Montsegur, France, 1240
The Father looked to the Mother and said, “Since this part is about you, would you like to continue?”
“Certainly,” she answered. And then she pressed onward with the sermon, “There has been much speculation about what happened during the nine month long siege of Montsegur. Today, we will clear the air of what truly happened during the massacre that was to basically end the Cathars for good. But first, let’s backtrack a bit and catch up on what had been going on in the life of Guhibert de Castres.”
The Mother held her hand to his chin in a thinking position. Gathering her thoughts. Wondering how to proceed with this Guhibert character. She finally resumed, “Guhibert resided in Fanjeaux, the place where he met the elderly priest Charles, until the year 1209. That was the year the town was taken by the oncoming forces of Pope Innocent.”
“From Lanjeaux, Guhibert then traveled to Montsegur. Well, I should say that he and another traveled to Montsegur. Because the Cathars always preached and traveled in pairs. Guhibert’s sidekick was an African by the name of Philip. A man who had journeyed from Africa, to Spain, and finally to southern France. Philip had joined Guhibert one year after the young priest had found out about the Holy Grail treasures. Guhibert never told Philip about those treasures, only the sacred book that he traveled with. Only giving Philip a partial glimpse of the Holy Grail.
“Philip would stay with Guhibert until the day the Cathar priest died, which was in 1240. The two would travel together for more than thirty years. From town to town, evading the Roman forces. For three decades, the pair had evaded capture. The two most wanted men in the Holy Roman Empire, time after time, slipping away from Rome. I’d wager the Father had something to do with that.”
The Father of all things looked at his partner in all matters and said, “I admit to nothing.”
She laughed, and said, “You don’t have to my love. We all know the truth.” Then she winked at him. Knowing that he loved and cherished those winks of hers.
The Mother turned her attention away from him, and looked onscreen at the two side by side images of Guhibert, and Philip. They couldn’t have been more opposite. One, a fair skinned red headed man with light colored eyes. The other, displaying nothing but dark features. From the color of Philip’s skin, all the way to his hair and eyes.
The Mother turned from the screen, looked to her audience, and continued, “The two men arrived in Montsegur in 1209. A Cathar fortress that at the time was impenetrable to the Pope’s army. It would be from Montsegur that Guhibert and Philip would administer to the masses of Cathars who were fleeing the oncoming crusade levied against them. Using this Cathar fortress as their home base.”
“Yet the two would not remain there for long. They would travel the entire countryside of the Cathars, administering to the faithful. From Montsegur, to Bezu, to Foix, and the many other castles assembled in southern France. The two were called “the good men,” for the deeds and prayers that they performed. For administering to the many souls of southern France.
“For many years Guhibert and Philip were on the run. In hiding from the crusaders. Rome’s public enemy numbers one and two. But the Cathar priest and his sidekick were wily, and elusive. Using safe house to safe house to move along the region. Thousands of people had remained loyal to the pair. Keeping them in safety along southern France. The citizens of that area considered these two to be a sacred pair. Knowing full well that they were a wanted duo. But that didn’t stop Guhibert and Philip. They continued on their quest to heal and teach to the Cathar faithful. Led by the Father of all things, nothing was going to stop them.
“And then in 1240, at the age of seventy five, Guhibert became deathly ill. Cancer was eating the elderly man to the bone. He was too weak to travel any more. Holed up in Montsegur, he now had a serious problem on his hands. He would be unable to show anyone the truth behind the Holy Grail. A secret which he had kept to himself for forty seven years. He had told no one, not even Philip. A man whom he had traveled with for many of those years.
“But now he couldn’t travel any more. Cancer had taken away his ability to go on any type of extended walk. He was relegated to his bed, and had about a month to live.”
The Mother smiled at the memory of this gentleman. Thinking how wonderful he had been. Not the typical Amos figure who was bent on conquest in the name of the Father. Guhibert was different. He was a preacher and healer. A man who administered to thousands in the face of genocide. He healed the sick, comforted the poor, and gave many a peace of mind they had not felt before. She pondered him for a moment more, and continued, “But he didn’t see this disease which ravaged his body coming. It assaulted him before he had a chance to relay the same message he had received from Charles so long ago. He thought he still had more time, so he made no plans with any others in reference to the Holy Grail.”
“So our hero had a bit of a problem. It would be impossible to tell anyone the location of the Holy Grail. The trail was too complicated to follow. Too many hidden tunnels and trap doors for anyone to comprehend. He would be unable to copy the location down on paper. He could tell them where the treasure is at, but for them to find it would be another matter. He’d have to write a thirty seven step guide to finding the grail. He knew that wouldn’t work.”
“A week before he was to pass on from that world to this one, he sent Philip out on a quest. To retrieve five Cathar priestesses from the region, and bring them back to Montsegur. Now please watch the viewer to see what happens next.”
The viewer appeared, showing Guhibert in his bed, unable to walk due to his debilitating disease. Surrounded by the five chosen priestesses, who were all paying very close attention to every word he was speaking. They all knew that it would be a day of revelations for them. He was instructing them on the Holy Grail.
Guhibert spoke, “Now listen carefully. What I’m about to tell you is extremely important. Not just for our people. But for the generations that follow us.”
The priestesses who were assembled were named Rixende, Corba, Esclarmonde, Bruna, and India. Guhibert reached into his pocket which had been sewn inside his robe, and produced an ancient book. He handed it to the priestess who was named Esclarmonde. The youngest of the five priestesses. The daughter of the priestess who was named Corba.
Once he handed the book to Esclarmonde, Guhibert told them of the history of the book. How it was begun by Mary Magdalene, telling the true story of the life of Jesus. How others had added to the book. Lazarus, Joseph, Martha, and many others had added their two cents worth. All relating what Jesus had meant to them. How he had healed the sick, helped the poor, raised the dead, and so on.
He told them that down through the ages, others had also contributed to the sacred book.
He then told them that within its pages contained a family tree begun by Jesus and Mary Magdalene. And for the first few hundred years, the family tree had been traced, and kept track of. Done by a group which had arrived with Mary Magdalene herself. A group which still existed. Guhibert then informed the five priestesses that this group was known as the Order of Zion. A group which had sponsored, and then later became the Knights Templar.
Finally, he told them that deep within the Pyrenees, lie the bodies of Jesus and Mary Magdalene themselves. Never mentioning the vast treasure which lie underneath an ancient Visigoth castle.
After an hour of questions and answers, the five women left Guhibert to his death bed. In shock, at what had been relayed to them. Before they left, they swore an oath of secrecy to Guhibert. That they would never relay the messages given to them on that day to anyone else. And that they would pass the book on to the next generation of the faithful Cathars.