The Order of the Priory of Sion

The Priory of Sion is a mythical secret organisation /order with fabricated roots older than the Order of the Temple. The 'Priory' story was a clever hoax by a group of Frenchmen, whose front man Pierre Plantard sold it to the writers of 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' and the story took off from there. Of course, there is the theory that the hoax story is a hoax to hide the real Priory of Sion!

"Themes such as Arcadia, the number 58, Black Madonnas and Mary Magdalene are found in noticeable profusion where the Priory is supposed to have had influence, and in the works of artists, writers and poets who are said to be connected with that organization. These recurring themes would seem to indicated an 'underground stream' of esoteric belief." - Lynn Picknett & Clive Prince, Turin Shroud - In Whose Image? The Shocking Truth Unveiled

"...This mysterious secret society brought itself to light in 1956, and is listed with the French directory of organizations under the subtitle 'Chivalry of Catholic Rules and Institutions of the Independent and Traditionalist Union', which in French abbreviates to CIRCUIT - the name of the magazine distributed internally among members. Depending on what statutes one considers, Sion either has 9,841 members in nine grades, or 1,093 members in seven, with the supreme member, the 'Nautonnier' or Grand Master of the Order being, till 1963, Jean Cocteau. While it is believed the head has been Pierre Plantard de St.-Clair up until recent times, he claims to have left that post in 1984, so it is not clear who runs the organization at this time." - Steve Mizrach, "The Mysteries of Rennes-le-Chateau and the Prieure du Sion"

The members of the Order of the Priory of Sion is divided into two effective groups: a The Legion, charged with the apostolate. b The Phalange, guardian of the tradition

The hierarchy of nine grades consists of: a in the 729 provinces 1 Novices:6,561 members 2 Croices:2,187 members in the 27 commanderies 3 Preux:729 members 4 Ecuyers:243 members 5 Chevaliers:81 members 6 Commandeurs:27 members in the Arch 'Kyria' 7 Connetables:9 members 8 Senechaux:3 members 9 Nautonier:1 member

The office of Nautonnier or Navigator, is symbolized by the boat of Isis.

"Isis holds in her right hand a small sailing ship with the spindle of a spinning wheel for its mast. From the top of the mast projects a water jug, its handle shaped like a serpent swelled with venom. This indicates that Isis steers the bark of life, full of troubles and miseries, on the stormy ocean of Time. The spindle symbolizes the fact that she spins and cuts the thread of life." - Manly P. Hall, Masonic, Hermetic, Quabbalistic & Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy

The boat of Isis "was positioned in the constellation of Argo. Specifically, in Egypt this constellation was named Sothis or Soth-Isis, the Star of Isis. Furthermore, in the Egyptian legends this vessel represented the female organ of generation." - David Wood, Genesis

The Ark of the Covenant of the ancient Israelites is believed to have been modelled after the ceremonial ark of Isis.