Edmond Kirsch The German word Kirsche means cherry. Kirsch or Kirschwasser is a cherry brandy.

 

Catalonia Sometimes known as Catalon. This fiercely independent community of Spain has its capitol in Barcelona.

 

 

flaming spear into a hornets’ nest  There is  youtube video of this technique to eliminate the nest, but the language is very somewhat vulgar.

 

traditional Catholic purple cassock   Purple cassocks are worn by Anglican bishops. The Roman Catholic Church normally has bishops in black cassocks with purple trim.

 

 

 

white rochet    “In the Catholic Church, cardinals, bishops and certain other dignitaries use a rochet, a garment that is worn over the cassock for non-eucharistic functions.The Catholic rochet is a tunic of white, usually fine linen or muslin (batiste, mull) reaching about to the knee, and distinguished from the surplice mainly by the narrower sleeves which make its arms tight-fitting, and is frequently trimmed with lace. The lower edge and the sleeves may also be garnished with lace, lined with violet or red silk in the case of prelates, or more rarely with embroidered borders.The rochet is proper to, and distinctive of, prelates and bishops.”   

 

zucchetto  The skull cap worn, in this case purple, worn by a Roman Catholic Bishop.

 

 

Bishop Antonio Valdespino  This noble surname also graces one of Spain’s sherries  related to 1264 when Don Alfonso Valdespino, one of 24 Knights responsible for expelling the Moors from Jerez, was rewarded for his efforts by the king, granting him land in the city of Jerez.

Kiton K50 suit Only five tailors create up to fifty suits per year. The cost is $10,000 to $100,000.

 

 

 

Barker ostrich shoes

 

 

game theory

computer modeling

thirty-three-years old, I am the same age as Christ when He performed His resurrection.  Christ was crucified at the age 33.The number 33 is significant in Brown’s novel, The Lost Symbol, and for Freemasonry. The Scottish Rite has thirty three degrees. The Temple has 33 pillars and they are 33 feet tall.  The human spine has 33 vertebrae. The Lost Symbol was published on 09/15/09 = 33 and has 133 chapters. “In the days of Pythagoras . . .the tradition of numerology hailed the number 33 as the highest of all the Master Numbers. It was the most sacred figure, symbolizing divine truth” (332). “‘Thirty three’ Katherine said, ‘is a sacred number in many mystical traditions’”(333).  Brown managed to get that quote on page 333. Brown also uses the traditional capital letters for pronouns related to God and Christ.

 

the meek were supposed to inherit the earth.  Taken from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, this is the third of the eight Beatitudes. Matthew 5:5King James Version: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

 

prophet

hearing the voice of the devil that we can better appreciate the voice of God

 

 

citadel of gray stone This will soon be identified as the Monastery at Montserrat.

 

 

 

The Parliament of the World’s Religions. The Mission of the organization reads: “The Parliament of the World’s Religions was created to cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world.” The last meeting in Barcelona was in 2004.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hindu pujaris

Pandit Komal Prasad sits inside the Hindu Temple (Mandir in Hindi) Sanatan Dharam Shiv Mandir in Delhi , India. He is the Pujari. Throughout India, pujaris act as counselors during Hindu festivities and festivals. Pujaris have a reputation for being learned. They conduct Hindu prayer services.”

 

Bhikkhu meditating

 

Buddhist bhikkhus A bhikkhus is an ordained buddhist monk.

Bhikkhu is the Indian language Pali word for a Buddhist monk. Bhikkhus follow the Theravada section of Buddhism. Bhikkhus try to implement the historical Buddha Siddartha Guatama’s practices into their daily lives by practicing dharma.

 

 

Jains 

Jainism is an ancient Indian religion. Followers of Jainism adhere to a number of principles, most notably: non-violence, non-absolutism, non-attachment, and celibacy.

Robert Langdon indirectly referenced the symbol Jain flag (right) in The Da Vinci Code. (Skip to 1 minute in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFt3xJ6DvVE). The symbol on the flag is a swastika, but for followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, swastikas represent good luck and success. However, when appropriated by the Nazis, the symbol came to represent Aryanism and hatred.The word swastika comes from Sanskrit (स्वस्तिक), and means “conducive to well being or auspicious”.

 

Image result for sikh

SikhsThese are individuals who profess the Sikh religion, which began in the Punjab region of India and dates back to the late 1400s. Sikhs meditate in a practice called simran. The religion is monotheistic, followers experience multiple lives before achieving human form, and one can attain salvation by living an honest lifestyle, eventually merging with God.

 

A noble quest. This will remind readers of the theme of The DaVinci Code, the quest for the Holy Grail.

meaningless search for random points of correspondence . see Campbell quote on religion

Moses climbed a mountain In The Book of Exodus 24 (New King James Version) the Lord commands Moses to ascend the mountain (mount Sinai, where he is given the tablets containing the Ten Commandments. (NKJV)

 

Harvard University This is the oldest and one of the most prestigious and select universities in the United States.

 

athesits and gnostics A Washington Post article reports this fact based on a Harvard survey of incoming students.

frankincense This oil is used as incense in both the Jewish ans Christian tradition, and was one of the gifts presented by the Magi to the Christ child.

library of Montserrat. There is a cable car to Montserrat where one can visit the monastery and the library. Try the virtual tour.

Rabbi Yehuda Köves Yehuda or Judah is a Hebrew male name meaning “praise.” There is an actual Rabbi Köves in Hungary. He is United States educated.

Kabbalistic cosmology. The Kabballah is an esoteric tradition within Judaism. Cosmology is the study and science of the origin of the Universe. Originally studied in the myths and beliefs of religions, it has recently become an interest of modern physics. There appears to be interesting links between the Kabbala and alchemy and Spain and modern physics.

allamah, Syed al-Fadi. . . .Islamic scholar The honorary title for an Islamic scholar. The first or given name may also indicate a descendant of the prophet, Mohammed.  The family name, al-Fadi is shared by one controversial Muslim who has converted to Christianity.

 

 

 

thawb An ankle length Arab robe.

 

 

tribunal . . .inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition in particular is a painful memory for the Roman Catholic Church. Its very mention tends to promote polarity among between Catholics and others.

Holy Trinity This is the Christian belief that there are three persons in one god: The father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Three Wise Men. We encounter the Three Magi or Three Wise Men in the Gospel of Matthew. They are guided by a star to visit the infant Jesus and come bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

 

Collserola Mountain range

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balearic Sea

 

 

 

vow of silence This is a spiritual practice in many of the world’s religions.

 

oversized smartphone. One could have used a large screen iPhone or other device, or simply a Galaxy Note 7.

 

Forty-seven-character passwordIn fact, I have only managed to create a password thirty-seven character password. And it seems like it would take infinite amount of time to crack that password even in the year 2020. One might also wonder if the number 47 or the digits 4 and 7, hold any other significance in the novel Origin.  

three days’ time – The number “3” is significant in many religions. It is used in Scripture as a symbol of completeness and typically identifies an important event in that religion. For example, after being crucified Jesus was resurrected on the third day and the Holy Trinity consists of three entities.

 

teachings of all religions . .  . They were all dead wrong.