During the Mrssmg Years 2

Jack Markwardt Was the Shroud in Languedoc a a 2 during the mrssmg years o Jack MARKWARDT Historian, U,S.A. J n 1204, a sydoine, bearing a full-length figure of venerable presence could revive the hope, rekindle the I Christ and a possible Apostolic pedigree, disappea- courage, or repress the fury of the Roman legions ". In I red from Constantinopte. Matching that cloth with the sixth century, Pope Gregory commissioned his own I the Shroud which appeared in Lirey (France) a cen- copy of the image and had it brought to Rome where it I- tury and a half later requires an accounting of its was subsequently invoked for protection by Popes of the hidden movements and an explanation for its acquisition eighth and ninth centuries. In 944, the Byzantine Empe- by Geoffrey de Charny. This paper focuses upon the ror forcibly compelled the transfer of the original image "Missing Years" in the history of the Shroud of Turin, from Edessa to Constantinople in order to obtain " a presents a hypothetical reconstruction of several if the new, powerful source of divine protection " for the capi- more mysterious chapters in the cloth's biography, and tal city. Consequently, the peoples of Edessa and suggests that the sindonic path between Constantinople Constantinople came to view relics as possessing " pal- and Lirey runs directly through Languedoc. ladian virtues which could protect them from their ene- mies ". In 1204, when the Shroud disappeared, two sects of religious dualists, the Bogomils and the Paulicians, were openly practicing their faith in Constantinople and, 1204: From Constantinople to Languedoc as will be shown, possessed both the opportunity and the motive to take and conceal the cloth. In April of 1204, the Fourth Crusade attacked Byzan- During the preceding century, Eastern dualism had tine Constantinople and, in the resultant chaos, someone made its way to Western Europe and, by 1160, permea- pilfered the Emperor's cloth. If the thief had held ortho- ted Languedoc in the form of Catharism. Condemned by dox beliefs or had viewed the Shroud as a sacred relic, the Council of Tours in 1763, the heresy continued to he would not have kept it concealed for long, but, ins- spread despite everincreasing persecution by the Church. tead, would have promptly claimed the credit and wealth All the while, the Cathars remained part of a single dua- attendant to its ownership. Thus, the perpetrator proba- list communion with their brethren in the East and main- bly had no affiliation to either the Crusade or the Church tained such extremely close ties with them that they of Rome and probably considered the cloth to be some- themselves were frequently referred to as Bogomile or thing other than a purely religious artifact. In this regard, Paulician. In I172, Nicètas, the dualist bishop of it is critical to note that, at the precise time of its disap- Constantinople, travelled to Languedoc as a representati- pearance, the Shroud was being treated less as a holy re- ve of the Eastern mother church, and, presiding over a lic than as a palladium wielded by the Emperor, in week- Synod, persuaded the Cathars to adopt an absolute form ly public exhibitions, against the military threat posed by of dualism, reconsecrated Cathar bishops, and approved the crusaders. In fact, for the preceding six and a half reformation of the Cathar hierarchy. The dualists of the centuries, the Shroud, assuming its affinity to the Man- East provided Cathars with scriptures and answers to dylion, had enjoyed a fabled reputation as a cloth posses- their religious questions and some moved West and be- sing great powers of protection.In 544, it had reportedly came involved in the political and religious affairs of saved the city of Edessa from a siege by the Persian Languedoc. This federation of Eastern and Western dua- army. lists was maintained for many decades and, in 1224, the Thereafter, the cloth not only maintained its status as Easterners were to offer their homes to Cathar refugees Edessa's holy palladium, but it also served as the model and send them a spiritual leader. In 1198, Innocent III for numerous copies which were similarly employed as became Pope and promptly demonstrated a proclivity to palladia throughout the Eastern empire. The protective use military force whenever convenient to accomplish virtues of such images were described by Edward Gib- his religious and political goals and his fanatical hatred bon as follows: " In the hour of danger or tumult their of heresy drove him to seek the elimination of Catharism fique tnternotionot - Nice 1gg7 177 \ùØas the Shroud in Languedoc during the missing years ? in Languedoc. Thus, in 1204, and at the precise time plars who wore white surcoats with red crosses and, at when the Cathars desperately required protection from that precise time, the Temple Order in Languedoc had Innocent, their religious brethren in the East were, week been thoroughly infiltrated by persons from Cathar fami- after week, witnessing the exhibition and representation lies or holding Cathar sympathies. In another poem, of the Shroud as a tried, true and mighty palladium. As Wolfram named the lord of the Grail castle as Perilla, a Ian Wilson observed, the opportunity to take the cloth transparent nameplay on Raymond de Perella, the lord of presented itself to some Byzantine who had access to it Montsegur from at least 1204 to 1244. Finally, in an un- during the confusion of the crusader attack upon the finished work, Wolfram situated the Grail castle in the City. Greek dualists enjoyed friendly contacts with the Pyrenees which border on Languedoc and lie quite near upper classes of the capital and harbored little love for a to Montsegur. Church which had not only sent a Crusade to lay siege to their city, but had resolved to exterminate their fellow re- 2) 1207 : ligionists in Languedoc. This paper suggests that it was The Pope's Call for a Languedoc Crusade. they who snatched the relic, concealed it, and sent it to their persecuted brethren in Languedoc, not as an object In 1203, the so-called cult of relics influenced the di- of religious veneration, but as a powerful palladium which version of the Fourth Crusade to Constantinople for pur- could be employed against the fanatically militant Chur- poses of rescuing relics from the schismatic Greeks. By ch of Rome. If these Greek dualists did send the Shroud 1207, asParzival clearly demonstrates, some had conclu- to Languedoc, they would have entrusted it only to so- ded that the Shroud was held captive by the heretics of meone who could provide for its safekeeping and ultima- Languedoc. On November 12, 1207, Innocent called for te deployment in the hour of need. Fortunately for the a crusade against the Cathars; however, a palpable pre- Cathars, they had a wealthy, powerful, and pugnacious text for crusade did not materialize until two months la- champion who could do so. Esclarmonde de Foix, the ter when a papal legate was murdered by a servant of widowed sister of the count of Foix, was a vociferous Raymond VI, the count of Toulouse. Raymond's pleas the Church and the patroness of a great for absolution were rejected by the Church in what Jona- opponent of o' complex of heretical workshops, schools, and hostels in than Sumption called a scandalous breach of ecclesias- Pamiers. In 1204, the year of the Shroud's disappearan- tical law accomplished solely to excuse a military inva- ce, she was ordained a Perfect, the highest order of the sion of Raymond's dominions ". Despite the Cathars ha- Cathar hierarchy, and sponsored the fortification of ving nothing to do with the murder, the Pope urged mili- Montsegur, a castle stronghold which had collapsed into tary action against them. By 1209, Raymond had com- ruins. If the coincidental kidnapping of the Shroud and pletely capitulated to the Church and the Pope's plan to the fortification of Montségur were, in facf, patt and par- punish him was officially abandoned. Nevertheless, In- cel of the same Cathar defense program, the cloth would nocent pushed forward with his war against the heretics, likely have been sent to Esclarmonde, in Pamiers, with thus establishing that this crusade had always been desi- the expectation that, when needed, she would take it to gned to attack the Cathars, possibly to liberate the Montségur where its fabled powers of protection could Shroud in furtherance ofthe goals ofthe cult ofrelics. be invoked to save Cathars, just as they had once been unleashed to rescue Edessa from the Persian army. 3) t209-r229 : The Cathars' Three Nail Crucifixion. In the early thirteenth century, the Crucifixion was ty- 1204-1244 : The Palladium of heretics picalty depicted with Christ affixed to the cross with four nails, one placed through each of his hands and feet. Du- There is circumstantial and anecdotal evidence that, ring the Albigensian Crusade, reports were circulated of from 1204 to 1244, the Shroud was kept as a palladium a three-nail crucifixion, prompting Innocent to proclaim by the Cathars of Languedoc: an official four-nail dogma and resulting in the condem- nation, as heretics, of anyone who asserted the use of t) 1205-t207: three nails. In an attempt to win converts, some Cathars The Appearance of the Grail in Languedoc. employed a crucifix which had no upper arm, the feet of Christ crossed, and three nails. There is no apparent ex- The Holy Grail has been connected to the Shroud, the planation of why Cathars, who rejected the reality of Cathars and Esclarmonde. Between approximately 1205 Christ's death, would assert a three-nail crucifixion or and 1207 , Wolfram von Eschenbach wrote a Grail le- employ a three-nail crucifix, particularly when attemp- gend, Parzival, which contained several apparent allu- ting to proselytize orthodox believers who were accusto- sions to the Shroud and placed the Grail in Munsal- med to, and who were bound to believe in, a four-nail vaesche, a name denoting a mountainous region of safe- portrayal.

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