Fulcanelli
Secrets gothic cathedrals and esoteric interpretation of the hermetic symbols of the Great Work
Preface to the first edition
Presenting the work of one's own teacher is a very difficult task for the student. Moreover, it is not my intention to analyze the Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals, nor to emphasize the beautiful form of presentation and the depth of the material. I, like the Heliopolis Brethren, very humbly acknowledge the joy of receiving this synthesis, which is masterfully presented in this book. Time and truth will do the rest.
The author of this book is no longer among us. He was an inconspicuous person. I remember that he was alone. The man is gone, but his works live on. I feel pain, recalling the image of my Teacher, to whom I owe everything, regretting, alas! that he left us so early. His many friends, who expected him to solve for them the mysterious Verbum dimissum, mourn him with me. Could he, having reached the pinnacle of knowledge, refuse to obey the dictates of Fate? There is no prophet in his own country. It is possible that this old saying explains the reason for the shock that the spark of Revelation causes in the lonely life of a philosopher wholly devoted to science. The action of this divine fire completely exudes the old man. Name, family, homeland, all illusions, all delusions, all vanity - everything crumbles to dust. And from this ashes, like a poetic phoenix, a new personality is reborn. So at least it says philosophical tradition.
My Master knew this. He disappeared when the fateful hour struck, when the Sign happened. Who dares to evade the hand of the Law? - If a happy event happened to me today, forcing the Adept to flee from the honors of the world, I myself, despite the deep sadness of a sorrowful but inevitable separation, could not have done otherwise.
Fulcanelli is no more. Nevertheless, and this consoles us, his thought remained, burning and alive, forever enclosed in these pages, as if in a shrine.
Thanks to him, Gothic cathedrals began to speak and began to reveal their secrets. It happened naturally, without emotion, as if we had received from the hands of our ancestors the finished cornerstone of these buildings, a dazzling gem (more precious than gold), on which Jesus built his Church. All Truth, all Philosophy, all Religion are represented on this unique and sacred Stone. Many, puffed up with arrogance, consider themselves capable of teaching, and yet the chosen few are simple enough, knowledgeable and skillful enough to cope with this task!
But it is not important. It is enough for us to know that the amazing heritage of our Middle Ages contains the same positive truth, the same scientific foundations as the pyramids of Egypt, the temples of Greece, the Roman catacombs, the Byzantine basilicas.
This is the main content of Fulcanelli's book.
The Hermeticists, at least those who deserve the name, are discovering something else. It is, so to speak, a shock from ideas that bring light. Many believe that there is a contrast between the Book and the theory that the Spirit liberates and the Letter kills. Fulcanelli effortlessly proves that this is not always true. The path is short for those who are on the move. In addition, the direction is indicated here.
What do you desire more?
I know, and this is not an attempt to inflate oneself, because more than ten years ago the author invested in me the confidence that the key to the main secret is given in one of the figures that adorn this work. And this key is simply in the color presented by the creator since the execution of his first work. Many philosophers known to me do not understand the lofty significance of this fundamental truth. Frankly speaking, I am fulfilling the last will of Fulcanelli, and therefore I must act in accordance with the requirements of my conscience.
And now that the book is being published, in my own name and in the name of the Heliopolis Brethren, I want to warmly thank the artist who illustrated the work of my Master. Indeed, it is thanks to the sincere and painstaking talent of Julien Champagne that the Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals owe their austere esotericism an excellent veil of original illustrations.
E. Canselier, F.C.H. October, 1925
Preface to the second edition
When "Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals" was completed in 1922, Fulcanelli had not yet received God's Gift, but was already close to the highest Illumination and was in no hurry to part with his anonymity. Apparently, such was his character, and not at all the desire to keep some kind of secret. Of course, we need to say that this person was like from another age, with her strange manners, obsolete views and unusual activities, inadvertently attracting the attention of onlookers, curious and fools, but she did not receive any support. Perhaps later there will be universal recognition of his outstanding personality.
But by the time the material of the first book was brought together, the Teacher expressed his will - absolute and not subject to discussion - he leaves his true essence in the shade, resolutely hides his name and position under a pseudonym, as Tradition has long required.
* * *For those who are somewhat familiar with the alchemical books of the past, the fundamental aphorism is that the oral transmission from teacher to student prevails over all others. Fulcanelli received an initiation of the same kind as we after him. For our part, we are obliged to declare that Kiliani had already opened the big door of the labyrinth for us when his small work was republished in 1915.
In our preface to The Twelve Keys of Philosophy, we deliberately repeated that Vasily Valentin was the initiator of our Teacher. Taking this opportunity, we propose to replace the epithets - to be precise - by the numeral first to replace the present epithet, which we once used in our preface to the "Philosophical Mansions". At that time we did not yet know about the moving letter (which we reproduce below) that evoked amazement with its outburst of enthusiasm, emphasis on passion; The name of the addressee was not on it, and the letter was anonymous, since the signature was erased on it. Undoubtedly, it was addressed to the teacher Fulcanelli, as it was found in his papers. The author of The Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals kept it for many years as a talisman, a written proof of the triumph of his true teacher, and today we can publish it:
My old friend, This time you have received the true Gift of God; this is a great Grace, and for the first time I understand how rare this gift is. I do believe that in its bottomless abyss of simplicity, the mystery is not found by the power of the mind alone, as subtle and guided as it can be. Finally, you mastered the Treasure of Treasures, expressing gratitude to the Divine Light in whose rays you created. In addition, you received it absolutely deservedly, thanks to the unbreakable commitment to the Truth, steadfastness in efforts, constancy in sacrifice, and also, do not forget ... your hard work.
The variety of plots in Gothic architecture is striking. There is almost everything here: everyday scenes, images of saints, monarchs, knights, gospel episodes, scenes Doomsday, mythical and fantastic animals. On the facade of the Reims Cathedral, a medallion has been preserved, reproducing the image of the sixteenth lasso of the Tarot - "The Tower struck by lightning." It is impossible to describe all these stories. Fulcanelli, in his book, analyzed in sufficient detail symbolic meaning animals. Therefore, we will focus on only one story, about which he did not say anything. On the facade of the cathedral tower Notre Dame of Paris among a group of gargoyles is a sculpture depicting a Pelican. In our opinion, this is a very important alchemical symbol, which is in a sense the opposite of the raven. Pelican is also one of the most famous allegories of Christ, a symbol of nobility and self-sacrifice.
However, not only the architecture and decoration of the cathedrals carried a great semantic load.
Daniel Gauthier in his article "Maps of Eternity" mentions the assumption that the placement of cathedrals dedicated to the Virgin Mary in France duplicates the position of the stars in the constellation Virgo.
Let's consider this question in more detail. Perhaps the most daring attempt to relate certain places on earth to cosmic theory is the work of Louis Charpentier on Chartres Cathedral (10). He points out that, as a result of studying the map of France, it is clear that in northern France the location of cathedrals and churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary roughly corresponds to the location of the main stars of the constellation Virgo. A chart drawn up by Charpentier was used to create a map placed here, from which one can trace the connection between the stars and the cathedrals.
The fact that this list is headed by Reims Cathedral, corresponding to the brightest star, is not surprising, since this cathedral was the traditional coronation site of French monarchs. Latin name for a star Spica means "ear", and in the medieval imagination, the ear in the left hand of the heavenly maiden often turned into the baby Jesus (the bread on which humanity feeds) in the hands of the Virgin Mary. The constellation Virgo and the Virgin Mary in the thinking of that time were so interconnected that Albert the Great, who lived in the 13th century, suggested that the symbol of the constellation Virgo, which has the spelling Ш, represents two letters MV Maria Virgo(The Virgin Mary). In French "ear" sounds L'epi, and during the Middle Ages, along with the others, a cathedral was erected southeast of Reims Notre-Wate d'Epine(the last word means blackthorn and is a reminder of the crown of thorns of Christ).
For a long time Spica was an important reference point. Lockyer names several Egyptian temples oriented to this star. There is only one cathedral on this map that is not dedicated to the Virgin, and that is the cathedral at Brou.
latin word Vindemiatrix, which is the name of the star corresponding to the cathedral in Bayeux, means "grape harvester." But in Roman times it was called Vindemiator-"grape picker" (it is generally accepted that this star got this name because it appeared in the morning sky on the day when the harvest began). It is worth considering that the change of name and gender is somehow connected with the feminine nature of the Virgo constellation, of which this star is a part.
In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about Fulcanelli. In 1926, under the pseudonym Fulcanelli, a book entitled "Secrets of Gothic Cathedrals" was published by the Parisian publishing house "Shemit". Two years later, a second book appeared, consisting of two volumes and called "Philosophical Mansions, or a Treatise on Hermetic Symbolism, the Sacred Art and the Esotericism of the Great Work." Both books were accompanied by prefaces by Eugène Canselier. According to experts in alchemy, they were on a par with the works of Basil Valentine, Cosmopolitan and Philalet. Among the treatises on this topic, Fulcanelli's works were distinguished by the clarity of the language, the fundamental nature and depth of the author's knowledge. In addition, it was clear from Canselier's preface that the author was able to obtain philosopher's Stone between 1922 and 1926. At about the same time he, as a true Adept, disappeared. Many writers and journalists have tried to unravel the authorship. The most famous were four contenders: the writers D.G. Rosny and Pierre Duglot, the artist Jean-Julien Champagne and Eugene Canselle. But none of the proposed hypotheses has stood up to scrutiny. Only one communication from Fulcanelli came after the release of the books. Jacques Bergier in the book "Morning of the Magicians" describes a meeting and conversation with a man who identified himself as the author of the "Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals" and "Philosophical Cloisters", which took place in June 1937. He didn't see him again. After the Second World War, Fulcanelli was searched for by the American and French intelligence agencies, but to no avail.
That is all that is known of the anonymous alchemist and writer who occupies a prominent place among the greatest Adepts. The books of which were repeatedly reprinted and translated into a number of European languages.
A. V. Morozov.
Literature:
1. V. L. Rabinovich. Alchemy as a phenomenon of medieval culture. Moscow: Nauka, 1979.
2. K.M. Muratova. Masters of French Gothic. M.: Art, 1988.
3. K.M. Muratova. Decree. op.
4 Charles Walker Atlas of Secret Europe: AGuid to sities of Magic and Mystery New York, Dorset Press, 1990.
5. P.D. Uspensky. New model of the universe. St. Petersburg: Chernyshev Publishing House, 1993.
6. Alexandre Saint-Ive d "Alveydre.1 Archeometer, Paris: 1.a Tour de dragons, 1976.
7. Jose and Miriam Argueles. Mandela. Moscow: Blagovest, 1993
8. K.M. Muratova. Decree. op.
9. A. Pernety. Dictionnaire mytho-hermetique… Paris, 1758.
10. L.Charpentier. The Mysteries Chartres Cathedral. 1972.
Presenting the work of one's own teacher is a very difficult task for the student. Moreover, it is not my intention to analyze the Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals, nor to emphasize the beautiful form of presentation and the depth of the material. I, like the Heliopolis Brethren, very humbly acknowledge the joy of receiving this synthesis, which is masterfully presented in this book. Time and truth will do the rest.
The author of this book is no longer among us. He was an inconspicuous person. I remember that he was alone. The man is gone, but his works live on. I feel pain, recalling the image of my Teacher, to whom I owe everything, regretting, alas! that he left us so early. His many friends, who expected him to solve for them the mysterious Verbum dimissum, mourn him with me. Could he, having reached the pinnacle of knowledge, refuse to obey the dictates of Fate? There is no prophet in his own country. It is possible that this old saying explains the reason for the shock that the spark of Revelation causes in the lonely life of a philosopher wholly devoted to science. The action of this divine fire completely exudes the old man. Name, family, homeland, all illusions, all delusions, all vanity - everything crumbles to dust. And from this ashes, like a poetic phoenix, a new personality is reborn. So, at least, the philosophical Tradition says.
My Master knew this. He disappeared when the fateful hour struck, when the Sign happened. Who dares to evade the hand of the Law? - If a happy event happened to me today, forcing the Adept to flee from the honors of the world, I myself, despite the deep sadness of a sorrowful but inevitable separation, could not have done otherwise.
Fulcanelli is no more. Nevertheless, and this consoles us, his thought remained, burning and alive, forever enclosed in these pages, as if in a shrine.
Thanks to him, Gothic cathedrals began to speak and began to reveal their secrets. It happened naturally, without emotion, as if we had received from the hands of our ancestors the finished cornerstone of these buildings, a dazzling gem (more precious than gold), on which Jesus built his Church. All Truth, all Philosophy, all Religion are represented on this unique and sacred Stone. Many, puffed up with arrogance, consider themselves capable of teaching, and yet the chosen few are simple enough, knowledgeable and skillful enough to cope with this task!
But it is not important. It is enough for us to know that the amazing heritage of our Middle Ages contains the same positive truth, the same scientific foundations as the pyramids of Egypt, the temples of Greece, the Roman catacombs, the Byzantine basilicas.
This is the main content of Fulcanelli's book.
The Hermeticists, at least those who deserve the name, are discovering something else. It is, so to speak, a shock from ideas that bring light. Many believe that there is a contrast between the Book and the theory that the Spirit liberates and the Letter kills. Fulcanelli effortlessly proves that this is not always true. The path is short for those who are on the move. In addition, the direction is indicated here.
What do you desire more?
I know, and this is not an attempt to inflate oneself, because more than ten years ago the author invested in me the confidence that the key to the main secret is given in one of the figures that adorn this work. And this key is simply in the color presented by the creator since the execution of his first work. Many philosophers known to me do not understand the lofty significance of this fundamental truth. Frankly speaking, I am fulfilling the last will of Fulcanelli, and therefore I must act in accordance with the requirements of my conscience.
And now that the book is being published, in my own name and in the name of the Heliopolis Brethren, I want to warmly thank the artist who illustrated the work of my Master. Indeed, it is thanks to the sincere and painstaking talent of Julien Champagne that the Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals owe their austere esotericism an excellent veil of original illustrations.
E. Canselier, F.C.H. October, 1925
Preface to the second edition
When "Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals" was completed in 1922, Fulcanelli had not yet received God's Gift, but was already close to the highest Illumination and was in no hurry to part with his anonymity. Apparently, such was his character, and not at all the desire to keep some kind of secret. Of course, we need to say that this person was like from another age, with her strange manners, obsolete views and unusual activities, inadvertently attracting the attention of onlookers, curious and fools, but she did not receive any support. Perhaps later there will be universal recognition of his outstanding personality.
But by the time the material of the first book was brought together, the Teacher expressed his will - absolute and not subject to discussion - he leaves his true essence in the shade, resolutely hides his name and position under a pseudonym, as Tradition has long required.
For those who are somewhat familiar with the alchemical books of the past, the fundamental aphorism is that the oral transmission from teacher to student prevails over all others. Fulcanelli received an initiation of the same kind as we after him. For our part, we are obliged to declare that Kiliani had already opened the big door of the labyrinth for us when his small work was republished in 1915.
In our preface to The Twelve Keys of Philosophy, we deliberately repeated that Vasily Valentin was the initiator of our Teacher. Taking this opportunity, we propose to replace epithets - to be precise - with numerals first replace the epithet real which we once used in our preface to the "Philosophical Mansions". At that time we did not yet know about the moving letter (which we reproduce below) that evoked amazement with its outburst of enthusiasm, emphasis on passion; The name of the addressee was not on it, and the letter was anonymous, since the signature was erased on it. Undoubtedly, it was addressed to the teacher Fulcanelli, as it was found in his papers. The author of The Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals kept it for many years as a talisman, a written proof of the triumph of his true teacher, and today we can publish it:
My old friend, This time you have received the true Gift of God; this is a great Grace, and for the first time I understand how rare this gift is. I do believe that in its bottomless abyss of simplicity, the mystery is not found by the power of the mind alone, as subtle and guided as it can be. Finally, you mastered the Treasure of Treasures, expressing gratitude to the Divine Light in whose rays you created. In addition, you received it absolutely deservedly, thanks to the unbreakable commitment to the Truth, steadfastness in efforts, constancy in sacrifice, and also, do not forget ... your hard work.
When my wife told me the good news, I was overwhelmed by a joyful surprise and couldn't control myself with happiness. I even said to myself: if only we did not pay for this moment of intoxication today with a few terrible hours for tomorrow. But although we are briefly informed about this event, it is clear to me, and this confirms me in confidence, that the fire is not extinguished until the Work is completed, until the tincture mass completely saturates the vessel, which from transfusion to transfusion remains absolutely saturated and becomes luminous, like the sun.
You were so kind as to introduce us to this high and occult knowledge, which rightfully belongs to you personally. We have felt this better than anyone and are able to be infinitely grateful to you. You know that the most beautiful words are not worthy of the simplest phrase: You kind and for this virtue God has crowned you with a diadem of true royalty. He knows that you will find a noble use for the scepter and the inestimable work it carries with it. We have known for a long time that you are the blue cloak that covers your friends; and now it has expanded and become even larger, as all the blue sky and the sun in it covers your shoulders. May it be given to you for a long time to use this greatest good for the joy and comfort of your friends and even your enemies, for misfortune destroys everything, and from now on you have at your disposal a magic wand capable of performing all miracles.
Fulcanelli Secrets of Gothic Cathedrals and Esoteric Interpretation of the Hermetic Symbols of the Great Work
Preface to the first edition
Presenting the work of one's own teacher is a very difficult task for the student. Moreover, it is not my intention to analyze the Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals, nor to emphasize the beautiful form of presentation and the depth of the material. I, like the Heliopolis Brethren, very humbly acknowledge the joy of receiving this synthesis, which is masterfully presented in this book. Time and truth will do the rest.
The author of this book is no longer among us. He was an inconspicuous person. I remember that he was alone. The man is gone, but his works live on. I feel pain, recalling the image of my Teacher, to whom I owe everything, regretting, alas! that he left us so early. His many friends, who expected him to solve for them the mysterious Verbum dimissum, mourn him with me. Could he, having reached the pinnacle of knowledge, refuse to obey the dictates of Fate? There is no prophet in his own country. It is possible that this old saying explains the reason for the shock that the spark of Revelation causes in the lonely life of a philosopher wholly devoted to science. The action of this divine fire completely exudes the old man. Name, family, homeland, all illusions, all delusions, all vanity - everything crumbles to dust. And from this ashes, like a poetic phoenix, a new personality is reborn. So, at least, the philosophical Tradition says.
My Master knew this. He disappeared when the fateful hour struck, when the Sign happened. Who dares to evade the hand of the Law? - If a happy event happened to me today, forcing the Adept to flee from the honors of the world, I myself, despite the deep sadness of a sorrowful but inevitable separation, could not have done otherwise.
Fulcanelli is no more. Nevertheless, and this consoles us, his thought remained, burning and alive, forever enclosed in these pages, as if in a shrine.
Thanks to him, Gothic cathedrals began to speak and began to reveal their secrets. It happened naturally, without emotion, as if we had received from the hands of our ancestors the finished cornerstone of these buildings, a dazzling gem (more precious than gold), on which Jesus built his Church. All Truth, all Philosophy, all Religion are represented on this unique and sacred Stone. Many, puffed up with arrogance, consider themselves capable of teaching, and yet the chosen few are simple enough, knowledgeable and skillful enough to cope with this task!
But it is not important. It is enough for us to know that the amazing heritage of our Middle Ages contains the same positive truth, the same scientific foundations as the pyramids of Egypt, the temples of Greece, the Roman catacombs, the Byzantine basilicas.
This is the main content of Fulcanelli's book.
The Hermeticists, at least those who deserve the name, are discovering something else. It is, so to speak, a shock from ideas that bring light. Many believe that there is a contrast between the Book and the theory that the Spirit liberates and the Letter kills. Fulcanelli effortlessly proves that this is not always true. The path is short for those who are on the move. In addition, the direction is indicated here.
What do you desire more?
I know, and this is not an attempt to inflate oneself, because more than ten years ago the author invested in me the confidence that the key to the main secret is given in one of the figures that adorn this work. And this key is simply in the color presented by the creator since the execution of his first work. Many philosophers known to me do not understand the lofty significance of this fundamental truth. Frankly speaking, I am fulfilling the last will of Fulcanelli, and therefore I must act in accordance with the requirements of my conscience.
And now that the book is being published, in my own name and in the name of the Heliopolis Brethren, I want to warmly thank the artist who illustrated the work of my Master. Indeed, it is thanks to the sincere and painstaking talent of Julien Champagne that the Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals owe their austere esotericism an excellent veil of original illustrations.
E. Canselier, F.C.H. October, 1925
Preface to the second edition
When "Secrets of the Gothic Cathedrals" was completed in 1922, Fulcanelli had not yet received God's Gift, but was already close to the highest Illumination and was in no hurry to part with his anonymity. Apparently, such was his character, and not at all the desire to keep some kind of secret. Of course, we need to say that this person was like from another age, with her strange manners, obsolete views and unusual activities, inadvertently attracting the attention of onlookers, curious and fools, but she did not receive any support. Perhaps later there will be universal recognition of his outstanding personality.
