Mary nursing Baby Jesus。 And virtually all the elements of the Catholic ritual—the miter； the altar； the doxology； and munion； the act of 〃God…eating〃—were taken directly from earlier pagan mystery religions。〃
Teabing groaned。 〃Don't get a symbologist started on Christian icons。 Nothing in Christianity is original。 The pre…Christian God Mithras—called the Son of God and the Light of the World—was born on December 25； died； was buried in a rock tomb； and then resurrected in three days。 By the way； December 25 is also the birthday of Osiris； Adonis； and Dionysus。 The newborn Krishna was presented with gold； frankincense； and myrrh。 Even Christianity's weekly holy day was stolen from the pagans。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Originally；〃 Langdon said； 〃Christianity honored the Jewish Sabbath of Saturday； but Constantine shifted it to coincide with the pagan's veneration day of the sun。〃 He paused； grinning。 〃To this day； most churchgoers attend services on Sunday morning with no idea that they are there on account of the pagan sun god's weekly tribute—Sunday。〃
Sophie's head was spinning。 〃And all of this relates to the Grail？〃
〃Indeed；〃 Teabing said。 〃Stay with me。 During this fusion of religions； Constantine needed to strengthen the new Christian tradition； and held a famous ecumenical gathering known as the Council of Nicaea。〃
Sophie had heard of it only insofar as its being the birthplace of the Nicene Creed。
〃At this gathering；〃 Teabing said； 〃many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon—the date of Easter； the role of the bishops； the administration of sacraments； and； of course； the divinity of Jesus。〃
〃I don't follow。 His divinity？〃
〃My dear；〃 Teabing declared； 〃until that moment in history； Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet。。。 a great and powerful man； but a man nonetheless。 A mortal。〃
〃Not the Son of God？〃
〃Right；〃 Teabing said。 〃Jesus' establishment as 'the Son of God' was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea。〃
〃Hold on。 You're saying Jesus' divinity was the result of a vote？〃
〃A relatively close vote at that；〃 Teabing added。 〃Nonetheless； establishing Christ's divinity was critical to the further unification of the Roman empire and to the new Vatican power base。 By officially endorsing Jesus as the Son of God； Constantine turned Jesus into a deity who existed beyond the scope of the human world； an entity whose power was unchallengeable。 This not only precluded further pagan challenges to Christianity； but now the followers of Christ were able to redeem themselves only via the established sacred channel—the Roman Catholic Church。〃
Sophie glanced at Langdon； and he gave her a soft nod of concurrence。
〃It was all about power；〃 Teabing continued。 〃Christ as Messiah was critical to the functioning of Church and state。 Many scholars claim that the early Church literally stole Jesus from His original followers； hijacking His human message； shrouding it in an impenetrable cloak of divinity； and using it to expand their own power。 I've written several books on the topic。〃
〃And I assume devout Christians send you hate mail on a daily basis？〃
〃Why would they？〃 Teabing countered。 〃The vast majority of educated Christians know the history of their faith。 Jesus was indeed a great and powerful man。 Constantine's underhanded political maneuvers don't diminish the majesty of Christ's life。 Nobody is saying Christ was a fraud； or denying that He walked the earth and inspired millions to better lives。 All we are saying is that Constantine took advantage of Christ's substantial influence and importance。 And in doing so； he shaped the face of Christianity as we know it today。〃
Sophie glanced at the art book before her； eager to move on and see the Da Vinci painting of the Holy Grail。
〃The twist is this；〃 Teabing said； talking faster now。 〃Because Constantine upgraded Jesus' status almost four centuries after Jesus' death； thousands of documents already existed chronicling His life as a mortal man。 To rewrite the history books； Constantine knew he would need a bold stroke。 From this sprang the most profound moment in Christian history。〃 Teabing paused； eyeing Sophie。 〃Constantine missioned and financed a new Bible； which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ's human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike。 The earlier gospels were outlawed； gathered up； and burned。〃
〃An interesting note；〃 Langdon added。 〃Anyone who chose the forbidden gospels over Constantine's version was deemed a heretic。 The word heretic derives from that moment in history。 The Latin word haereticus means 'choice。' Those who 'chose' the original history of Christ were the world's first heretics。〃
〃Fortunately for historians；〃 Teabing said； 〃some of the gospels that Constantine attempted to eradicate managed to survive。 The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950s hidden in a cave near Qumran in the Judean desert。 And； of course； the Coptic Scrolls in 1945 at Nag Hammadi。 In addition to telling the true Grail story； these documents speak of Christ's ministry in very human terms。 Of course； the Vatican； in keeping with their tradition of misinformation； tried very hard to suppress the release of these scrolls。 And why wouldn't they？ The scrolls highlight glaring historical discrepancies and fabrications； clearly confirming that the modern Bible was piled and edited by men who possessed a political agenda—to promote the divinity of the man Jesus Christ and use His influence to solidify their own power base。〃
〃And yet；〃 Langdon countered； 〃it's important to remember that the modern Church's desire to suppress these documents es from a sincere belief in their established view of Christ。 The Vatican is made up of deeply pious men who truly believe these contrary documents could only be false testimony。〃
Teabing chuckled as he eased himself into a chair opposite Sophie。 〃As you can see； our professor has a far softer heart for Rome than I do。 Nonetheless； he is correct about the modern clergy believing these opposing documents are false testimony。 That's understandable。 Constantine's Bible has been their truth for ages。 Nobody is more indoctrinated than the indoctrinator。〃
〃What he means；〃 Langdon said； 〃is that we worship the gods of our fathers。〃
〃What I mean；〃 Teabing countered； 〃is that almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false。 As are the stories about the Holy Grail。〃
Sophie looked again at the Da Vinci quote before her。 Blinding ignorance does mislead us。 O！ Wretched mortals； open your eyes！
Teabing reached for the book and flipped toward the center。 〃And finally； before I show you Da Vinci's paintings of the Holy Grail； I'd like you to take a quick look at this。〃 He opened the book to a colorful graphic that spanned both full pages。 〃I assume you recognize this fresco？〃
He's kidding； right？ Sophie was staring at the most famous fresco of all time—The Last Supper—Da Vinci's legendary painting from the wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie near Milan。 The decaying fresco portrayed Jesus and His disciples at the moment that Jesus announced one of them would betray Him。 〃I know the fresco； yes。〃
〃Then perhaps you would indulge me this little game？ Close your eyes if you would。〃
Uncertain； Sophie closed her eyes。
〃Where is Jesus sitting？〃 Teabing asked。
〃In the center。〃
〃Good。 And what food are He and His disciples breaking and eating？〃
〃Bread。〃 Obviously。
〃Superb。 And what drink？〃
〃Wine。 They drank wine。〃
〃Great。 And one final question。 How many wineglasses are on the table？〃
Sophie paused； realizing it was the trick question。 And after dinner； Jesus took the cup of wine； sharing it with His disciples。 〃One cup；〃 she said。 〃The chalice。〃 The Cup of Christ。 The Holy Grail。 〃Jesus passed a single chalice of wine； just as modern Christians do at munion。〃
Teabing sighed。 〃Open your eyes。〃
She did。 Teabing was grinning smugly。 Sophie looked down at the painting； seeing to her astonishment that everyone at the table had a glass of wine； including Christ。 Thirteen cups。 Moreover； the cups were tiny； stemless； and made of glass。 There was no chalice in the painting。 No Holy Grail。
Teabing's eyes twinkled。 〃A bit strange； don't you think； considering that both the Bible and our standard Grail legend celebrate this moment as the definitive arrival of the Holy Grail。 Oddly； Da Vinci appears to have forgotten to paint the Cup of Christ。〃
〃Surely art scholars must have noted that。〃
〃You will be shocked to learn what anomalies Da Vinci included here that most scholars either do not see or simply choose to ignore。 This fresco； in fact； is the entire key to the Holy Grail mystery。 Da Vinci lays it all out in the open in The Last Supper〃
Sophie scanned the work eagerly。 〃Does this fresco tell us what the Grail really is？〃
〃Not what it is；〃 Teabing whispered。 〃But rather who it is。 The Holy Grail is not a thing。 It is； in fact。。。 a person〃
CHAPTER 56
Sophie stared at Teabing a long moment and then turned to Langdon。 〃The Holy Grail is a person？〃
Langdon nodded。 〃A woman； in fact。〃 From the blank look on Sophie's face； Langdon could tell they had already lost her。 He recalled having a similar reaction the first time he heard the statement。 It was not until he understood the symbology behind the Grail that the feminine connection became clear。
Teabing apparently had a similar thought。 〃Robert； perhaps this is the moment for the symbologist to clarify？〃 He went to a nearby end table； found a piece of paper； and laid it in front of Langdon。
Langdon pulled a pen from his pocket。 〃Sophie； are you familiar with the modern icons for male and female？〃 He drew the mon male symbol and female symbol 。
〃Of course；〃 she said。
〃These；〃 he said quietly； 〃are not the original symbols for male and female。 Many people incorrectly assume the male symbol is derived from a shield and spear； while the female symbol represents a mirror reflecting beauty。 In fact； the symbols originated as ancient astronomical symbols for the planet…god Mars and planet…goddess Venus。 The original symbols are far simpler。〃 Langdon drew another icon on the paper。
〃This symbol is the original icon for male；〃 he told her。 〃A rudimentary phallus。〃
〃Quite to the point；〃 Sophie said。
〃As it were；〃 Teabing added。
Langdon went on。 〃This icon is formally known as the blade； and it represents aggression and manhood。 In fact； this exact phallus symbol is still used today on modern military uniforms to denote rank。〃
〃Indeed。〃 Teabing grinned。 〃The more penises you have； the higher your rank。 Boys will be boys。〃
Langdon winced。 〃Moving on； the female symbol； as you might imagine； is the exact opposite。〃 He drew another symbol on the page。 〃This is called the chalice。〃
Sophie glanced up； looking surprised。
Langdon could see she had made the connection。 〃The chalice；〃 he said； 〃resembles a cup or vessel； and more important； it resembles the shape of a woman's womb。 This symbol municates femininity； womanhood； and fertility。〃 Langdon looked directly at her now。 〃Sophie； legend tells us the Holy Grail is a chalice—a cup。 But the Grail's description as a chalice is actually an allegory to protect the true nature of the Holy Grail。 That is to say； the legend uses the chalice as a metaphor for something fa