The Church of Mary Magdalene: The Sacred Feminine and the Treasure of Rennes-Le-Chateau

Have not finished the book yet, but it's fascinating stuff for those who enjoyed "The DaVinci Code" and have an open, independently thinking mind. :)

THE CHURCH OF MARY MAGDALENE - The Sacred Feminine and the Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau by Jean Markale. Inner Traditions, One Park St., Rochester, VT 05767; www.innertraditions.com; [email protected]. 311 pp. $18.95 trade paper, ISBN 0-89281-199-4. illustrations, footnotes, index. Markale considers that the mysterious Abbe Sauniere and the designs he sought for the Mary Magdalene Church in a remote area of southern France associated with the Cathar heretics and other controversial Catholic groups such as the Templars are symbolic of the belief that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. The Abbe was active in this area in the late 1800s. He was himself a controversial figure who antagonized French politicians while also currying favor with local wealthy patrons who helped him with his project. The Abbe's project also calls into question the place of Jesus's mother Mary in the foundation of the Catholic Church and Christianity. Markale does much guesswork based on bringing together clues scattered widely over time and place to shed light on and raise both theological and historical questions about the origins and shaping of Christianity. He's the author of previous books on similar subjects and ancient Celtic culture.