The Church vs. the Priory of Sion

The Da Vinci Code

The historical and ongoing conflict between the Catholic Church and the Priory of Sion over the secret of the Holy Grail.

increasingupBearing stren­gth in each eventdowndecreasing
The Historical ConflictThe Historical Conflict
The Great Cover-Up The Council of Nicaea Teabing explains that Constantine the Great collated the Bible, omitting gospels that showed Jesus as a mortal. The Church suppressed the sacred feminine and demonized Mary Magdalene. The Inquisition The Church persecuted the Knights Templar and the Priory of Sion, burning heretics and destroying documents. The Priory went underground, protecting the secret of Jesus's bloodline.
The Modern ConflictThe Modern Conflict
The End of Days The Priory's Plan The Priory planned to reveal the truth at the End of Days, but Saunière, fearing for his granddaughter's safety, decided to postpone. This angered Teabing, who saw it as a betrayal. The Church's Role Teabing believed the Church pressured Saunière to keep the secret. He orchestrated the murders to force the revelation. The conflict between the Church and the Priory is the central driving force of the plot.
The ResolutionThe Resolution
The Secret Preserved The Teacher's Arrest Teabing is arrested, and the conspiracy is exposed. The Church is not directly implicated, but the truth about the Priory's secret remains hidden. The Balance Sophie and Langdon decide not to reveal the Grail's location. The conflict does not end, but the status quo is maintained. The Church and the Priory continue their ancient struggle.
Over centuries
Recent years
At the end of the story