It is with Knightly honour that we are empowered to have great knowledge from within & without. With such knowledge comes power, a power that is naturally produced & requires no additional influences to achieve great things. Power is not about the control of others, it is about harnessing the inner strength & full understanding of one's purpose in this particular existence, such truth that can only be realised at a knightly level“Within Craft teachings many acronyms are used for the purpose of the Craft Journey, thus keeping infomation secure and safe for those whom are meant to ‘know’ and ‘see’, and those whom are meant to truly do. Of course, the word G.R.A.I.L. could be interpreted as such, as an acronym, which would make sense in respect of our teachings and codes. The original meaning in Latin, (which of course could be a giant red herring if the word is an acronym) means cup or vessel, but not necessarily a cup or vessel as we know it, but in a metaphorical sense, adding meaning to any story. It is portrayed as a chalice type of vessel for story-telling purposes, but a vessel can refer to a living vessel too…”
QUEST 28: INTO FRANCE: DIJON & AUTUN
2ND NOVEMBER 2019
So on Saturday the 2nd Nov we made an early start as we bade farewell to Luxembourg and its lovely old churches and very wet weather! One last look from our very modern apartment window and we were off on the road again on a very long journey; a four hour drive this time, yet exciting non the less! We were on our way to Dijon, France!
Saint Michael’s Church, Dijon, France: As soon as we arrived in the old part of Dijon and parked outside of St Michael’s Church, i knew i would love it here. Dijon is the capital city of the historical Burgundy region in eastern France and one of the country’s principal wine-making areas. It is known for its traditional mustard, vineyard tours, autumn gastronomic fair and building styles ranging from Gothic to art deco. Most folks would know of Dijon because of the mustard made in the region and of course one could not visit without sampling and buying some of the lovely mustards sold there, which we certainly did; both traditional and more modern varieties. The buildings are old and traditional and no attempts are made to modernise them; they just blend effortlessly into the landscape as if they have always been there. The earliest archaeological finds within the city limits of Dijon date to the Neolithic and later Dijon became a Roman settlement named Divio, located on the road from Lyon to Paris. The province was home to the Dukes of Burgandy from the early 11th until the late 15th centuries when Dijon was a place of tremendous wealth and power, one of the great European centres of art, learning and science. It now holds an International and Gastronomic Fair every year in the autumn.
I felt very at home in the quaint old streets of Djion <click to enlarge>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dijon
This church is a very imposing building in an Gothic/Renaissance architectural style with an amazing frontage. The first building on the site of the Church of Saint-Michel was a chapel, dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It’s first mention was found in urban Chronicles dating back to the IX century and was built of wood, being located in the cemetery. In the beginning of XI century, the chapel already had the status of a parish church, yet could not accommodate all the parishioners in the hours of worship. It was therefore decided to build a more spacious building, it was consecrated in the year 1020 by the Bishop of Dijon. The majestic façade of this flamboyant Gothic style church was completed at the peak of the Renaissance period and reflects the three classical styles. On the tympanum of the main doorway is the Last Judgement by the Flemish painter, Nicolas de la Cour.
From a Craft point of view there was very strong ‘pyramid energy’ there with connected symbolism within the church; it was also very interesting to see a knights memoriam from 1573, that has a direct connection to the Fordham surname; (the Fordham line) which was an amazing find, and of course connections once again to our ‘Quest for the Grail’. Also lots of emphasis here to the ‘All Seeing Eye’, proving that christianity as we know it today, is quite different from what it used to be a few centuries back in the past. Christianity has certainly evolved but one can not help but think – has it evolved for the better…?
Some of the symbolic artifacts in St Michaels Church, Djion, with emphasis to the ‘All Seeing Eye’ and a Knights Memorial connecting to the Fordham Line. <click to enlarge>
http://dijoon.free.fr/bestof/stmichel.htm
Stopping off at Djion on our long journey from Luxembourg to Autun in France proved to be a lovely and very interesting stop; after the church we wandered around the old town, browsed in old shops, bought some mustard and other treats, and even saw a little bookshop that seemingly could have come straight out of the movie ‘The Ninth Gate,’ and had lunch in a very funky bar in the new part of Djion 😉
Grail Bloodline Connections:
- King Arthur found his info here on his Grail Quest.
- Fordham line connection re knights memoriam from 1573
Sunday 3rd Nov: Autun, Bourgogne: Back on the road again, we made our way, driving for several hours through France to the large (as once was) Roman stronghold of Autun, which would have been thriving back in the day. When we arrived at our accomodation we could not have been more pleased ansd amazed for it was like a mini chateau with beautiful views from the inside windows.
Our beautiful chateau in Autun France; as beautiful inside as out 🙂
Autun is a commune in the Saone-et-Loire department, France. Located in the Boudgogne-Franche-Comte region, it was founded during the Principate era of the early Roman Empire by Emperor Augustus as ‘Augustodunum‘ to give a Roman capital to the Gallic people. In Roman times the city may have been home to 30,000 to 100,000 people, according to different estimates. Nowadays, Autun has a population of about 15,000. Yet back in the day, Autun was a huge transient community, with blocks and blocks of Roman soldiers, businesses and trades passing continually through; an extra 70 thousand people; phenomenal really. Augustodunum was a planned foundation replacing the original oppidum Bibracte, located some 25 km (16 miles) away. Several elements of Roman architecture such as walls, gates, and a Roman theater are still visible in the town.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autun
The Temple of Janus: On the agenda today was to be the Roman temple of Janus (Nergal), only just up the road from where we were staying,and very imposing and dominent upon the landscape with a great feeling of power with human sacrifices being made here. Janus is usually shown with two faces, looking into both the past and the present: The god of doorways, new beginings, new transitions and gates; hence in Roman mythology; the Gatekeeper and Nergal. Janus was able to assist folks on their journey (from a spiritual point of view), unlike the more modern St Christopher whom assisted upon the physical journey. A stautue of the Gatekeeper (usually holding keys) is to be found in many churches far and wide; usually on the left hand side of the church or in the north/east quadrant, guarding the entrance. Interestingly, England takes one of it’s months, January from the cult of Janus; very appropriate for the first month of the year.
The very impresive Janus Temple <click to enlarge>
The temple, a Romano-Celtic religious structure lies in the center of a vast sanctuary, whose extent and complexity was revealed by excavations conducted between 2013 and 2016. The site’s history dates back to Neolithic times and underwent an important phase of monumental construction in the 1st century CE. The temple was abandoned at the onset of the Early Middle Ages, and its structures were later reused in the fashioning of a Medieval defensive work. The temple has retained two sides of its square cella at a height of over 20 meters, as well as vestiges of its ambulatory and side structure foundations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Janus_(Autun)
The Roman Ampitheatre: The next port of call was the very well preserved Roman ampitheatre where great public events would have been staged in past times and if one were to close one’s eye today and listen carfefully, one can almost here the roar of the crowds and the rumbling wheels of the racing chariots! The semi-circle of stepped seating is very well preserved and one can see underground ‘caves’ presumably for holding animals and gladiaters (maybe poor slaves too) Discovered a few years back by accident, concerts and gigs are now held here and nearby is the House of the Warden of the Roman Theatre. The link below contains a lot of extra info to the theatre and to the whole area, so well worth a look.
https://www.romeartlover.it/Autun.html
The Roman Ampitheatre and Wardens House <click to enlarge>
The Pyramid of Couhard: The pyramids of the area, which we visited next, two more being nearby of which there is not much written about, hold great energy and power within the landcape, obviously from a templar point of view, one reason why we are questing here and one reason why Arthur, on his own Grail Quest would have also been here in the area. The pyramid we visited is different to the ones we have aforetime visited, and unlike the ones found in Egypt either, for this one had funerary connections. When the land was being excavated and being prepared for farming, thousands and thousands of cremated ashes were found in urns, all dotted around the area. When further excavations were carried out, a big pillar/marker was found dating from about 100 AD. This turned out to be the marker post of a memorial garden, similar to todays modern rose memorial gardens; a very fascinating place with more than a hidden secret or two…. The views from atop the pyramid area is amazing, one can see the cathedral in the distance and of course the mystery more pyramids in the landscape.
The Pyramids and views <click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline Connections:
- Arthur (real name-Lucius Artorius Castus from the family Artoria) passed through Autun, as part of the Roman army and as a military commander
- Nascien Desposyni; our head researcher’s 49th GGF (480-551)
Next a total delight, not part of our quest as such but a rare find indeed, because of it’s mystery, history and heritage, this little church just in the vicinity of the pyramid at Couhard, just drew us inside. Ancient and full of amazing energy, it harks back to a time when christianity was more magical and ‘pagan’ than modern day paganism and the rites performed were so very different from todays christianity.
There were symbols here that connected to magic, the enochian ways, the All Seeing Eye, the Alpha to Omega in true magical context, proving that what is be refered to as ‘the occult’ in many circles is certainly deep Craft or old christian knowledge, waiting to be dicsovered here; but hidden within plain sight and never actually ‘seen’…
Please click on each image to fully reveal the symbolism here
We stopped at a lovely town for a lunchbreak and a spot of food shopping, but i have completly forgotten where!
Eglisse, Church of Saint Ferreol, Le Bourge, Curgy: After lunch and another short journey, still remaining very much in the area we found ourselves at what was without a shadow of a doubt, a true Templar church. Geographically one of the most prominent places in the area, this church was originally built and owned by the Knights Templar, as the surroundings and building would indicate and one of the most truest templar builds that one could see in one’s lifetime. The Templars would have operated from out of this religous building until the year 1369, until it all suddenly came to a halt due to the Papal Bull and the subsequent arrest of the Knights Templars. Moving forward in time Pope Clement VII (1478-1534) performed a marriage ceremony for Catherine de Medici (1519-1589) (his niece) to King Henry II of France. The wedding took place here, in this church, on 28th Oct 1533. What an honour and how wonderful to actually go inside where kings, lords, ladys etc had been to what was certainly a major wedding of that time.
Sadly not much on the internet, especially in English that i can share but did find a mention to the series of statues, the very wooden polychrome of the XVIIth century and in the cul-de-four of the apse, and to the splendid wall painting of the XIIth century of the Christ in glory in a mandorle, above the altar, surrounded with the tétramorphe, the four evangelists represented by the symbols of the book of Ezéchiel and of the Apocalypse.
A wonderful church, steeped in Knights Templar history and most certainly a place, at the left side of the main altar, where knights would have received their ‘accolade’, would have been made knights; very much like the famous painting entitiled ‘The Accolade’ but for real here. See our video below for much more detail. At the other side of the altar, hidden behing a curtain, is an original painted fresco featuring the Archangel Raphael with a sun disk above and very much worn away, an ascending Benu Bird. On the way out we stopped near a modern representation of the Maddona or Ava Maria or Mary Magdalen or the Black Maddona, to ponder upon the many names used for this Lady within time and space, yet all one and the same within history.
Thje Templar & Roman sites of Autun
Grail Bloodline Connections:
- Desposyni connections to the area, both Nascien (450-494) and Galains (480-551) (48th GGF)
Putting aside the spiritual side of our quest and all the knowledge gained for a moment, this was the most amazing road trip ever. We journeyed through 6 countries including the uk; the experience of a road trip is mind expanding in itself; an experience that i fully embraced and will never forget. A sense of being ‘on the road’ is mind expanding, a great and can be likened to Life’s Great Journey – a true gift indeed. Many friends and followers have followed our quests since the very beginning and have read my in depth write-ups, so have a good idea of what the quests are about. It is always from a physical, spiritual and metaphysical purpose that we partake of these quests, which deepen with every new journey.
“The Keeper of Scrolls” March 2020
Knights of the Red Order
Email me at ‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’
