Source: “The Woman With The Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalen And The Holy Grail”, By Margaret Starbird, 1993.
Heretical Artists And Their Symbols.wav
This podcast explores how various European artists, once believed to be orthodox, subtly embedded heretical symbols and ideas within their paintings, challenging the dominant interpretations of the Catholic Church. It specifically highlights the Grail heresy's influence, emphasizing its doctrines like the restoration of the Davidic monarchy, millennial harmony, and personal enlightenment through the Holy Spirit. The text suggests that artists like Botticelli and Fra Angelico used recurring motifs, such as the red X, the pomegranate, and specific floral arrangements, to secretly convey meanings related to the denial and repression of the feminine and the alternative church's understanding of figures like Mary Magdalene and Jesus. Ultimately, the source argues that these "secret symbols" were a form of "wily disinformation," allowing artists to express their allegiance to a hidden tradition under the very nose of the Inquisition, with the red X itself being an ancient symbol of "true enlightenment" and the union of male and female.
Topic 1: The Grail Heresy and its Challenge to Orthodox Beliefs The sources introduce the Grail heresy as an alternative church that offers new insights into European art mysteries, beyond just the tarot cards. This secret tradition held several key doctrines that stood in opposition to the orthodox church's hegemony over thought. These included the promise of the restoration of the Davidic monarchy, a millennial vision of a world in harmony with God, and the belief in enlightenment and personal transformation achieved through a direct, personal encounter with the Holy Spirit, rather than simply adhering to a creed. Many artists and esoterics formed an alliance with these heretics, sharing secret knowledge and understanding that the suppression of the feminine principle had distorted society, robbing it of ecstasy and freedom. Their collective efforts aimed to restore the "Woman," or the forgotten feminine, to collective consciousness.
Topic 2: Botticelli's Shift Towards Heretical Symbolism Sandro Botticelli, a renowned Renaissance artist from Florence, exhibited a puzzling transformation in his later paintings, particularly from around 1483 onwards. While his earlier works appeared conventional, pieces like the Bardi Madonna (c. 1485) and others from that period became almost inexplicable to art historians, often labeled as "enigmatic" or attributed to an undocumented "mystical" experience or the influence of the zealous monk Savonarola, though the timing for the latter is too late. The key to understanding this mysterious shift is the suggestion that Botticelli served as the grand master of the secret Grail cabal, the Priory of Sion, from 1483 until his death in 1510. This purported leadership role explains the deliberate inclusion of Grail heresy doctrines and esoteric symbolism in his works painted after that pivotal year.
Topic 3: The Esoteric Meaning and Prevalence of the Red X The red X is presented as a profound esoteric symbol, meaning "true enlightenment" or "lux" (light) to the heretics. It functioned as an antiestablishment symbol, fundamentally signaling what they perceived as a flaw in orthodox Christian doctrine: the denial of Jesus having a wife. This symbol appears consciously in several of Botticelli's works, specifically those painted in or after 1483, the year he allegedly became the grand master of the Priory of Sion. Examples include a red X in the bodice of the Madonna in The Madonna of the Book and across the breast of an angel in The Madonna of the Pomegranate, notably on the "feminine side." Fra Angelico also used this symbol subtly, such as three tiny red Xs placed unobtrusively under Mary Magdalene's left hand in his Noli Me Tangere mural, emphasizing a conscious link to the maternal bloodline. The prevalence of the X symbol in the Middle Ages is also linked to legends, such as that of Saint Andrew being martyred on an equilateral cross tilted sideways, an attempt to legitimize its esoteric meaning. Its modern pejorative connotations (e.g., "X-rated") are seen as a deliberate act by the establishment to discredit the symbol and its associated truths, while its archaic meaning represents the sacred and equal union of male (symbolized by A, the blade) and female (symbolized by V, the chalice).
Topic 4: The Symbolism of Mary Magdalene and the Denied Feminine Mary Magdalene is depicted as a central figure in the heretical tradition, consistently associated with symbols that challenge the orthodox church's portrayal of her and the feminine. She is frequently linked to the "pearl of great price" and the Grail, implying her profound value within this hidden church. Paintings show her in an "Astarte pose," cupping her breasts, reminiscent of Middle Eastern fertility goddesses. Other depictions include her with a black glove on her left hand, symbolizing the maternal bloodline and the "Widow Sion." The prominence of her palm in some images also points to the symbol of maintaining faith in the Davidic Messiah. Georges de la Tour's paintings of the Penitent Magdalen consistently depict her as pregnant, directly countering the orthodox insistence on Jesus's celibacy and affirming a physical bloodline. The "rose," particularly the red rose, is sacred to her, representing Eros and the passionate, bridal aspect of the feminine that the established church denied. Botticelli's "Derelicta" painting is interpreted as the "abandoned" and wounded feminine, symbolizing the collective effort by heretics to restore the forgotten woman to consciousness.
Topic 5: Heretical Interpretations of Traditional Christian Iconography Many religious paintings from the medieval and Renaissance periods, though appearing orthodox, contain symbols that, when viewed through the lens of the Grail heresy, take on entirely different meanings. The pomegranate, often seen in Botticelli's works, particularly held by the infant Jesus, is interpreted by heretics not as a symbol of everlasting life (the orthodox view), but rather as an ancient symbol of physical, sexual fertility due to its profusion of red seeds. Similarly, heretics understood Jesus as the "Lamb of God" in the sense of being brutally butchered, yet they maintained that the Lamb was not the same as the unseen God, emphasizing worship of God alone. Paintings by Carlo Crivelli sometimes feature a cracked wall with a fly on it, interpreted as representing the flawed edifice of orthodox doctrine and corruption, respectively, while a prominent green cucumber refers to the lament for the exiled "daughter of Sion," the "city under siege," rather than the orthodox church. Nativity scenes frequently depict the birth of Jesus among crumbling classical pillars, symbolizing the dissolution of the former age and the birth of a new one, specifically the astrological Age of Pisces.
Topic 6: The Importance of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist These two saints hold a particularly honored place within the heretical tradition and the "hidden church." John the Baptist's significance stems from his direct blood relation to Jesus, as his mother Elizabeth was cousin to Mary, making their relationship one of flesh and blood. He is noted for greeting Jesus as "Lamb of God" and for a passage in John's Gospel where he names Jesus the "surrogate Bridegroom of Israel," highlighting a deep, specific connection. John the Evangelist is equally revered, with the Cathari reportedly carrying copies of his Gospel concealed. Both saints are chosen as patrons by modern Freemasons, whose rituals contain elements tracing back to the heresy. Additionally, each grand master of the Priory of Sion reportedly takes the name Jean (John) upon election, underscoring their enduring and special significance for followers of the esoteric tradition and the alternative church.
Topic 7: Color Symbolism and the Unification of Opposites Color is a powerful symbolic language within heretical art, often conveying meanings contrary to orthodox interpretations. The combination of red and white, frequently seen in roses held by Mary or in garlands, symbolizes the "Sister-Bride," representing the union of passion and purity. This concept of uniting opposites was central to alchemists and heretics, contrasting sharply with orthodox beliefs that considered purity and passion mutually exclusive. Green is depicted as the color of fertility, as seen in Mary Magdalene's gown, emphasizing her true nature beyond the traditional "prostitute" label. The "tri-color" (red, white, and blue/black) links to the ancient Triple Goddess, whose three aspects (maiden, bride, crone) correspond to these colors, signifying a holistic view of the feminine. The orthodox church, however, actively suppressed the "flesh-and-blood" bridal aspect of the feminine, going so far as to decree in 1649 that all paintings of the Virgin Mary must be rendered in blue and white, strictly forbidding red, which became associated with a "woman of the street."
Topic 8: Florence as a Hub of Esoteric Knowledge and Heresy Florence during the mid-fifteenth century was a fertile ground for the flourishing of esoteric traditions and heresy, despite the efforts of the Inquisition. This intellectual environment was greatly spurred by figures like Cosimo de' Medici, who established an extensive library of classical Greek, Latin, and Arabic writings in the city. Florence became an enlightened center that attracted sophisticated artists and poets from across Europe. In these vibrant circles, the study of classical literature, alchemy, and esoterica thrived and disseminated to intellectuals throughout the continent. This rich cultural and intellectual milieu allowed for the conscious embedding of secret symbols and doctrines within the art of the period, reflecting the prevalence of the alternative spiritual currents.
Topic 9: Strategic Concealment and Revelation in Art Artists who were allied with the heretical tradition employed a sophisticated strategy of embedding secret symbols within their seemingly orthodox religious paintings. This allowed them to subtly proclaim their true allegiances and beliefs, effectively "flaunting" them under the very nose of the Inquisition. These symbols were often overlooked or misinterpreted by the orthodox authorities, who would rationalize them to fit their own doctrines. The conscious inclusion of symbols like the red X, specific poses (e.g., Astarte pose for Mary Magdalene), or seemingly innocuous details like pomegranates, served as a form of coded communication. This practice required a careful examination of early examples of art to differentiate between artists who consciously propagated heretical doctrines and those who merely copied symbols without full understanding. It was a wily form of "disinformation," akin to prisoners using coded messages to communicate hope.
Topic 10: Symbolic Associations of Saints with the Red Cross Beyond Saint Andrew, other prominent saints are frequently depicted with the red cross, serving as a means for artists to subtly incorporate the heretical red X symbol into their works. Saint George, widely known as the "Red Cross Knight," is invariably shown with a white shield bearing a red cross. His legend of slaying the dragon and rescuing the damsel is interpreted as symbolizing the protection of the "woman" (the feminine principle) from threats, and he is also associated with the healing of barrenness and "scorched earth," often linked directly to the red X. Saint Michael the archangel, another champion of the "woman" who defeats the "beast," is also frequently shown bearing a shield with a red cross. These symbolic associations allowed medieval painters to include the "rosy cross" or red X in their art, providing a plausible orthodox excuse for its presence while secretly proclaiming their solidarity with the heretical tradition.