hermitage outside Coimbra dedicated to St. Anthony the Great.[4] Fernando was strongly attracted to the simple, evangelical lifestyle of the friars, whose order had been founded only 11 years prior. News arrived that five Franciscans had been beheaded in Morocco, the first of their order to be killed. King Afonso II of Portugal ransomed their bodies to be returned and buried as martyrs in the Monastery of the Holy Cross.[4] Inspired by their example, Fernando obtained permission from church authorities to leave the Canons Regular to join the new Franciscan order. Upon his admission to the life of the friars, he joined the small hermitage in Olivais, adopting the name Anthony (from the name of the chapel located there, dedicated to Anthony the Great), by which he was to be known.[5]
Anthony then set out for Morocco, in fulfilment of his new vocation. However, he fell seriously ill in Morocco and set sail back for Portugal in hope of regaining his health. On the return voyage, the ship was pushed off course and landed in Sicily.[6]
From Sicily, he made his way to Tuscany, where he was assigned to a convent of the order, but he was met with difficulty on account of his sickly appearance. He was finally assigned to the rural hermitage of San Paolo near Forlì, Romagna, a choice made after considering his poor health. There, he had recourse to a cell one of the friars had made in a nearby cave, spending time in private prayer and study.[7]
In 1222, in the town of Forlì, a number of visiting Dominican friars were present for the occasion of an ordination, and a misunderstanding arose over who should preach. The Franciscans had expected that one of the Dominicans would occupy the pulpit, being renowned for their preaching. However, the Dominicans had come unprepared, thinking a Franciscan would be the homilist. In this quandary, the head of the hermitage, who did not think any of his own humble friars could give a homily for the occasion, called upon Anthony, whom he suspected was most qualified, and entreated him to speak whatever the Holy Spirit might inspire.[6] Anthony objected, but was overruled, and his impromptu sermon created a deep impression on his audience. His audience was moved not only by his rich voice and arresting manner, but also by the theme and substance of his discourse, his deep knowledge of scripture, and the eloquence with which he delivered his message.
Anthony was then sent by Brother Gratian, the local minister provincial, to the Franciscan province of Romagna, based in Bologna.[6] He soon came to the attention of the founder of the order, Francis of Assisi. Francis had held a strong distrust of the place of theological studies in the life of his brotherhood, fearing it might lead to an abandonment of their commitment to a life of real poverty and service. In Anthony, however, he found a kindred spirit who shared his vision and could also provide the teaching any young members of the order seeking ordination might need. In 1224, he entrusted the pursuit of studies for any of his friars to the care of Anthony.
The traditional practice of praying for St. Anthony's help in finding lost or stolen things is traced to an incident during his lifetime that occurred in Bologna. According to the story, Anthony had a book of psalms that was important to him, as it contained his notes and comments for use in teaching his students. A novice who had chosen to leave had taken the psalter with him. Prior to the invention of the printing press, any book was hand-copied, and thus, an item of high value; a Franciscan friar in particular, given his vow of poverty, would have found such an item difficult to replace. When Anthony realized his psalter was missing, he prayed it would be found or returned, after which the thief was moved to not only return the book to Anthony, but also return to the order. The stolen book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna.[8]
Occasionally, Anthony took another post as a teacher at universities like University of Montpellier and University of Toulouse in southern France, but his preaching was considered to be his supreme gift. According to historian Sophronius Clasen, Anthony preached "the grandeur of Christianity".[7] His method included allegory and symbolical explanation of scripture. In 1226, after attending the general chapter of his order held at Arles, France, and preaching in the region of Provence, Anthony returned to Italy and was appointed Provincial superior of northern Italy. He chose the city of Padua as his location.
In 1228, he served as envoy from the general chapter to Pope Gregory IX. At the papal court, his preaching was hailed as a "jewel case of the Bible" and he was commissioned to produce his collection of sermons, Sermons for Feast Days(Sermones in Festivitates). Gregory IX described Anthony as the "Ark of the Testament" (Doctor Arca testamenti).
The story of Anthony "preaching to the fish" originated in Rimini, where he had gone to preach. When heretics there treated him with contempt, Anthony was said to have gone to the shoreline, where he began to preach at the water's edge until a great crowd of fish was seen gathered before him. The people of the town flocked to see this marvelous thing, after which Anthony charged them with the fact that the fish were more receptive to his message than the heretics of the church, at which point the people were moved to listen to his message.[9]
In another often-told story, which took place also in Rimini, Anthony was challenged by a heretic to prove the reality of the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The man, who sought to mock Anthony, brought out a half-starved mule and showed it fresh fodder. Saint Anthony showed the mule the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. The mule ignored the fodder and bowed before the Blessed Sacrament.[9] The Tempietto of Sant'Antonio marks the spot where the miracle took place. Other versions of this miracle place it in Toulouse or Bourges.
Another account tells of an occasion in Italy when Anthony was dining with heretics. He realized the food they put before him was poisoned, and he confronted them. The men admitted to attempting to kill him, but then challenged him to eat if he truly believed the words spoken in Mark 16:18 about the apostles of Christ: "…and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them." Anthony is said to have blessed the food, eaten it, and suffered no harm, much to the amazement of his hosts.[9]
Anthony became sick with ergotism in 1231 and went to the woodland retreat at Camposampiero with two other friars for a respite. There, he lived in a room built for him under the branches of a walnut tree. Anthony died on the way back to Padua on 13 June 1231 at the Poor Clare monastery at Arcella (now part of Padua), at the age of 35.
According to his request, Anthony was buried in the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini (probably dating from the late 12th century) and near a convent that had been founded by him in 1229. Nevertheless, due to his increased notability, the construction of a large basilica began around 1232, although it was not completed until 1301. The smaller church was incorporated into the structure as the Cappella della Madonna Mora (Chapel of the Dark Madonna). The basilica is commonly known today as "Il Santo" (The Saint).
Various legends also surround the death of Anthony. One holds that when he died, children cried in the streets and all the church bells rang of their own accord. Another legend is in regard to his tongue. He was buried in a chapel that became part of the basilica, where his tongue, jaw, and vocal cords were symbolically chosen as relics for veneration (as was a tradition in medieval times) to be displayed in a large reliquary. When his body was exhumed 30 years after his death, it was found turned to dust, but the tongue was claimed to have glistened and looked as if it were still part of a live body; a further claim being made that this was a sign of his gift of preaching.[10] On 1 January 1981, Pope John Paul II authorized a scientific team to study Anthony's remains and the tomb was opened five days later.
The richness of spiritual teaching contained in the Sermons was so great that in 1946 VenerablePope Pius XII proclaimed Anthony a Doctor of the Church, attributing to him the title Doctor evangelicus, since the freshness and beauty of the Gospel emerge from these writings.[11][12]
Anthony's fame spread through Portuguese evangelization, and he has been known as the most celebrated of the followers of Francis of Assisi. He is the patron saint of Padua and many places in Portugal and in the countries of the former Portuguese Empire.[13]
He is especially invoked and venerated all over the world as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items and is credited with many miracles involving lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods.[13][14]
St. Anthony Chaplets help devotees to meditate on the thirteen virtues of the saint. Some of these chaplets were used by members of confraternities that had Anthony as their patron saint.
What significance might there be to the way ‘13’ is connected with Fatima? When our Blessed Mother appeared at Fatima, each time happened on the 13th day of the month, with the exception of August. That month, she appeared on the 15th, the feast of the Assumption, because the children had been kidnapped and jailed in Ourem, preventing their going to the Cova at the expected time.
Of course, heaven doesn’t do things without a purpose, and there are major connections to the number 13 that weave into the Fatima story and can enrich its significance and meaning.
Certain numbers have great significance and symbolism for the Jewish people and for us. There were mystical meanings and sacredness attached to particular numbers in the Old Testament, which carried into the New Testament and by the Church Fathers: Three persons in the Holy Trinity; God rested on the seventh day; twelve tribes of Israel; twelve apostles. This clearly and definitely has nothing at all to do with superstition.
Another connection, the Fathers of the Church regard Esther of the Old Testament as a prototype of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Esther was among the Jewish exiles to Persia. Her uncle Mordecai cared for her and was at the same time a diligent servant of Persia’s king. When King Ahasuerus needed to appoint a queen from all the possible women, once he saw her, he “loved Esther more than all the other women; of all the virgins she won his favor and devotion, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen.” He didn’t know she was Jewish.
Esther became aware of an evil plot by Haman, a trusted official of the king’s court, who was jealous of Mordecai and his position. To solidify his power, he wrote and finalized a decree that all the Jews in the kingdom — men, women and children — were to be wiped out with the sword, to be carried out on the 13th day of the Jewish month of Adar.
Esther was asked to intercede with the king. She did so even though it could have cost her life, because she appeared before him without asking the permission necessary to see him. She walked right in with her request.
She revealed to the king that Haman had ordered the annihilation of the Jews under the king’s name and used his seal to order it be done on the 13th of Adar, and that she herself was a Jewess. King Ahasuerus loved her dearly, was outraged by the villainy, put Haman to death and gave the orders to save the Jews. On the 13th day, when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain power over them, the Jews instead gained power over their foes, through the intercession of Queen Esther.
Esther saved her people
Like Esther, Our Lady came to Fatima to save her people from evil by showing them the right path to follow. The name Esther is from the Hebrew meaning “star.” And “happiness.” Sister Lucia told Dominican Father Thomas McGlynn that Our Lady always had a star on her tunic. The star was yellow.
Esther was a queen. Our Lady is an infinitely greater queen, whom we celebrate on the feast of the Queenship of Mary, Aug. 22, and in the Glorious mysteries of the Rosary. Our Lady directed us to pray the Rosary at every apparition. Which brings up another 13.
It was in the 13th century that Our Lady gave St. Dominic the Rosary. Also in the 13th century, she gave St. Simon Stock the Brown Scapular. On Oct. 13 at Fatima, Our Lady appeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, silently teaching us about the scapular. Lucia later affirmed, “the Scapular and the Rosary are inseparable. The scapular is a sign of consecration to Our Lady.”
The Holy Eucharist
The Fatima message directs us to Jesus, especially in the Holy Eucharist. Mary first appeared on May 13, the original feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. During that apparition, the children experienced the light of God coming from Mary’s open hands; they fell to their knees and prayed, “O Most Holy Trinity, I adore you! My God, my God, I love you in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”
Mary is intimately linked with the Holy Trinity as was shown to Sister Lucia during the “Last Vision” in Tuy, Spain, on June 13, 1929. Lucia received insights into the mysteries of the Trinity and Mary’s connection. At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, Our Lady was with the apostles and together they comprised 13 people in the room.
Not only were there the 12 apostles with Mary, but looking back, there were 12 tribes of Israel — and here’s how 13 comes in. One rabbi expert pointed out the 12 tribes from the 12 sons of Jacob, who became Israel, “are bonded into their father Israel [Jacob]. Israel is the 13th. The meaning of the number 13 is thebonding of many into one.”
The rabbi also noted that in Hebrew every letter has a numeric value, and the Hebrew word ahava (which means love, as in the New Testament) is connected with God and has a numerical value of 13.
At Fatima, Mary came in love to bond us all in the love of God, by following her directives, which ultimately came from God — who St. John tells us is Love (1Jn 4:8) — into the one family of God headed for heaven.
Joseph Pronechen is a regular contributor to the National Catholic Register. He wrote this for the Spring 2022 issue of Soul Magazine.
Los Carmelitas descalzos obtuvieron un Breve apostólico de Paulo V para edificar conventos de su Orden en cualquier parte de la Cristiandad; fue este el primero que fundaron en la última parte del Monte Quirinal el año de 1606.
La iglesia se fundó en 1605 como una capilla dedicada a san Pablo para los carmelitas descalzos. La propia orden dotó de fondos a la obra del edificio hasta el descubrimiento en las excavaciones de la escultura conocida como el Hermafrodita Borghese. Scipione Borghese se apropió de ella, pero a cambio, y quizá para compensar su pérdida de influencia debido a la muerte de su tío y patrón, financió el resto de la obra de la fachada y prestó a la orden a su arquitecto, Giovanni Battista Soria. Estas concesiones, sin embargo, sólo se llevaron a efecto en 1624, aunque la obra se acabó dos años más tarde.
Después de la victoria católica en la batalla de la Montaña Blanca en 1620, que hizo retroceder la Reforma en Bohemia, la iglesia fue consagrada de nuevo a la Virgen María. Una imagen maltrecha había sido recuperada del ámbito de aquella batalla por Fray Domingo de Jesús María, de dicha Orden, de las ruinas de la casa de campo de un noble cristiano bohemio, a la cual se le atribuyó la victoria, llamándola Santa María de la Victoria. La imagen fue llevada a Roma por Fray Domingo, depositándose en Santa María la Mayor en presencia de Gregorio XV.
El nombre de Santa María de la Victoria, se dio ulteriormente, en conmemoración por haber reconquistado el emperador Fernando I la ciudad de Praga en 1671. Estandartes turcos capturados en el Sitio de Viena de 1683 cuelgan en la iglesia, como parte de este tema victorioso.
La iglesia es la única estructura diseñada y completada por el arquitecto del Barroco temprano, Carlo Maderno, aunque el interior padeció un fuego en 1833 y requirió una restauración. Su fachada, sin embargo, fue erigida por Soria en vida de Maderno (1624-1626), mostrando la inconfundible influencia de la cercana Santa Susanna de Maderno.
Su interior tiene una sola nave, amplia, bajo una bóveda segmentada baja, con tres capillas laterales interconectadas detrás de arcos separados por colosales pilastras corintias con capiteles dorados que apoyan un rico entablamento. Revestimientos de mármol que contrastan entre sí están enriquecidos con ángeles y putti de estuco blanco y dorado en bulto redondo. El interior fue enriquecido progresivamente después de la muerte de Maderno; su bóveda fue pintada al fresco en 1663 con temas triunfales dentro de compartimentos con marcos ficticios: La Virgen María triunfa sobre la Herejía y Caída de los ángeles rebeldes ejecutados por Giovanni Domenico Cerrini.
Sin duda, parte de la fama de este templo se debe a albergar una de las obras maestras del Barroco, la capilla Cornaro, espectacular y teatral espacio presidido por el grupo escultórico que representa el Éxtasis de Santa Teresa, de Gian Lorenzo Bernini, quizá la obra más conocida de este autor en el campo de la escultura. En la capilla situada frente a esta, dedicada a San José, se encuentra un grupo escultórico que representa el tema del Sueño de San José, obra del escultor Domenico Guidi, que se inspira en la obra de Bernini delante de la cual se halla.1
La imponente cúpula de la iglesia de la Maddalena al estilo del panteón de Roma
La iglesia de la Maddalena es de esos lugares enigmáticos en los que rara vez se ha podido entrar en los últimos años. Una exposición que comenzó en las navidades de 2022 permite su visita, mostrando también una colección de escenas de la vida de Jesús ¡Un viaje espiritual y artístico!
El interior de la iglesia de la Maddalena. En la parte inferior, la exposición de dioramas
LOS MASONES
Ya existía aquí una pequeña capilla en 1222. Se reconstruyó completamente en el siglo XVIII, siendo de hecho la última iglesia en ser erigida en tiempos de la Serenissima República de Venecia (7 años después Napoleón entró en escena).
Exterior de la elegante iglesia de la Maddalena
La masonería tiene una larga historia que se remonta al siglo XIV. Sus orígenes se encuentran en las organizaciones de constructores medievales, que se reunían para intercambiar conocimientos y técnicas.
Con el tiempo, la masonería se convirtió en una organización más filosófica y espiritual, y sus miembros comenzaron a centrarse en el desarrollo personal y la mejora de la sociedad. Se reúnen en las logias o templos masónicos.
LAS PISTAS MASÓNICAS DE LA IGLESIA DE LA MADDALENA
Una leyenda de finales del siglo XVIII, afirma que este edificio fue utilizado como templo masónico puesto que hay muchas pistas que así lo confirman:
???????? El ojo dentro del triángulo entrelazado con un círculo en la luneta sobre la puerta de entrada
Símbolos masónicos en la fachada de la iglesia della Maddalena
????????El rótulo en piedra sobre la puerta " Sapientia aedificavit sibi domum" (la sabiduría construyó esta casa)
Pero su interior también sigue mostrando esa unión de este edificio con los masones:
???????? La lápida de la tumba de su arquitecto, Tommaso Temanza, con un compás, una escuadra, y una brújula que recuerda a los símbolos masónicos más conocidos. Además Temanza era masón.
????????El suelo ajedrezado
???????? Los masones seguían el culto a Santa María Magdalena a quien está dedicada la iglesia
Maria Magdalena en uno de los lienzos de la iglesia
Escultura de María Magdalena en una de las hornacinas
????????El altar colocado sobre 4 + 3 escalones. la balaustrada, más el entablamento de la gran cúpula semiesférica con linterna, está sostenido por doce columnas jónicas pareadas
????????Pero sobre todo una pequeña puerta inusual en la parte trasera, muy baja, que se habría utilizado para hacer que el aspirante a masón se inclinara en el momento del acceso durante la ceremonia de iniciación para simbolizar el gesto de reverencia hacia la "sapientia" o sabiduría inscrito en el arquitrabe
EN EL INTERIOR
Es una de las pocas iglesias venecianas de planta circular en el exterior y hexagonal en el interior, sobre la que descansa la gran cúpula semiesférica con linterna que recuerda al famoso Panteón de Roma. Las seis capillas , correspondientes a los laterales de la iglesia, conservan pinturas del siglo XVIII , algunas de seguidores de Piazzetta , como La Aparición de la Virgen a San Simone Stock de Giuseppe Angeli o El Sacrificio de Isaac, encima de la puerta de entrada. Entre ellas se abren pequeñas hornacinas semicirculares a dos niveles: las superiores están ocupadas por estatuas que representan a las santas Magdalena e Inés y los profetas Isaías y David.
Santa Inés
Sobre la puerta de entrada, el cuadro El Sacrificio de Isaac
Además, aquí se conservan una Última Cena y un fresco alegórico monocromático que representa la Fe de Giandomenico Tiepolo; este último no fue redescubierto hasta 2005, tras unas obras de restauración.
Última Cena de Tiepolo en el centro
LOS DIORAMAS DE LA VIDA DE JESUCRISTO
La exposición que ha conseguido abrir la iglesia al público, es una colección de dioramas de la vida de Jesús. Los dioramas son maquetas con figuras humanas que representan una escena.
En la parte inferior, exposición de dioramas (iglesia de la Maddalena)
El detalle de algunas escenas es toda una obra de arte dentro de la otra obra de arte que es esta iglesia circular abovedada.
Diorama de la Última Cena
Está abierta todos los días excepto los lunes de 9:30 a 13:00 y de 14:00 a 17:15, hasta marzo de 2024.
Y MUY CERCA NO HAY QUE PERDERSE
LA SCUOLA DEI FENESTRERI o de los vidrieros, los que hacían ventanas y sus marcos
Encargaron el altar dedicado a Santa María Magdalena, en 1791 (pintura de la escuela veneciana del siglo XVIII).
En la derecha, justo a continuación de la iglesia de la Maddalena, la antigua Scuola dei Fenestreri o de los vidrieros
EL PALACIO MAGNO en el campo della Maddalena, con un portal gótico con el relieve de San Magno de Oderzo sosteniendo una iglesia y el Evangelio, y a sus pies, dos ángeles; al otro lado de la plaza, una hilera de casas típicas con barbacanas y chimeneas cilíndricas. En el centro, una boca de pozo de principios del siglo XVI.
El palacio Magno a la derecha de la iglesia de la Maddalena en el campo homónimo
Portal gótico del palacio Magno
Como palacios cercanos que se asoman al Gran Canal:
Palacio Marcello
Palacio Erizzo Molin
Palacio Barbarigo, que sorprendentemente aún conserva frescos en su fachada
Capilla del Puente de Sant'Antonio, con la imagen de San Antonio de Padua
Capilla del Puente de Sant'Antonio
Corte Michiel de la Comedia: la familia Michiel poseía numerosas propiedades en esta zona, como el Palacio Michiel dalle Colonne y el Palacio Michiel del Brusà)
El reflejo etéreo de la iglesia della Maddalena que parece soñada más que real
Muchos detalles hacen pensar que efectivamente esta iglesia estuvo muy relacionada con la masonería. La fachada es de una pureza que emociona y la atmósfera del interior te hará sentir el misterio que esconde. ¿Qué opinas?
Un OVNI, Mussolini y el Papa: un ufólogo dice tener pruebas de una bizarra conspiración ocurrida hace 90 años
Roberto Pinotti, presidente del Centro Nacional de Ufología de Italia (CUN), mostró documentos que indican que el régimen fascista ocultó el "aterrizaje" de una nave espacial en 1933 en Italia. Su investigación es apoyada por un ex funcionario del Pentágono, que afirma que ese objeto fue enviado a EEUU con ayuda de Pío XII.
Un investigador italiano compartió extraordinarios archivos que considera evidencia del posible primer incidente OVNI del mundo, ocurrido en Italia 14 años antes de Roswell. | CEDOC
Roberto Pinotti, presidente del Centro Nacional de Ufología de Italia (CUN), dijo que obtuvo los documentos sobre presunto accidente, ocurrido el 13 de junio de 1933 en el norte de Italia, después de que una persona anónima se los enviara por correo electrónico alegando que los había heredado de un pariente que trabajó para el dictador italiano.
Roberto Pinotti, presidente del Centro Nacional de Ufología de Italia
Los documentos de la era fascista que están en posesión de Pinotti incluyen dos telegramas de junio de 1933 en italiano, uno de los cuales exige "silencio absoluto" sobre un "presunto aterrizaje en suelo nacional de un avión desconocido".
ESTO NO LES GUSTA A LOS AUTORITARIOS
EL EJERCICIO DEL PERIODISMO PROFESIONAL Y CRÍTICO ES UN PILAR FUNDAMENTAL DE LA DEMOCRACIA. POR ESO MOLESTA A QUIENES CREEN SER LOS DUEÑOS DE LA VERDAD.
El otro telegrama, fechado el 13 de junio, amenaza con “arresto inmediato y penas máximas” para cualquier periodista que informe sobre una “aeronave de naturaleza y origen desconocidos” supuestamente hallada en suelo italiano.
“Se ordena la refundición inmediata de cualquier pista de los periódicos que lleven dicha noticia”, decía el segundo telegrama, el cual, al igual que el primero, dice que se trata de una “orden personal del Duce” Benito Mussolini.
Pinotti afirma que algunos documentos se refieren a un misterioso departamento gubernamental llamado “Gabinetto RS/33” (el Gabinete de Investigación Especial 33), supuestamente creado por Mussolini para gestionar la recuperación y el estudio de los supuestos restos del OVNI encontrado en 1933.
Benito Mussolini
Finalmente, el italiano también recibió memorandos escritos a mano en papel con membrete de una agencia gubernamental fechados el 22 de agosto de 1936 que incluyen un boceto y una descripción de un plato volador: un objeto cilíndrico con ojos de buey a los lados y luces blancas y rojas que presuntamente sobrevoló y se estrelló en el norte de Italia.
Pinotti dijo que a través de los papeles pudo identificar a SIAI Marchetti, una base aérea cerca del supuesto lugar del accidente en las afueras de Magenta, cerca de Milán, como el sitio probable donde se almacenaron los supuestos restos. Ese lugar se salvó de los bombardeos de los aliados durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial y en 1945 fue asegurado por las tropas estadounidenses y británicas.
“Un extraño avión de metal sin alas” en el norte de Italia
Dibujo del presunto OVNI que se estrelló en Italia en 1933.
La investigación y las pruebas documentales de Pinotti fueron recibidas con escepticismo en Italia. “Desde un punto de vista científico, estas son historias vergonzosas. Cualquier historiador palidecería al ver cómo uno pretende probar una cosa o la otra”, lamentó Giuseppe Stilo, miembro del Centro Italiano de Estudios OVNI, en declaraciones a Vice News.
Sin embargo, Pinotti contó a The Daily Mail que en 2000 el consultor científico italiano Antonio Garavaglia examinó los documentos y afirmó “con razonable certeza que solo la muestra examinada y el objeto de la tasación pueden considerarse originales y, por lo tanto, auténticos”.
“La evidencia habla por sí misma. Y muestra que el primer líder mundial que oficialmente (aunque en secreto) enfrentó el problema de los ovnis no fue el presidente Harry Truman con el incidente de Roswell en los Estados Unidos, sino el italiano Benito Mussolini”, aseguró.
La historia de Pinotti se ve apoyada por los recuerdos del italiano Marco Negri, cuya familia vive en el norte de Italia desde hace más de un siglo y contó que su tatarabuelo Pietro, alcalde de Arona de 1920 a 1950, le contó historias a su padre sobre un extraño “avión metálico sin alas” que se estrelló en Magenta en la década de 1930.
"Mi tatarabuelo Pietro le contó a mi padre una historia sobre el extraño accidente en 1933, desde que era joven", dijo Marco. “Era una historia de segunda mano que me contó mi padre cuando yo era niño a principios de la década de 1990. Pero coincide con la historia del accidente”.
“Me dijeron que un extraño avión de metal sin alas se estrelló en algún lugar entre Vergiate y Magenta”, agregó. “Me dijeron que había una gran censura en torno a este accidente. La policía secreta fascista fue enviada a las ciudades vecinas para mantener a la gente en silencio al respecto.
Marco dijo que la historia de su tatarabuelo también incluía un detalle salvaje que Pinotti también describió, sin evidencia: que “dos cuerpos” con “pelo y ojos claros” y “el tamaño de un niño” fueron encontrados dentro de la supuesta nave espacial que posteriormente fue escondida por el gobierno de Mussolini.
Grusch afirma que una de estas naves extraterrestres se estrelló en el norte de Italia en 1933 y fue escondida por Mussolini, antes de ser capturada por las fuerzas estadounidenses al final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y enviada a los Estados Unidos.
David Grusch, de 36 años, sirvió en la Fuerza Aérea y fue un oficial de combate condecorado de Afganistán que trabajó para la Agencia Nacional de Inteligencia Geoespacial (NGA) y la Oficina Nacional de Reconocimiento (NRO).
Grusch, un ex funcionario de la Agencia Nacional de Inteligencia Geoespacial estadounidense, afirmó que la supuesta nave extraterrestre fue enviada a los Estados Unidos después de que el Papa Pío XII informara a la Casa Blanca sobre esto casi una década antes del famoso “Incidente Roswell”.
“En 1933, se recuperó en Magenta, al norte de Italia, una embarcación con forma de campana, de unos diez metros de tamaño. El gobierno de Mussolini la conservó hasta 1944, cuando fue recuperada por agentes de la Oficina de Servicios Estratégicos (OSS, una antigua agencia de inteligencia de EE. UU.)', dijo al periódico francés Le Parisien.
"Irónicamente, es anterior a todo lo que el público ha escuchado durante décadas, como Roswell, etc.", dijo Grusch en una entrevista con News Nation.
El Departamento de Defensa negó que alguna vez se hayan recuperado restos de OVNIS en Estados Unidos. "Hasta la fecha, AARO no ha descubierto ninguna información verificable para corroborar las afirmaciones de que los programas relacionados con la posesión o la ingeniería inversa de materiales extraterrestres hayan existido en el pasado o existan actualmente", dijo la portavoz Susan Gough.
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Un investigador italiano compartió extraordinarios archivos que considera evidencia del posible primer incidente OVNI del mundo, ocurrido en Italia 14 años antes de Roswell.
