Berenger Sauniere

Bérenger Saunière was a French Catholic priest who served in the village of Rennes-le-Château from 1885 to 1909. He became famous for his mysterious wealth and lavish lifestyle, which sparked various conspiracy theories and legends about his possible discovery of a hidden treasure, secret documents, or ancient relics. He was also involved in a controversy over selling masses and disobeying his bishop's orders. Saunière was born on 11 April 1852 in Montazels, a small village in the Aude region of France. He was the eldest of seven children of Marguerite Hugues and Joseph Saunière, who was the mayor of Montazels and the steward of a local castle. He attended school in Limoux and Carcassonne, where he entered the seminary in 1874. He was ordained as a priest in June 1879 and served as a vicar in Alet and a curate in Clat before being appointed to Rennes-le-Château in June 1885. Rennes-le-Château was a poor and isolated village with a dilapidated church dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. Saunière began to renovate the church with his own funds, but soon ran out of money. According to some accounts, he found some parchments hidden in a hollow pillar of the altar, which contained mysterious codes, genealogies, or secrets related to the history of the village and the church. He allegedly took them to Paris, where he met with some influential people who helped him decipher them and offered him financial support. He also supposedly became a member of a secret society called the Priory of Sion, which claimed to be the guardians of the bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. However, there is no solid evidence for these claims, and most historians regard them as fabrications or hoaxes. The parchments were never produced or authenticated, and the Priory of Sion was later exposed as a modern invention by a French writer named Pierre Plantard. The more likely source of Saunière's wealth was his involvement in a mass trafficking scheme, whereby he sold masses to devout Catholics who wanted to have prayers said for their deceased relatives. He advertised his services in various newspapers and magazines, and received thousands of requests and donations from all over France and abroad. He also received money from his housekeeper Marie Dénarnaud, who inherited a fortune from her previous employer. Saunière used his money to continue renovating the church and building several structures in the village, such as a villa named Bethania, a tower named Magdala, an orangery, a belvedere, and a library. He also decorated the church with unusual and symbolic paintings, statues, and inscriptions, which added to the mystery and speculation about his motives and beliefs. He lived a lavish lifestyle, spending money on fine clothes, furniture, books, art, wine, and food. He also entertained guests and visitors, including aristocrats, artists, occultists, and journalists. Saunière's activities attracted the attention of his bishop, who ordered him to stop selling masses and account for his income. Saunière refused to comply and was suspended from his priestly duties in 1909. He appealed to Rome but was denied. He remained in Rennes-le-Château as a free priest until his death in 1917. He suffered a stroke on 17 January 1917 and died five days later. He was buried in the cemetery of Rennes-le-Château next to his church. Saunière's legacy has inspired many books, documentaries, films, and novels, such as The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, and The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. His life and mystery have also attracted many tourists and seekers to Rennes-le-Château, who hope to find clues or secrets hidden in his church or his buildings. His story has been interpreted in various ways, from a religious mystery to a historical puzzle to a hoax or a fraud.