The Rise: Sauniere's Magical Workings and the Penitential Movement in Europe

In medieval Europe, a new power was rising. A heresy had infiltrated the Catholic-hierarchy beginning a centuries-long campaign to alter the Church's original teachings. This heresy was a penitent movement, based on a Babylonian cult of the dead. The bizarre public spectacles they displayed -- and still do today in the streets of Europe -- include acts of penance and self-mortification, but there are smokescreens to draw attention from the movement's true workings. The authors led a team of researchers tracking this movement from the Middle East to Italy, Germany and France. Eventually, they realized that the mystery of Rennes-le-Chacirc;teau, linked with the extraordinary fortune of one Beacute;renger Sauniegrave;re, was another episode in the long and intriguing tale of this heretical movement. The Rise reveals that within the world of religion there have long been secret battles between the Church hierarchy and various movements that have tried to penetrate and take it over-sometimes successfully!