|
The ''Prieuré de Sion'', translated from French as Priory of Sion, is a name given to multiple groups, both real and fictitious. The most controversial is a fringe fraternal organisation, founded and dissolved in France in 1956 (abiding by the 1901 French Law of Associations) by Pierre Plantard. In the 1960s, Plantard created a fictitious history for that organization, describing it as a secret society founded by Godfrey of Bouillon on Mount Zion in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1099, conflating it with a genuine historical monastic order, the Abbey of Our Lady of Mount Zion. In Plantard's version, the priory was devoted to installing a secret bloodline of the Merovingian dynasty on the thrones of France and the rest of Europe. This myth was expanded upon and popularised by the 1982 pseudohistorical book ''The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail''〔Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, ''The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail'', Corgi, 1982. ISBN 0-552-12138-X.〕 and later claimed as factual in the preface of the 2003 novel ''The Da Vinci Code''.〔Dan Brown, ''The Da Vinci Code'', Doubleday, 2003. ISBN 0-385-50420-9.〕 After becoming a ''cause célèbre'' from the late 1960s to the 1980s, the mythical Priory of Sion was exposed as a ludibrium created by Plantard as a framework for his claim of being the Great Monarch prophesied by Nostradamus.〔Pierre Plantard, ''Gisors et son secret...'', ORBIS, 1961, abridged version contained in Gérard de Sède, ''Les Templiers sont parmi nous''. 1962.〕 Evidence presented in support of its historical existence and activities before 1956 was discovered to have been forged and then planted in various locations around France by Plantard and his accomplices. Nevertheless, many conspiracy theorists still persist in believing that the Priory of Sion is an age-old cabal that conceals a subversive secret.〔Bill Putnam, John Edwin Wood, ''The Treasure of Rennes-le-Château. A Mystery Solved'', Sutton Publishers, 2003.〕 The Priory of Sion myth has been exhaustively debunked by journalists and scholars as one of the great hoaxes of the 20th century. Some skeptics have expressed concern that the proliferation and popularity of books, websites and films inspired by this hoax have contributed to the problem of conspiracy theories, pseudohistory and other confusions becoming more mainstream.〔Damian Thompson, "(How Da Vinci Code tapped pseudo-fact hunger )", ''Daily Telegraph''. 2008. Retrieved on 28 March 2008.〕 Others are troubled by the romantic reactionary ideology unwittingly promoted in these works.〔David Klinghoffer, "(The Da Vinci Protocols: Jews should worry about Dan Brown’s success )", ''National Review Online'', 2006. Retrieved on 28 March 2008.〕 ==History== The fraternal organisation was founded in the town of Annemasse, Haute-Savoie in eastern France in 1956.〔(Sharan Newman. The Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code. page 243—245. Priory of Sion. есто=New York. Berkley Books. isbn=0-7865-5469-X, AEB ISBN 0-7865-5470-3 )〕〔(Extrait du Journal Officiel du 20 juillet 1956 (p. 6731) )〕 The 1901 French law of Associations required that the Priory of Sion be registered with the government; although the statutes and the registration Documents are dated 7 May 1956, the registration took place at the subprefecture of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois on 25 June 1956 and this was announced in the ''Journal Officiel de la République Française'' on 20 July 1956. The Headquarters of the Priory of Sion and its journal ''Circuit'' were based in the apartment of Plantard, in a social housing block known as Sous-Cassan newly constructed in 1956.〔Guy Gavard, ''Histoire d'Annemasse et des communes voisines: les relations avec Genève de l'époque romaine à l'an 2000'' (Montmélian: la Fontaine de Siloé, impr. 2006).〕〔Bernardo Sanchez Da Motta, ''Do Enigma de Rennes-le-Château ao Priorado de Siao - Historia de um Mito Moderno'', Esquilo, 2005, p. 322, reproducing the Priory of Sion Registration Document showing the group was based in Plantard's apartment.〕 The founders and signatories inscribed with their real names and aliases were Pierre Plantard, also known as "Chyren", and André Bonhomme, also known as "Stanis Bellas". Bonhomme was the President while Plantard was the Secretary General. The registration documents also included the names of Jean Deleaval as the Vice-President and Armand Defago as the Treasurer. The offices of the Priory of Sion and its journal ''Circuit'' were located at Plantard's apartment. The choice of the name "Sion" was based on a popular local feature, a hill south of Annemasse in France, known as Mont Sion, where the founders intended to establish a retreat center. The accompanying title to the name was "''Chevalerie d'Institutions et Règles Catholiques d'Union Indépendante et Traditionaliste''": this subtitle forms the acronym CIRCUIT and translates in English as Chivalry of Catholic Rules and Institutions of Independent and Traditionalist Union". The statutes of the Priory of Sion indicate its purpose was to allow and encourage members to engage in studies and mutual aid. The articles of the association expressed the goal of creating a Traditionalist Catholic chivalric order.〔"Les Archives du Prieuré de Sion", ''Le Charivari'', N°18, 1973. Containing a transcript of the 1956 Statutes of the Priory of Sion.〕 Article 7 of the statutes of the Priory of Sion stated that its members were expected "to carry out good deeds, to help the Roman Catholic Church, teach the truth, defend the weak and the oppressed". Towards the end of 1956 the association had planned to forge partnerships with the local Catholic Church of the area which would have involved a school bus service run by both the Priory of Sion and the church of Saint-Joseph in Annemasse.〔J. Cailleboite, "A Sous-Cassan et aux pervenches un missionnaire regarde la vie ouvriere", ''Circuit'', Numéro spécial, October 1956.〕 Plantard is described as the President of the Tenants' Association of Annemasse in the issues of ''Circuit''. The bulk of the activities of the Priory of Sion, however, bore no resemblance to the objectives as outlined in its statutes: ''Circuit'', the official journal of the Priory of Sion, was indicated as a news bulletin of an "organisation for the defence of the rights and the freedom of affordable housing" rather than for the promotion of chivalry-inspired charitable work. The first issue of the journal is dated 27 May 1956, and, in total, twelve issues appeared. Some of the articles took a political position in the local council elections. Others criticised and even attacked real-estate developers of Annemasse.〔 According to a letter written by Léon Guersillon the Mayor of Annemasse in 1956, contained in the folder holding the 1956 Statutes of the Priory of Sion in the subprefecture of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, Plantard was given a six-month sentence in 1953 for fraud.〔''The History of a Mystery'', BBC 2, transmitted on 17 September 1996〕 The formally registered association was dissolved some time after October 1956 but intermittently revived for different reasons by Plantard between 1961 and 1993, though in name and on paper only. The Priory of Sion is considered dormant by the subprefecture because it has indicated no activities since 1956. According to French law, subsequent references to the Priory bear no legal relation to that of 1956 and no one, other than the original signatories, is entitled to use its name in an official capacity. André Bonhomme played no part in the association after 1956. He officially resigned in 1973 when he heard that Plantard was linking his name with the association. In light of Plantard's death in 2000, there is no one who is currently alive who has official permission to use the name.〔Pierre Jarnac, ''Les Archives de Rennes-le-Château'', Tome II, Editions Belisane, 1988, p. 566.〕 In 2002, Gino Sandri (former secretary to Pierre Plantard) announced the revival of Priory of Sion.〔(Gino Sandri, Secrétaire du Prieuré de Sion )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Priory of Sion」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|