Holy Grail

Controversial topic, made more by "Da Vinci Code" written by Dan Brown. A friend of mine once put forth his question on the holy grail: Is the impregnated womb of Mary Magdalene the holy grail that carried the blood of Jesus?? Or it's a something like a large container in which the blood of Jesus is collected during crucification??

Here is my take:

First and foremost let's talk of the Holy Grail. I haven't got any idea for sure, but would share with you whatever I have read and seen through documentaries and books (not Da Vinci Code!!). I may be wrong and would love to be corrected. No offence meant to anyone in particular. There are quite a few theories regarding the Grail, or rather its true nature.

1. The Cup of Life (I guess, that's the name) - This is basically the glass that Jesus and his 13 disciples drank from during the Last Supper, made popular by Da Vinci's painting on the same topic. Numerous murals too have been found on the same. The container is believed to have been very large, though subsequent Grail hunters have come to believe that it is not really that big, and might actually be a very small one..... note: Though, termed as the Grail, legend has it that it is part of the Grail treasure and not the Grail itself.

2. The womb of Mary Magdalene - This is believed to the true Grail. According to certain section of the Grail seekers and believers both Mary and Jesus hailed from two royal families. Mary had consorted with Jesus, and had borne a child of him. This resulted in a bloodline that was undoubtedly very superior to many royal bloodlines - later believed to have been the Merovingian Dynasty of France. It is this belief that has driven many a noble man over centuries in search on the very documents and as if believed by some its protection, and protection of the bloodline. (Much highlighted by Dan Brown!!)

During the First Crusade, in 11th century AD, Godfroi de Bouillion was declared as the King of Jerusalem, which he had refused. He had founded the Order of Sion, based in Mt. Sion, and later Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon, later known as the Knights Templar. What transpired there onwards has always been subject to intense speculation, save for certain facts:

1. Order of Sion ceased to show much activity since about 17th AD. Its believed that they took cover under various names and disguises to save themselves.

2. Knights Templar, when they moved out of Solomon's Temple, are said to have gone out with Trunks laden with things really heavy and certain documents/scrolls. The nature of the content known to very few. Yet, mysteriously, this very group of knights proved themselves to be very powerful in the Christian world shortly after this. Modern banking principles are credited to them.

However, Friday the 13th, October, 1307, the powerful Templars were taken in by the royal army on charges of Heresy. The attack was said to have been swift and carried out simultaneously across all Templar centres. Few escaped unscathed. This is termed as one of the deadliest operations of its age. Rumour has it that the Pope had some role to play in this matter.

The latest to fuel this particular theory was Sauniere, a small time priest at Rennes-le-Chateau, who inexplicably became a sought after person of his time. The church that he had designed for the village too was a bit off the conventional catholic church.... Sauniere's life is a mystery few have been able to uncover it save for his mixing with a certain section of the crowd, rumoured to be members and even Grand Masters of the Prieure de Sion. And then one cannot forget the induction of noted Grail hunter Otto Rahn in the SS, by Himmler (a believer in this theory), so that Rahn could continue his research and finally hand over the Grail and related findings to the Third Reich, to be utilised by Himmler to advance his notion of the chosen race. A Grail hunter of later years has claimed the Chalice which was use in the last supper was actually very small and was in possession o f a certain family in Europe.

Loads of rumours, loads of speculations, yet few can explain the attack on Mt. Segur, the sudden flourishment of Rennes-le-Chateau, Sauniere, Knights Templar convincingly without bringing in the theory of Mary's womb being the Holy Grail, the true Chalice!!

There is more......... Surf the net and god knows what else you will come up with. Here are some links from for you:
Holy Grail, Knights Templar, The Last Supper, Sauniere, Priory of Sion
These links are from wikipedia.

Note: The pictures are courtesy Wikipedia too!!