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[narrator] According to
the stories in the Bible,
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Mary Magdalene is at the heart
of the Christian faith.
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She was perhaps Jesus's
most devoted disciple.
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After Jesus,
Mary Magdalene is arguably
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the most important person
in the New Testament.
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Why? Because she is
the witness
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to the resurrection.
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[narrator] Yet her role
in the religion
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has been debated
for centuries.
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Could she have been
a prostitute,
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Jesus's lover,
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or even the brains
behind Christianity?
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She's feisty,
she's articulate,
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she's, dare I say,
controlling.
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Controlling Jesus.
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[narrator] But what happened
to Mary Magdalene
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after Christ's death
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is still one of the world's
biggest enigmas,
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with a number of theories
and conspiracies
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still very much alive today.
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This could be the moment
where we find Mary Magdalene.
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We have got the equipment.
We have got the right place.
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[narrator] What is the truth?
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Does Mary Magdalene's body
still lay hidden somewhere,
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waiting to be found?
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If we find Mary Magdalene,
we will re-write history.
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[narrator] The Bible claims
Mary Magdalene
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was one of Jesus's
most devoted followers.
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But some suggest
she was much more.
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Mary Magdalene is one of
the most fascinating,
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kind of mysterious figures
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in the whole of
western civilization.
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And that's true,
whether you are
a Christian or not.
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[narrator] Yet in
the 2,000 years
since her death,
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Mary's story has always been
an unsolved mystery.
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Scholars and armatures alike
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are still trying to crack
the code of who she really was
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and the whereabouts
of her tomb.
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The Sea of Galilee, Israel.
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If the Biblical story
is accurate,
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this is where
Mary first met Jesus.
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When Jesus began his mission,
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he went from village
to village,
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doing kind of
big, dramatic stuff first,
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like casting out demons.
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One of the people
allegedly cast demons out of
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was a woman that became
to know as Mary Magdalene.
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We don't know too much about
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Mary's initial meeting
with Jesus.
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What we do know is that
she was possessed by,
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we are told, seven demons.
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People who were
demon-possessed
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lived in the very margins
of society.
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[narrator] The Bible claims
Jesus cast out
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the seven demons
from within Mary.
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From that day, most agree,
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she became a fanatical
follower of Christ.
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But perhaps Mary's
most defining moment
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occurs after the crucifixion.
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Bena Mantel is exploring
the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem,
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investigating why
Mary Magdalene's remains
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are so highly coveted.
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The Garden Tomb is
sort of ground zero
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for the Christians
of the world
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in terms of
the most important events
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in the life of Mary Magdalene.
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[narrator]
According to legend,
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Jesus was placed here
after his crucifixion.
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Three days later,
Mary Magdalene
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and a group of disciples
visit the crypt
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and discover the stone door
rolled open,
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with the tomb empty.
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[Bena] They started to wonder
what happened to the body,
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and when people leave,
Mary is still there,
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wondering what's
happening next.
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And then she sees a person,
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and in fact, she realizes
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and discovers that
this is Jesus,
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and she is the first one
to see Jesus
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after the crucifixion.
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The fact that Jesus
first revealed himself
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in his resurrected state
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to Mary Magdalene
is hugely significant.
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He chose a woman to reveal
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this absolutely thunderous
fact to.
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There would be
no Christian movement
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but for the witnesses.
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And the first
of those witnesses,
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according to
all four of the gospels,
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is Mary Magdalene.
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[narrator] Yet despite playing
such a pivotal role,
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the story of Mary Magdalene
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has become muddied
over the millennia.
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Mary's name has been tarnished
by religious leaders
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going back as far as
the sixth century.
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In fact, it was Pope Gregory
the Great, who was the first
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to claim that Mary
was a prostitute.
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I think
Mary Magdalene's position
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has been marginalized,
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yet if you read the Bible,
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it's perfectly obvious
she is a central figure.
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[Lynn] There's
a very good reason
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for a Pope wanting to declare
Mary Magdalene a prostitute.
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They didn't want women
to find her as a role model.
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So they had to demean her.
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They had to basically turn her
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into the worst thing
they could imagine,
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which was a prostitute.
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[narrator] After centuries
of slander,
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attempting to determine facts
from fiction is difficult.
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Yet Mary's relationship
with Jesus
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might be the key to finding
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her final resting place.
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[Dominic] Through the ages,
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Jesus' relationship
with Mary Magdalene
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has fascinated people.
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There is the Gospel of Philip
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which records how
Jesus loved Mary
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more than any other
of the disciples,
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and used to kiss her
on the mouth.
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[narrator] The Gospel
of Philip
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is one of many
eye witness accounts
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of the life of Jesus
left out of the Bible.
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For those hunting
for Mary's tomb,
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these less conventional
gospels provide
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an unparalleled insight
into who the saint really was.
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In these alternative gospels,
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the one thing that comes over
is that she is the star.
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She's feisty,
she's articulate,
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she's, dare I say,
controlling.
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She seems to be
controlling Jesus,
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almost like
the Yoko Ono character.
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[narrator] Intriguingly,
the idea
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of Mary Magdalene
controlling Jesus
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could suggest
a very unique relationship,
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providing clues on why
her remains have disappeared.
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You see
a very special relationship
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that Jesus has
with Mary Magdalene.
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Something that could
in fact even lead us to think
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that Mary Magdalene was
in a relationship with Jesus,
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perhaps his wife.
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There is a small army
of biblical scholars
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and theologians that will
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snort at the idea
that Mary Magdalene
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was the wife of Jesus.
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They will tell you there is
no evidence whatsoever.
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But it is a rumor, a story,
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an angle that refuses
to go away.
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[narrator] Whether she was
a devout follower or lover,
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to find
Mary Magdalene's remains,
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scholars must unravel
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what happened to her
after Christ's death.
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But records of her life
after the ascension
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are shrouded in mystery.
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Mary Magdalene
effectively disappears
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from the gospel record
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after the resurrection
and the ascension,
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and all sorts of legends
build up.
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[Bena] The real question
of what happens to Mary
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after the crucifixion,
it's really anyone's guess.
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And there are a lot of people
who, throughout the ages,
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actually said that Mary
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somehow found her way
to France.
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We even have certain popes
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who actually say that Mary
actually ended up in France.
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[narrator] Southern France.
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History enthusiasts,
Pat Jokl and Ronnie Endler,
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have spent the last 20 years
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trying to uncover
Mary Magdalene's tomb.
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In 2013, they thought
they'd tracked her down
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to a cave near Carcassonne.
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That looks pretty amazing.
It looks man-made.
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[narrator] But they hit
a wall.
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It doesn't go further. See.
It's solid rock.
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So, it's definitely
the end of this cave.
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[narrator] Despite
failing once,
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they are back on the hunt
for the Saint's remains.
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With research, we think now
we pinpointed exactly
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the last resting place
of Mary Magdalene.
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During our quest,
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we had, of course,
lots of dead ends.
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But this time,
we are absolutely sure
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this is the place to be.
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[narrator] Pat's research
has unearthed
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a set
of 13th century documents
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found in church archives,
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which he believes leads to
Mary Magdalene's burial place
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in Southern France.
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According to many documents
we saw,
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all of those documents
are telling the same story
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that Mary Magdalene
came to France.
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[narrator] With this
new evidence,
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Pat thinks he is
one step closer
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to solving one of the Bible's
greatest mysteries -
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What happened
to Mary Magdalene
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after the crucifixion?
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According to the Bible,
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Mary Magdalene is one of
the most important
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of Christ's followers.
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Yet the holy book is silent
on what happened to the Saint
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after the resurrection.
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Could she really have
made her way to France
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as some legends proclaim?
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Mary Magdalene's fate
after the resurrection
is uncertain,
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and there is a story
of Mary Magdalene
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rocking up in a boat
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on the coast
of Southern France.
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[narrator] Many historians
believe that
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after the crucifixion,
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Mary, like all
of Christ's followers,
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were persecuted by their
pagan Roman overlords.
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Fearing for their lives,
many fled the holy land.
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[Tony] So, in the aftermath
of the crucifixion,
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followers of Jesus
were being rounded up
by the Romans.
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So, Mary Magdalene
and two or three other women
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flee on a boat.
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[narrator] Known as
the Tale of the Three Maries,
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believers claim Mary Magdalene
boarded a boat in Israel
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with two other women,
also named Mary.
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They travelled
the entire length
of the Mediterranean Sea,
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landing at
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
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in the south of France.
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[Tony] Now, curiously,
this boat has no oars,
no sails,
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but somehow manages to go
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practically the entire length
of Mediterranean.
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It washes up
on the southern coast
of France
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where Mary Magdalene
makes it to shore
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and begins her Christian
mission among the French.
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If Mary Magdalene did arrive
on the shores
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of what became known
as Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer,
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well, that would have been
a pretty important catalyst
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for the spread of Christianity
in Europe,
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because she was one of the
most energetic proponents
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of spreading the Good News.
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[Peggy] If Mary Magdalene
did land on the beaches,
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what it signifies is
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the extension of what
is to become Christianity,
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but led by a woman.
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[narrator] Though the story
of Mary Magdalene
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travelling to France
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has little grounding
in historical texts,
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scholars point to how
the Saint is still revered
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in the country as evidence.
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[Dominic] Mary Magdalene
has always been
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a very popular figure
in France.
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There are
a very significant number
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of ecclesiastical buildings,
churches,
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abbeys named after her,
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a huge number
of villages and towns.
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Even after the decline of
Catholicism
in France,
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00:12:22,266 --> 00:12:24,467
she remains
a very popular figure.
252
00:12:24,467 --> 00:12:26,900
Mary Magdalene is revered
253
00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:29,367
in some parts of
the south of France,
254
00:12:29,367 --> 00:12:32,467
and still exerts a very strong
cultural influence.
255
00:12:32,467 --> 00:12:36,100
And many, particularly from
the Catholic tradition,
256
00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:38,967
still very much treat
those sites
257
00:12:38,967 --> 00:12:41,867
where it is believed
she went to
258
00:12:41,867 --> 00:12:46,066
as holy sites and as places of
pilgrimage and veneration.
259
00:12:48,867 --> 00:12:52,533
[narrator] Pat Jokl and fellow
amateur archeologist,
Ronnie Endler,
260
00:12:52,533 --> 00:12:55,867
are on a quest to find
the Saint's remains,
261
00:12:55,867 --> 00:12:58,367
driven by
13th century documents
262
00:12:58,367 --> 00:13:01,166
written by a local aristocrat
to the pope
263
00:13:01,166 --> 00:13:03,734
claiming that Mary
travelled to France.
264
00:13:04,467 --> 00:13:06,367
The pair has tracked down
the point
265
00:13:06,367 --> 00:13:08,266
where they believe she landed.
266
00:13:09,500 --> 00:13:11,734
We are now in
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer,
267
00:13:11,734 --> 00:13:14,000
and according to legend,
268
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,900
Mary Magdalene
set foot exactly...
269
00:13:17,533 --> 00:13:19,166
on land here.
270
00:13:19,967 --> 00:13:21,166
This is the starting point
271
00:13:21,166 --> 00:13:24,066
of all our research
we are doing for so long.
272
00:13:24,066 --> 00:13:27,500
According to all the stuff
we found so far,
273
00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,634
it is just more than a legend.
274
00:13:29,634 --> 00:13:34,533
This is the place where
the Christianization
of Europe began.
275
00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:39,634
[narrator] Today, many in
the church consider it fact
276
00:13:39,634 --> 00:13:42,634
that Mary Magdalene
travelled to France.
277
00:13:42,634 --> 00:13:45,867
Yet for some,
the crux of the story
278
00:13:45,867 --> 00:13:47,734
is who travelled with her.
279
00:13:49,166 --> 00:13:51,867
In the account of the journey
across the Mediterranean,
280
00:13:51,867 --> 00:13:54,367
we are told that the women
were accompanied
281
00:13:54,367 --> 00:13:56,634
by another woman called Sarah.
282
00:13:56,634 --> 00:13:58,166
Now, this woman,
283
00:13:58,166 --> 00:14:00,867
according to some people,
was a servant
284
00:14:00,867 --> 00:14:04,066
and according to others,
she was the daughter
285
00:14:04,066 --> 00:14:06,533
of Mary Magdalene
and Jesus Christ.
286
00:14:06,533 --> 00:14:09,367
In recent years,
287
00:14:09,367 --> 00:14:12,166
thanks to two
best-selling books,
288
00:14:12,166 --> 00:14:16,066
one in the 1980s,
Holy Blood Holy Grail,
289
00:14:16,066 --> 00:14:19,467
and one more recently,
The Da Vinci Code,
290
00:14:19,467 --> 00:14:21,634
many, many more people think
291
00:14:21,634 --> 00:14:24,867
Jesus and Mary Magdalene
had children,
292
00:14:24,867 --> 00:14:28,100
and basically kicked off
this sacred bloodline
293
00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:31,367
that mysteriously continues
to this day.
294
00:14:31,367 --> 00:14:34,367
[narrator] But perhaps Mary
and her supposed daughter
295
00:14:34,367 --> 00:14:36,634
weren't the only people
in the boat.
296
00:14:37,367 --> 00:14:39,066
Some believe Christ himself
297
00:14:39,066 --> 00:14:41,634
was smuggled
out of the holy land, too.
298
00:14:43,867 --> 00:14:47,066
[Pat] I believe
Jesus came here with Mary.
299
00:14:47,066 --> 00:14:49,800
It's amazing. Can you imagine
how it feels
300
00:14:50,900 --> 00:14:53,734
to be in the exact same spot,
301
00:14:53,734 --> 00:14:57,367
2,000 years ago,
the holy family landed.
302
00:14:57,367 --> 00:15:00,166
So, maybe we would find
one day
303
00:15:00,166 --> 00:15:03,367
this particular spot where
Jesus is buried as well.
304
00:15:03,367 --> 00:15:05,734
There is a whole series
of narratives
305
00:15:05,734 --> 00:15:09,900
about Mary and Jesus eloping
to France with a baby.
306
00:15:09,900 --> 00:15:12,533
It raises also
the fascinating ideas,
307
00:15:12,533 --> 00:15:15,166
which is kind of enticing
and it fuels legends,
308
00:15:15,166 --> 00:15:18,533
it fuels dramas,
it fuels films.
309
00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:24,266
[narrator] As tantalizing
as it is
310
00:15:24,266 --> 00:15:26,433
to contemplate
the bloodline of Christ,
311
00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:28,634
for Pat, the first step
312
00:15:28,634 --> 00:15:30,967
in locating
Mary Magdalene's remains
313
00:15:30,967 --> 00:15:32,967
is to find out
where the Saint travelled
314
00:15:32,967 --> 00:15:34,467
after she landed.
315
00:15:36,867 --> 00:15:39,166
Since the turn
of the 20th century,
316
00:15:39,166 --> 00:15:42,367
one seemingly
inconsequential
French village
317
00:15:42,367 --> 00:15:43,533
has become entwined
318
00:15:43,533 --> 00:15:45,734
with the legend
of Mary Magdalene
319
00:15:45,734 --> 00:15:48,333
and a mysterious
modern-day priest.
320
00:15:49,634 --> 00:15:51,367
You can't really talk about
the whole story
321
00:15:51,367 --> 00:15:53,166
of Mary Magdalene
in the South of France
322
00:15:53,166 --> 00:15:56,734
without touching on
Rennes-le-Chateau.
323
00:15:56,734 --> 00:15:59,500
[Lynn] In the late
19th century
324
00:15:59,500 --> 00:16:03,166
in a tiny hilltop village,
Rennes-le-Chateau,
325
00:16:03,166 --> 00:16:06,333
there was a priest called
Berenger Sauniere,
326
00:16:07,266 --> 00:16:10,734
who was renovating the church.
327
00:16:10,734 --> 00:16:13,867
And it is said that
he found a document
328
00:16:13,867 --> 00:16:15,634
in a pillar in the church
329
00:16:15,634 --> 00:16:17,734
connected with Mary Magdalene.
330
00:16:17,734 --> 00:16:20,500
For some people,
he discovered proof
331
00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:22,367
that Jesus and Mary
had been married
332
00:16:22,367 --> 00:16:23,634
and they had a bloodline.
333
00:16:24,367 --> 00:16:25,900
[narrator] According
to legend,
334
00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:27,967
the priest
blackmailed the Vatican
335
00:16:27,967 --> 00:16:29,867
with the secret he had found.
336
00:16:29,867 --> 00:16:33,800
Then almost overnight,
he became inexplicably rich.
337
00:16:34,867 --> 00:16:36,266
We can't completely rule out
338
00:16:36,266 --> 00:16:38,634
that Sauniere found
the remains of Mary Magdalene
339
00:16:38,634 --> 00:16:40,967
and maybe sold it
to the church,
340
00:16:40,967 --> 00:16:43,166
or sold it
to some wealthy person
341
00:16:43,166 --> 00:16:46,066
who wanted the body
of that biblical figure,
342
00:16:46,066 --> 00:16:47,634
but we have no evidence
of course.
343
00:16:47,634 --> 00:16:49,367
And certainly it's true that
344
00:16:49,367 --> 00:16:50,734
there is a genuine mystery
345
00:16:50,734 --> 00:16:52,100
connected with
Rennes-le-Chateau,
346
00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:54,967
connected with
the 19th-century priest,
347
00:16:54,967 --> 00:16:58,533
and he was certainly
utterly devoted
to Mary Magdalene.
348
00:16:59,734 --> 00:17:02,066
[narrator] Over the last
100 years,
349
00:17:02,066 --> 00:17:03,734
the village has become
a magnet
350
00:17:03,734 --> 00:17:06,000
for treasure hunters
and tourists alike.
351
00:17:06,734 --> 00:17:08,367
Yet to this day,
352
00:17:08,367 --> 00:17:10,533
no trace
of the priest's treasure
353
00:17:10,533 --> 00:17:13,533
or the source of this wealth
have been found.
354
00:17:13,533 --> 00:17:15,367
Which is why for Pat,
355
00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:17,367
Rennes-le-Chateau
is a dead end.
356
00:17:18,533 --> 00:17:22,000
In the past, we were looking
for Mary Magdalene
357
00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,367
in Rennes-le-Chateau.
358
00:17:23,367 --> 00:17:28,467
But now, according to
our new clues,
359
00:17:28,467 --> 00:17:31,734
we think we were looking
in the wrong place.
360
00:17:33,166 --> 00:17:35,367
[narrator] According to
the 13th century letter
361
00:17:35,367 --> 00:17:38,533
that Pat uncovered,
there is the suggestion
362
00:17:38,533 --> 00:17:41,634
that the Saint's remains
may lay hidden in a place
363
00:17:41,634 --> 00:17:43,800
where no one
has looked before.
364
00:17:50,367 --> 00:17:52,000
In Southern France,
365
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,467
Pat Jokl is on the hunt
366
00:17:53,467 --> 00:17:55,533
for the tomb
of Mary Magdalene.
367
00:17:56,500 --> 00:17:58,066
He's uncovered new evidence
368
00:17:58,066 --> 00:18:00,734
about the Saint's
final resting place,
369
00:18:00,734 --> 00:18:03,266
which has led him
to Saint Maximin,
370
00:18:03,266 --> 00:18:06,634
home of the basilica
of Saint Mary Magdalene.
371
00:18:08,166 --> 00:18:11,500
So, this is the basilica
of Saint Maximin.
372
00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:15,433
Some say it contains
the skull of Mary Magdalene.
373
00:18:16,734 --> 00:18:18,266
[narrator] Pat has discovered
a letter
374
00:18:18,266 --> 00:18:21,333
written to a medieval pope
in a church archive.
375
00:18:22,367 --> 00:18:25,066
Dating from 1295,
376
00:18:25,066 --> 00:18:28,100
it claims that the body
of Mary Magdalene
377
00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:30,800
was found here
in a secret crypt.
378
00:18:33,467 --> 00:18:37,166
Father Florian Racine
is the rector of the basilica.
379
00:18:38,734 --> 00:18:42,233
[Florian] We have here
the skull of Mary Magdalene.
380
00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:47,266
[narrator] The church believes
this skull
381
00:18:47,266 --> 00:18:50,367
is from the body
described in Pat's letter.
382
00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:54,967
We know that
it's a little strange
383
00:18:54,967 --> 00:18:59,533
to expose like that
the part of a dead person,
384
00:18:59,533 --> 00:19:01,734
but when people pray here,
385
00:19:01,734 --> 00:19:04,734
they have some kind of
facial access
to Mary Magdalene.
386
00:19:06,266 --> 00:19:08,166
[narrator] According to
local folklore,
387
00:19:08,166 --> 00:19:10,634
after arriving in France,
388
00:19:10,634 --> 00:19:13,467
Mary Magdalene travelled
100 miles east.
389
00:19:15,734 --> 00:19:19,000
There is a story that
when Mary Magdalene did land
390
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,066
in South-eastern France,
391
00:19:21,066 --> 00:19:23,000
she went further inland
392
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,533
and ended up in what is known
as St Maximin.
393
00:19:28,166 --> 00:19:31,867
She continued with
the teachings of Jesus Christ,
394
00:19:31,867 --> 00:19:36,634
and the last of her years
were spent in a grotto.
395
00:19:36,634 --> 00:19:39,166
[Tony] Nearby to St Maximin
is a grotto
396
00:19:39,166 --> 00:19:41,367
that's still revered
as a place
397
00:19:41,367 --> 00:19:44,867
where Mary Magdalene prayed
and maybe even lived.
398
00:19:44,867 --> 00:19:49,367
And it's still a focus point
for the prayerful,
399
00:19:49,367 --> 00:19:53,066
for the pious, to go and share
their love for Mary Magdalene.
400
00:19:54,734 --> 00:19:56,600
[Florian] We knew
Mary Magdalene lived
401
00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,166
in the penance
and contemplation of Jesus
402
00:19:59,166 --> 00:20:00,467
in the grotto,
403
00:20:00,467 --> 00:20:02,533
but we did not know
where she was buried.
404
00:20:04,734 --> 00:20:07,100
[narrator] At the time
Pat's letter was written,
405
00:20:07,100 --> 00:20:09,500
legend has it that Charles II
406
00:20:09,500 --> 00:20:12,166
was visited by the Saint
in a dream,
407
00:20:12,166 --> 00:20:15,367
where she instructed him
to hunt for her remains.
408
00:20:16,533 --> 00:20:20,166
After the ghostly vision,
Charles instructed his men
409
00:20:20,166 --> 00:20:22,734
to search the area
for a secret crypt.
410
00:20:24,367 --> 00:20:28,367
So, finally after a few years
of searching,
411
00:20:28,367 --> 00:20:30,734
they were digging like that,
and boom.
412
00:20:30,734 --> 00:20:33,800
They dig, you know,
they felt the sarcophagus.
413
00:20:35,266 --> 00:20:36,867
[Tony] In the year 1279,
414
00:20:36,867 --> 00:20:40,634
there were excavations
conducted in St. Maximin,
415
00:20:40,634 --> 00:20:43,867
by orders of Charles II,
the Count of Provence.
416
00:20:43,867 --> 00:20:46,367
They found
a marble sarcophagus
417
00:20:46,367 --> 00:20:48,967
dating back
to the first century AD.
418
00:20:48,967 --> 00:20:50,533
And when they opened
the sarcophagus ,
419
00:20:50,533 --> 00:20:54,367
a sweet smell came out of it.
What was that sweet smell?
420
00:20:54,367 --> 00:20:55,600
It was the oil, of course,
421
00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,266
that Mary Magdalene poured
onto the feet of Jesus.
422
00:20:59,266 --> 00:21:00,867
What more proof did you need
423
00:21:00,867 --> 00:21:03,100
that Mary Magdalene
was buried there?
424
00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:06,266
[narrator] The church
is adamant
425
00:21:06,266 --> 00:21:09,967
that this is the skull
of Mary Magdalene.
426
00:21:09,967 --> 00:21:13,100
They claim that when the skull
was found in the Middle Ages,
427
00:21:13,100 --> 00:21:15,600
a piece of skin was
still attached to it,
428
00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:17,266
miraculously preserved
429
00:21:17,266 --> 00:21:20,166
from the moment Jesus touched
Mary's forehead.
430
00:21:21,367 --> 00:21:24,734
In many painting, we see
431
00:21:24,734 --> 00:21:28,533
Jesus pushing little bit
Mary Magdalene like that.
432
00:21:28,533 --> 00:21:30,533
Touching this piece of skin.
433
00:21:30,533 --> 00:21:34,100
And so, this piece of skin
was touched by the Risen Lord,
434
00:21:34,100 --> 00:21:35,734
So, it's a sign, just a sign,
435
00:21:35,734 --> 00:21:38,266
but it's a sign
of the resurrection.
436
00:21:38,266 --> 00:21:41,100
[Florian] I truly believe
that we have here
437
00:21:41,100 --> 00:21:44,500
the relics of Mary Magdalene.
438
00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:47,867
And I cannot
prove it historically,
439
00:21:47,867 --> 00:21:51,467
but I can experience
in this place,
440
00:21:51,467 --> 00:21:53,600
there is a special blessing,
441
00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:57,000
grace, presence
of Mary Magdalene.
442
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,634
[narrator]
Today, the basilica
of Saint Maximin
443
00:21:59,634 --> 00:22:01,266
has been built on the spot
444
00:22:01,266 --> 00:22:03,900
where Mary Magdalene
was apparently found.
445
00:22:04,867 --> 00:22:06,867
Many claim it was funded
by the sale
446
00:22:06,867 --> 00:22:10,266
of some of her body parts
as relics.
447
00:22:10,266 --> 00:22:13,967
[Florian] In Europe,
most big cathedrals
of the big cities,
448
00:22:13,967 --> 00:22:16,867
they have different relics
of Mary Magdalene.
449
00:22:16,867 --> 00:22:20,867
Probably, I say probably,
given by the monks here
450
00:22:20,867 --> 00:22:25,433
for some money to build
this beautiful basilica.
451
00:22:27,066 --> 00:22:28,634
[narrator] While the church
doesn't question
452
00:22:28,634 --> 00:22:30,600
the veracity of the skull,
453
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,166
some scholars have
their doubts.
454
00:22:33,867 --> 00:22:35,266
[Lynn] Call me an old cynic,
455
00:22:35,266 --> 00:22:38,266
but I don't think
that's Mary Magdalene.
456
00:22:38,266 --> 00:22:42,166
Um, but, in a way
it doesn't matter.
457
00:22:42,166 --> 00:22:43,867
It's what people believe,
458
00:22:43,867 --> 00:22:48,467
and it's a focus for
their great love of her.
459
00:22:48,467 --> 00:22:54,467
They see her as somebody
worth revering.
460
00:22:54,467 --> 00:22:58,600
Not just a pathologically
sobbing prostitute.
461
00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,266
[Karen] The skull found
in St. Maximin
462
00:23:01,266 --> 00:23:04,166
is clearly something
of great importance
463
00:23:04,166 --> 00:23:07,266
to those who venerate
religious relics.
464
00:23:07,266 --> 00:23:10,734
But as to whether
it could be tied
to any individual,
465
00:23:10,734 --> 00:23:14,266
much less Mary Magdalene,
I'm pretty skeptical.
466
00:23:16,467 --> 00:23:18,467
[narrator] Could the skull
of Mary Magdalene
467
00:23:18,467 --> 00:23:20,967
really be in this crypt?
468
00:23:20,967 --> 00:23:22,734
Or does other evidence
point to
469
00:23:22,734 --> 00:23:25,800
her final resting place
being elsewhere?
470
00:23:26,533 --> 00:23:29,000
Some suggest
an ulterior motive
471
00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,367
behind the supposed
discovery of the saint.
472
00:23:32,367 --> 00:23:34,634
We mustn't forget that
the time that, um,
473
00:23:34,634 --> 00:23:37,734
Charles II of Provence, um,
474
00:23:37,734 --> 00:23:40,467
allegedly found
Mary Magdalene's relics,
475
00:23:40,467 --> 00:23:42,600
that was a huge time
476
00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:44,500
for the relic industry
in general.
477
00:23:44,500 --> 00:23:46,367
And Mary Magdalene being big
478
00:23:46,367 --> 00:23:47,867
in the south of France anyway,
479
00:23:47,867 --> 00:23:50,533
she was
the ultimate Christian saint
480
00:23:50,533 --> 00:23:51,734
to find the relic of.
481
00:23:51,734 --> 00:23:55,166
What you have
to remember
is that if you are an abbey,
482
00:23:55,166 --> 00:23:56,467
if you are a monastery,
483
00:23:56,467 --> 00:23:59,734
and you just happen to chance
upon the relics of an apostle,
484
00:23:59,734 --> 00:24:02,367
or a saint,
that is big business.
485
00:24:02,367 --> 00:24:04,367
You know, you are
gonna attract pilgrims
486
00:24:04,367 --> 00:24:06,867
from all over Europe
and the world.
487
00:24:06,867 --> 00:24:09,367
Goodness me, if you've got
Mary Magdalene,
488
00:24:09,367 --> 00:24:11,734
well, you know, ka-ching,
you're in the big time.
489
00:24:11,734 --> 00:24:13,734
If you look at
Saint Maximin today,
490
00:24:13,734 --> 00:24:15,867
it is
a relatively small place,
491
00:24:15,867 --> 00:24:18,066
dominated by its basilica,
492
00:24:18,066 --> 00:24:23,367
and dominated by the legend
of Mary Magdalene, and...
493
00:24:23,367 --> 00:24:25,867
You know, you don't have to be
cynical to think, "Ooh."
494
00:24:25,867 --> 00:24:27,500
There was
this big pilgrimage trade,
495
00:24:27,500 --> 00:24:28,734
which generated money.
496
00:24:28,734 --> 00:24:31,533
It was all a kind of
generating industry.
497
00:24:32,734 --> 00:24:34,500
[narrator] Pat believes
the letter he has
498
00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:35,867
backs up the legend
499
00:24:35,867 --> 00:24:38,800
that Mary's body was found
in this town.
500
00:24:39,367 --> 00:24:41,734
However, he thinks the skull
501
00:24:41,734 --> 00:24:43,867
in the golden sarcophagus
is a fake,
502
00:24:43,867 --> 00:24:47,500
and her real remains
lie hidden elsewhere.
503
00:24:47,500 --> 00:24:49,367
For me, there's no question
504
00:24:49,367 --> 00:24:52,867
that they found the body
of Mary Magdalene
505
00:24:52,867 --> 00:24:54,500
on this place.
506
00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:57,166
But it could be
that this skull
507
00:24:57,166 --> 00:24:59,367
was replaced by someone,
508
00:24:59,367 --> 00:25:03,467
um, who took it
to another secret location.
509
00:25:03,467 --> 00:25:05,166
[narrator] According to Pat,
510
00:25:05,166 --> 00:25:08,166
the 13th-century document
he discovered
511
00:25:08,166 --> 00:25:11,967
refers to someone
who had access
to the treasured relics,
512
00:25:11,967 --> 00:25:15,867
and could have moved them
without raising any suspicion.
513
00:25:15,867 --> 00:25:21,266
This is the original document
of Pope Boniface VII.
514
00:25:21,266 --> 00:25:26,166
On this Latin document
you see Bugoni de Vicinis,
515
00:25:26,166 --> 00:25:29,000
which is the Latin name
of Hugues de Voisins.
516
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:33,734
I think he took the body
to his hometown.
517
00:25:33,734 --> 00:25:35,467
[narrator] With this
new evidence,
518
00:25:35,467 --> 00:25:37,600
Pat is hoping
he can finally unlock
519
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:39,600
the 2000 year old mystery,
520
00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,600
and find
Mary Magdalene's remains.
521
00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,800
If we find Mary Magdalene,
we will rewrite history.
522
00:25:51,166 --> 00:25:53,166
[narrator]
Since the Biblical era,
523
00:25:53,166 --> 00:25:54,533
people have been searching
524
00:25:54,533 --> 00:25:56,634
for the remains
of Mary Magdalene.
525
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,600
Despite a 2,000 year hunt,
526
00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:05,166
no one has found and verified
the elusive saint's remains.
527
00:26:05,166 --> 00:26:06,467
It's always possible
528
00:26:06,467 --> 00:26:08,634
that we're just looking
in the wrong place
529
00:26:08,634 --> 00:26:10,867
for the remains
of Mary Magdalene.
530
00:26:10,867 --> 00:26:13,000
We don't really know
what happened to her
531
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,266
after the resurrection
of Jesus.
532
00:26:17,166 --> 00:26:18,900
[narrator] Believing she
travelled to France,
533
00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:23,166
Pat Jokl and fellow
amateur archaeologist,
Ronnie Endler,
534
00:26:23,166 --> 00:26:26,000
are following leads
other may have missed.
535
00:26:27,166 --> 00:26:29,166
They have found
a medieval letter
536
00:26:29,166 --> 00:26:31,166
to the Pope in an archive,
537
00:26:31,166 --> 00:26:33,367
which they believe
sheds some new light
538
00:26:33,367 --> 00:26:35,634
on what happened
to Mary Magdalene's body.
539
00:26:38,867 --> 00:26:40,433
[Pat] So, this is the copy.
540
00:26:40,867 --> 00:26:42,100
And you can see,
541
00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:44,100
[translating] "We are in
possession of Mary Magdalene,
542
00:26:44,100 --> 00:26:48,000
in the church of the priori
of Saint Maximin."
543
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,166
[narrator] For Pat,
this document proves
544
00:26:51,166 --> 00:26:54,467
Mary Magdalene was found
by the Count of this Provence,
545
00:26:54,467 --> 00:26:57,367
Charles II in Saint Maximin.
546
00:26:57,367 --> 00:26:59,800
But it also mentions
a second name,
547
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,000
someone who had access
to the body
548
00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:03,800
and could have moved it.
549
00:27:05,166 --> 00:27:09,166
So, according to the document,
Charles II,
550
00:27:09,166 --> 00:27:12,900
he ordered his
senechal de Provence,
Hugues de Voisins,
551
00:27:12,900 --> 00:27:16,734
to protect the excavation site
of Mary Magdalene
552
00:27:16,734 --> 00:27:20,900
and keep away the unbelievers
and uh,
553
00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:24,533
not to steal anything
from the excavation site.
554
00:27:24,533 --> 00:27:27,266
[narrator] Acting as
Charles II's enforcer,
555
00:27:27,266 --> 00:27:31,100
Hugues de Voisins was
a wealthy landowner
and knight.
556
00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:33,100
He would have understood
the power
557
00:27:33,100 --> 00:27:36,467
the relics of
Mary Magdalene commanded.
558
00:27:36,467 --> 00:27:40,166
Hugues de Voisins was such
a tiny character in history.
559
00:27:40,166 --> 00:27:41,800
There's no pictures of him.
560
00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:46,000
There's very little writing
about him or about his life.
561
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:47,467
But what we do know
562
00:27:47,467 --> 00:27:51,100
could suggest that he played
a pivotal role
563
00:27:51,100 --> 00:27:53,600
in one of the greatest
Christian mysteries.
564
00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:55,867
[narrator] For Pat,
the French nobleman
565
00:27:55,867 --> 00:27:59,333
did far more than just protect
the body of Mary Magdalene.
566
00:28:00,166 --> 00:28:02,533
Pat believes that fearing
either theft
567
00:28:02,533 --> 00:28:05,100
or destruction
of the holy relics,
568
00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:07,800
Hugues de Voisins
hid the body.
569
00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:12,900
So, we think Hugues de Voisins
took the body,
570
00:28:12,900 --> 00:28:15,734
because um, once someone
571
00:28:15,734 --> 00:28:19,467
came in possession
of a holy relic,
572
00:28:19,467 --> 00:28:21,900
he would have more power
in this region.
573
00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:24,800
We think he brought
bits and pieces,
574
00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,467
if not the whole body,
to his hometown,
575
00:28:27,467 --> 00:28:29,367
and hid it in a small church,
576
00:28:29,367 --> 00:28:32,533
which is dedicated
to Mary Magdalene today.
577
00:28:33,867 --> 00:28:35,467
[narrator] If Pat's correct,
578
00:28:35,467 --> 00:28:38,734
Hugues de Voisins moved
Mary Magdalene's relics
579
00:28:38,734 --> 00:28:41,800
over 200 miles,
to a small church
580
00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:45,467
in a village
today known as Pezens.
581
00:28:45,467 --> 00:28:48,900
The chapel of Pezens
dates to about
the 10th century.
582
00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:52,867
But archaeological digs nearby
show the possibility
583
00:28:52,867 --> 00:28:57,100
of over 2,000 years
of religious activity
in this site.
584
00:28:57,100 --> 00:28:59,166
[narrator] According to
Pat's research,
585
00:28:59,166 --> 00:29:02,800
back in medieval times,
this town was called Voisins,
586
00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,533
after its patriarch,
Hugues de Voisins.
587
00:29:06,467 --> 00:29:08,100
But the real smoking gun
588
00:29:08,100 --> 00:29:10,266
is the name etched
into the wall
589
00:29:10,266 --> 00:29:12,100
of the crypt at Saint Maximin,
590
00:29:12,100 --> 00:29:15,000
where Mary Magdalene
was supposedly found.
591
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:19,367
We found, surprisingly,
in the crypt of Saint Maximin,
592
00:29:19,367 --> 00:29:21,900
a writing which says "Voisin".
593
00:29:23,900 --> 00:29:26,100
[narrator] To Pat,
this graffiti tells him
594
00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:27,734
both who took the relics,
595
00:29:27,734 --> 00:29:29,734
and the village
where they're hidden.
596
00:29:30,166 --> 00:29:32,166
But that's not all.
597
00:29:32,166 --> 00:29:35,000
Connected by a line
is another secret symbol,
598
00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,467
which he thinks
is a medieval trail
of breadcrumbs,
599
00:29:38,467 --> 00:29:40,800
leading to the saint's
secret tomb.
600
00:29:42,266 --> 00:29:45,867
We are tracking down
an arched cross.
601
00:29:45,867 --> 00:29:50,000
The Christians always
used it to pinpoint,
602
00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,166
look, here is buried
a holy person.
603
00:29:54,734 --> 00:29:57,634
[narrator] Pat believes
this graffiti is a secret code
604
00:29:57,634 --> 00:29:59,367
left by Hugues de Voisins,
605
00:29:59,367 --> 00:30:01,100
telling future generations
606
00:30:01,100 --> 00:30:03,900
where he hid
Mary Magdalene's remains.
607
00:30:04,734 --> 00:30:07,867
And to our surprise,
we went to Pezens,
608
00:30:07,867 --> 00:30:10,634
and we found exactly
this arched cross.
609
00:30:10,634 --> 00:30:15,367
Exactly. It's like a copy
of the one in the crypt.
610
00:30:15,367 --> 00:30:18,166
We don't think this is just
ancient graffiti.
611
00:30:18,166 --> 00:30:20,734
We think this is a map.
612
00:30:20,734 --> 00:30:25,800
We think those arched crosses
will lead
613
00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,367
to the final resting place
of Mary Magdalene.
614
00:30:29,367 --> 00:30:32,734
[Karen] The theory
that French nobleman,
Hugues de Voisins,
615
00:30:32,734 --> 00:30:36,266
in the 13th century,
removed these remains
616
00:30:36,266 --> 00:30:37,734
from Saint Maximin
617
00:30:37,734 --> 00:30:40,800
and re-interred them
in the chapel of Pezens.
618
00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,634
Now, this is actually
not at all far-fetched,
619
00:30:44,634 --> 00:30:46,266
as strange as it might sound.
620
00:30:46,266 --> 00:30:49,100
I mean, there's a really
well-established tradition
621
00:30:49,100 --> 00:30:52,734
in the medieval period
of moving remains,
622
00:30:52,734 --> 00:30:54,867
if they were
particularly valued.
623
00:30:54,867 --> 00:30:57,600
For example, the remains
of a saint.
624
00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:59,100
Treasure hunters
who are out there
625
00:30:59,100 --> 00:31:00,533
looking for Mary Magdalene,
626
00:31:00,533 --> 00:31:02,533
could well be onto something.
627
00:31:02,533 --> 00:31:03,734
In the South of France,
628
00:31:03,734 --> 00:31:05,800
there are lots of clues
about the real Mary Magdalene.
629
00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,533
[narrator] Pat is sure
the arched crosses
630
00:31:09,533 --> 00:31:11,634
are a secret medieval code,
631
00:31:11,634 --> 00:31:15,900
marking the tomb
of Jesus's
most devoted follower.
632
00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:19,367
Armed with this evidence
and modern technology,
633
00:31:19,367 --> 00:31:21,533
Pat is hoping he can reveal
634
00:31:21,533 --> 00:31:24,533
the final resting place
of Mary Magdalene.
635
00:31:29,967 --> 00:31:33,533
[narrator] Pat Jokl
is with fellow amateur
archaeologist, Ronnie Endler,
636
00:31:33,533 --> 00:31:34,734
in Southern France.
637
00:31:36,166 --> 00:31:37,734
They've spent
the last 20 years
638
00:31:37,734 --> 00:31:39,634
searching for
the final resting place
639
00:31:39,634 --> 00:31:41,166
of Mary Magdalene.
640
00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:45,533
[Pat] We are now at Pezens.
641
00:31:45,533 --> 00:31:49,900
And this is the Chapel
Mary Magdalene.
642
00:31:49,900 --> 00:31:54,734
And we think Mary Magdalene
is buried inside here.
643
00:31:54,734 --> 00:31:57,734
[narrator] Today, they will
try to verify their theory
644
00:31:57,734 --> 00:32:00,533
that medieval aristocrat,
Hugues de Voisins,
645
00:32:00,533 --> 00:32:02,100
moved the saint's remains
646
00:32:02,100 --> 00:32:04,367
from where they were
originally discovered,
647
00:32:04,367 --> 00:32:07,367
and secretly hid them
under this chapel.
648
00:32:08,533 --> 00:32:10,800
To have that opportunity
to finally
649
00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:12,867
put boots on the ground,
650
00:32:12,867 --> 00:32:14,734
and do some survey on a site
651
00:32:14,734 --> 00:32:17,367
that you have spent
years researching,
652
00:32:17,367 --> 00:32:18,900
it's so exciting.
653
00:32:19,900 --> 00:32:21,800
Ah. Ronnie.
654
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:26,100
The coat of arms
of the family, de Voisins.
655
00:32:26,100 --> 00:32:30,634
See? This church belonged
to Hugues de Voisins.
656
00:32:32,533 --> 00:32:33,967
You can see it, right?
657
00:32:33,967 --> 00:32:36,100
It's all right. This is
the coat of arms
658
00:32:36,100 --> 00:32:38,166
-of de Voisins.
-Yeah.
659
00:32:38,166 --> 00:32:41,000
[narrator] Pat and Ronnie
have been tracking a symbol
660
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,734
known as the arched cross.
661
00:32:43,734 --> 00:32:46,367
Look, Ronnie.
This is exactly...
662
00:32:48,266 --> 00:32:50,967
the same sign. This is
the arched cross, like,
663
00:32:50,967 --> 00:32:53,000
exactly like in Saint Maximin.
664
00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:56,533
Look at that.
Do you see the resemblance?
665
00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:58,266
This is fantastic.
666
00:32:58,266 --> 00:33:00,533
[narrator] The chapel
appears to be covered
667
00:33:00,533 --> 00:33:02,166
in the secret symbols.
668
00:33:02,967 --> 00:33:04,100
[Pat] Wow. Look.
669
00:33:05,367 --> 00:33:10,634
Look. One, two, three, four.
670
00:33:10,634 --> 00:33:13,000
So, what Hugues de Voisins
was doing
671
00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,734
with these crude symbols
etched into the walls,
672
00:33:15,734 --> 00:33:19,166
was essentially leaving clues
to future generations
673
00:33:19,166 --> 00:33:20,867
so they could find her body.
674
00:33:20,867 --> 00:33:22,734
[narrator] If Pat's hunch
is correct,
675
00:33:22,734 --> 00:33:27,000
beneath the chapel's floor
is a secret burial chamber.
676
00:33:28,100 --> 00:33:31,166
When you see
this very small chapel today,
677
00:33:31,166 --> 00:33:33,900
hundreds of people drive by
every single day.
678
00:33:33,900 --> 00:33:36,000
It's almost insignificant.
679
00:33:36,867 --> 00:33:40,734
But imagine if it actually
holds the bones
680
00:33:40,734 --> 00:33:41,867
of Mary Magdalene.
681
00:33:41,867 --> 00:33:46,100
This chapel is called
Chapel of the Magdalene.
682
00:33:46,100 --> 00:33:48,000
Could that be a clue?
683
00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:49,867
[narrator] To prove
his theory,
684
00:33:49,867 --> 00:33:53,000
Pat is planning
a non-invasive survey,
685
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,166
using a magnetometer.
686
00:33:55,166 --> 00:33:56,867
[Pat] So, what this machine
is doing
687
00:33:56,867 --> 00:34:00,467
is to measure
the density of the soil.
688
00:34:00,467 --> 00:34:04,533
So, it can see if the soil
was once disturbed,
689
00:34:04,533 --> 00:34:07,367
or if someone
buried something,
690
00:34:07,367 --> 00:34:09,967
or if there is
a void underneath.
691
00:34:09,967 --> 00:34:13,634
A magnetometer is one
of the most useful devices
692
00:34:13,634 --> 00:34:18,367
that archaeologists use
to basically look underground
693
00:34:18,367 --> 00:34:20,867
without digging and see
what's there.
694
00:34:20,867 --> 00:34:23,533
Archaeological tools
such as this
695
00:34:23,533 --> 00:34:27,166
are non-destructive,
geo-physical methods
696
00:34:27,166 --> 00:34:31,166
to understand
what's underground,
697
00:34:31,166 --> 00:34:34,166
to locate voids
that may have been used
698
00:34:34,166 --> 00:34:35,634
for burial sites.
699
00:34:35,634 --> 00:34:37,900
[narrator] After 20 years
of research,
700
00:34:37,900 --> 00:34:40,100
armed with his technology,
701
00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:42,734
today Pat has gained
special access
702
00:34:42,734 --> 00:34:44,166
from the local authorities
703
00:34:44,166 --> 00:34:47,100
to carry out a survey
of the chapel's floor.
704
00:34:47,734 --> 00:34:50,100
Okay. She might be
buried here.
705
00:34:50,100 --> 00:34:51,533
-[laughs]
-Yeah.
706
00:34:53,266 --> 00:34:55,634
[indistinct chatter]
707
00:34:55,634 --> 00:34:58,467
All right, Ronnie.
The moment of truth.
708
00:34:58,467 --> 00:35:01,166
-So, let's start scanning.
-Let's start scanning.
709
00:35:01,166 --> 00:35:02,734
All right. Go.
710
00:35:06,867 --> 00:35:09,533
[narrator] The machine detects
how the ground below
711
00:35:09,533 --> 00:35:11,900
reacts to a magnetic field.
712
00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:19,734
Once processed, it will create
an image of what's underneath.
713
00:35:20,533 --> 00:35:22,967
[Pat] After all those years
of research,
714
00:35:22,967 --> 00:35:26,100
we are finally here.
This is the moment of truth.
715
00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:28,166
[Tony] I mean, can you imagine
the excitement
716
00:35:28,166 --> 00:35:30,100
that there is in that chapel
717
00:35:30,100 --> 00:35:33,967
as they are scanning the floor
of this medieval building,
718
00:35:33,967 --> 00:35:35,867
to finally find out
719
00:35:35,867 --> 00:35:39,634
if the body of Mary Magdalene
is deep down below?
720
00:35:41,533 --> 00:35:43,533
Look.
721
00:35:43,533 --> 00:35:46,367
This is another arched cross.
722
00:35:46,367 --> 00:35:48,000
This is an old grave stone.
723
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,734
And it's exactly
where we think
724
00:35:50,734 --> 00:35:53,967
Mary Magdalene is buried.
Coincidence?
725
00:35:53,967 --> 00:35:58,000
[narrator] To Pat, this stone
is another breadcrumb,
726
00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,367
suggesting that
Hugues de Voisins
727
00:36:00,367 --> 00:36:03,166
could have hidden
Mary Magdalene's body here.
728
00:36:03,166 --> 00:36:06,367
This could be
Mary Magdalene's grave stone.
729
00:36:06,367 --> 00:36:08,967
[narrator] After years
of research,
730
00:36:08,967 --> 00:36:10,634
Pat has finally managed
to scan
731
00:36:10,634 --> 00:36:12,967
beneath the floor
of this church.
732
00:36:12,967 --> 00:36:15,266
[Ronnie] Pat, we have finished
the scan.
733
00:36:15,266 --> 00:36:16,967
Right. Okay.
734
00:36:16,967 --> 00:36:19,266
[Pat] Well done.
735
00:36:19,266 --> 00:36:21,266
-Hopefully we will
find something.
-[laughs] Yes.
736
00:36:21,266 --> 00:36:22,734
[Pat] Okay, great.
737
00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:26,000
[narrator] If Pat's correct,
738
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,266
the results will show
a large void
739
00:36:28,266 --> 00:36:29,734
under the chapel's floor,
740
00:36:29,734 --> 00:36:34,433
where Mary Magdalene may have
laid hidden for centuries.
741
00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:43,333
[narrator] Pat Jokl and fellow
amateur archaeologist,
Ronnie Endler,
742
00:36:43,333 --> 00:36:45,000
are in Southern France,
743
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:48,066
searching for the grave
of Mary Magdalene.
744
00:36:49,367 --> 00:36:51,000
Following a trail of clues,
745
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,967
they have tracked her down
to a village in Pezens,
746
00:36:54,967 --> 00:36:58,000
where they have performed
the magnetometer survey,
747
00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,900
to see
beneath the chapel's floor.
748
00:37:01,233 --> 00:37:03,100
We just transferred the data
749
00:37:03,100 --> 00:37:06,600
from the device
to the computer.
750
00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,166
[narrator] Pat's hoping
the results show
751
00:37:09,166 --> 00:37:11,467
a secret crypt
below the chapel.
752
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:17,533
-[Ronnie] We've done it.
-[Pat] We've done it.
[laughs]
753
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:21,100
[Pat sighs] Great.
754
00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:24,634
[narrator] For Pat,
the results are conclusive.
755
00:37:25,233 --> 00:37:27,600
After 20 years of research,
756
00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:29,533
this reading shows
we are right.
757
00:37:29,533 --> 00:37:31,100
There is something underneath.
758
00:37:31,100 --> 00:37:32,634
Clearly, you can see
on this image,
759
00:37:32,634 --> 00:37:33,967
the color blue.
760
00:37:33,967 --> 00:37:38,867
And blue, blue reading
always shows, uh,
761
00:37:38,867 --> 00:37:41,467
low density of the ground.
762
00:37:41,467 --> 00:37:45,233
So that shows clearly
that there is a void,
763
00:37:45,233 --> 00:37:48,367
exactly where it should be.
In front of the altar.
764
00:37:48,367 --> 00:37:51,533
It's very, very likely that...
765
00:37:52,500 --> 00:37:55,900
in this church, in this void,
whatever it is,
766
00:37:57,166 --> 00:38:00,867
the remains of Mary Magdalene
are buried, yes.
767
00:38:00,867 --> 00:38:03,100
[narrator] Could Pat
really have found the grave
768
00:38:03,100 --> 00:38:05,734
of Jesus's
most devoted follower?
769
00:38:05,734 --> 00:38:10,867
The results to me look like
the detection of spaces
770
00:38:10,867 --> 00:38:15,367
in between rock
or solid ground.
771
00:38:15,367 --> 00:38:18,367
So, that could have been
either a space
772
00:38:18,367 --> 00:38:22,266
intentionally carved out,
or natural cave.
773
00:38:22,266 --> 00:38:24,734
It definitely means
that there is a void
774
00:38:24,734 --> 00:38:26,233
underneath the chapel.
775
00:38:26,233 --> 00:38:27,367
[narrator] Yet some believe
776
00:38:27,367 --> 00:38:30,867
the results are far
from certain.
777
00:38:30,867 --> 00:38:34,734
[Karen] These results
indicate some sort of
magnetic anomaly
778
00:38:34,734 --> 00:38:36,367
in this chapel.
779
00:38:36,367 --> 00:38:38,734
But it does not, to my eye,
780
00:38:38,734 --> 00:38:42,066
suggest the presence
of a grave of any kind.
781
00:38:42,066 --> 00:38:43,367
[narrator] While some agree
782
00:38:43,367 --> 00:38:45,867
the results support
Pat's theory,
783
00:38:45,867 --> 00:38:48,867
further work is needed
before he can finally uncover
784
00:38:48,867 --> 00:38:51,734
the remains of Mary Magdalene.
785
00:38:51,734 --> 00:38:55,233
Pat would need to obtain
permits to dig
beneath the church,
786
00:38:55,233 --> 00:38:57,000
which could take years.
787
00:38:58,066 --> 00:39:00,634
Yeah, next step would be, uh,
we need to dig,
788
00:39:00,634 --> 00:39:03,500
and we need to confirm
what the machine picked up.
789
00:39:03,500 --> 00:39:05,367
It could be natural,
of course,
790
00:39:05,367 --> 00:39:07,100
it could be a natural cave.
791
00:39:07,100 --> 00:39:09,467
Uh, but it could be
also the crypt.
792
00:39:09,467 --> 00:39:13,266
But for now, this is the best
result we could get.
793
00:39:14,266 --> 00:39:16,467
[narrator] If the Biblical
story is correct,
794
00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,000
some 2,000 years ago,
795
00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,734
Mary Magdalene walked
the Earth with Christ.
796
00:39:22,734 --> 00:39:27,166
Whether a prostitute, wife,
or just devout follower,
797
00:39:27,166 --> 00:39:28,867
she has left behind a legacy
798
00:39:28,867 --> 00:39:31,800
that many would argue
is second to none.
799
00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,500
Mary Magdalene is certainly
the most important woman
800
00:39:34,500 --> 00:39:35,900
in the New Testament.
801
00:39:36,467 --> 00:39:38,166
She is also, arguably,
802
00:39:38,166 --> 00:39:40,367
one of the most important
women in history.
803
00:39:40,367 --> 00:39:44,266
Largely because of the way
she has reacted against,
804
00:39:44,266 --> 00:39:47,467
and that informed the way,
certainly the Catholic church,
805
00:39:47,467 --> 00:39:50,333
behaved towards women
for two millennium.
806
00:39:50,333 --> 00:39:52,600
If we were able to prove
807
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:54,333
that the remains
of a human body
808
00:39:54,333 --> 00:39:56,634
were those of Mary Magdalene,
809
00:39:56,634 --> 00:40:00,000
that would prove the veracity
of the Bible.
810
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:04,333
If Mary Magdalene's remains
were found and verified,
811
00:40:04,333 --> 00:40:07,867
this would be
a momentous occasion.
812
00:40:07,867 --> 00:40:10,500
I do find an interest
in people
813
00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:11,734
who are still searching
814
00:40:11,734 --> 00:40:14,367
for the remains
of Mary Magdalene.
815
00:40:14,367 --> 00:40:21,100
I think for many of them,
it will be a concrete fact
816
00:40:21,100 --> 00:40:25,333
of what has been based
in faith for so long.
817
00:40:25,333 --> 00:40:28,533
[narrator] Sceptics doubt
if we will ever know for sure
818
00:40:28,533 --> 00:40:31,166
if we've found
the saint's remains.
819
00:40:31,166 --> 00:40:33,734
Honestly,
it's entirely possible
820
00:40:33,734 --> 00:40:36,600
that somebody
somewhere, someday,
821
00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:38,000
will find the remains
822
00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:41,100
of the woman
who was Mary Magdalene.
823
00:40:41,100 --> 00:40:44,233
Will we be able to identify
her as such?
824
00:40:44,233 --> 00:40:46,233
Almost certainly not.
825
00:40:46,233 --> 00:40:50,600
[narrator] Regardless,
intrigue lingers to this day.
826
00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:53,533
It's fascinating that
in the 20th century,
827
00:40:53,533 --> 00:40:54,867
where we have
conspiracy theories
828
00:40:54,867 --> 00:40:56,467
that cover everything,
829
00:40:56,467 --> 00:41:00,166
from microchips and vaccines
to vapor trails,
830
00:41:00,166 --> 00:41:02,367
probably the most widely known
831
00:41:02,367 --> 00:41:04,367
conspiracy theory in the world
832
00:41:04,367 --> 00:41:06,367
centers on Mary Magdalene.
833
00:41:06,367 --> 00:41:10,634
If you wanna know my opinion,
as to where exactly
834
00:41:10,634 --> 00:41:13,266
Mary Magdalene is buried,
835
00:41:13,266 --> 00:41:17,734
I think the most likely answer
would be
836
00:41:17,734 --> 00:41:19,600
she's probably buried
in the Holy Land.
837
00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:23,000
So, to all
those treasure hunters,
838
00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:25,367
let's just first make sure
839
00:41:25,367 --> 00:41:26,867
that we are not
missing something
840
00:41:26,867 --> 00:41:29,266
directly below our noses
here in the Holy Land.
841
00:41:29,266 --> 00:41:32,900
[narrator] But for some,
the search continues.
842
00:41:33,500 --> 00:41:34,867
It's great. It's amazing.
843
00:41:34,867 --> 00:41:37,500
But we need to take
another step.
844
00:41:37,500 --> 00:41:41,367
Now, this will be
a hard piece of work,
845
00:41:41,367 --> 00:41:44,367
but, um, yeah, we came so far.
846
00:41:44,367 --> 00:41:47,066
I feel great.
I will go with Pat,
847
00:41:47,066 --> 00:41:50,000
even if it takes
another 20 years.
848
00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:53,367
As long as I am alive,
I will never give up
849
00:41:53,367 --> 00:41:55,600
looking for
Mary Magdalene's remains.