The Marian Conspiracy: The Hidden Truth About the Holy Grail, the Real Father of Christ and the Tomb of the Virgin Mary [Hardcover]

In summary, Graham Phillips leads his readers through a highly readable and interesting quest to discover the most likely historical story of Mary the mother of Jesus. His conclusions are controversial but as with all such theories they remain entirely speculative.

The 'conspiracy' element regards the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Assumption, based upon tradition that the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven and thus has no mortal remains and no need for a tomb. Historically two tombs have been venerated as the tomb of Mary, one in Jerusalem and the other in Ephesus, and a Catholic priest Giovanni Bendetti was researching these and a third when Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption Dogma so the findings were never made public. This book is controversial for Catholics in so far as it suggests that the tomb of Mary might be located in Anglesey.

The opening scene of the book finds the author in the Vatican meeting Father Rinsonelli who introduces him to the 'secret' archives and in mentioning Bendetti's theories and the possible relation between the Virgin Mary and the Grail legends starts him on his quest.

The next stop is Jerusalem and here the author not only writes about the holy Land with style but gives very useful historical and legendary background to the people and places he writes about. On the whole the historical and biblical background is well-researched and generally accepting of contemporary consensus viewpoints. It is remarkably conservative for a so-called conspiracy book until, that is, it identifies Jesus' father.

Following the history of the Herodian dynasty Phillips adopts the theory that the Jewish scholar Joseph Schreiber put forward in 1956 that Jesus was the son of Antipater, the eldest son of King Herod the Great, and whom Augustus had designated heir to the kingdom. (Phillips does not mention that Robert Graves also offered a similar theory in his controversial historical novel King Jesus in 1946).

Identifying Mary as a daughter of the high priest and wife of the crown prince and Jesus as a grandson of the infamous King Herod is quite radical and controversial but Phillips is not alone in propounding such conclusions.

The next point of call in the quest is Ephesus in modern day Turkey which legend also associates with a tomb of Mary. The author explains how veneration of Mary may possibly be derived from assimilation with Artemis/Diana worship which was centred at Ephesus.

According to tradition Mary was thought to have gone with the apostle John to Ephesus but without hardly any explanation for his claim and making no reference to the much debated question of the mysterious 'beloved disciple' of John's Gospel to whom the mother of Jesus was entrusted, Phillips suggests that the beloved disciple was in fact Joseph of Arimathea, whom he also claims was Jesus' brother. This assertion naturally leads to the Grail legends and to Phillip's question: "Was Joseph's Holy Grail actually the Virgin Mary?" (163)

So in chapter VI we arrive in Britain. Beginning at Walsingham, through Elton Manor at Widecombe where William Blake is said to have composed 'Jerusalem' the trail continues to Glastonbury where Phillips finds his most important evidence to date. He finds a letter from Augustine, the first archbishop of Canterbury to Pope Gregory in 597 CE which mentions an island on which there was a church built by Christ himself.

Tales and legends of Arthur are next investigated and finally we arrive at the new 'Avalon' which turns out to be Anglesey. Anglesey was the last stronghold of the Druids who for some reason or another so upset Nero that he decided to see them off forever. Phillip's quest ends at Llanerchymedd a dilapidated church which he suggests was the first burial place of Mary the mother of Jesus.

Even if this book were only a creative work of fiction it would be well worth reading. The author has an engaging descriptive style which brings the places he visits alive. I found the historical information given regarding the biblical background well researched and have no doubt that the same applies to the information regarding the Grail legends. The book would be of interest to anyone who is interested in the historical background of Jesus and his family and also to those interested in the legends of the Holy Grail.