Bernard Was Aware of Ark Templar Religion

When Hugh of Champagne left for Jerusalem for good in 1125, he had two fundamental objectives. Become the first Grand Master of Templars in everything but official title… and the High Priest of Ark-centered religion.

The “everything” part was obvious – Hugues de Payens simply did not have neither knowledge nor skills (nor experience) to create a mighty fighting force of shock troops – let alone a military-religious order. Only Hugh did.

The “but official” part was obvious, too – being a Grand Master of a fast-growing military-religious Christian order and simultaneously the High Priest of a heretical sect was just way too risky – the latter would have landed him on a pyre in to time.

Why would Hugh want to pursue these objectives? We will never know for sure but the most logical explanation is that he wanted not only power (every lord and noble did). He wanted to be unique (he was probably born under the sign of Leo).

Besides, he was thoroughly dissatisfied with… just about everything. His wife, his family, his county, Christianity, Christian Church… everything. He wanted to radically change everything and becoming a (shadow) Grand Master of a unique military-religious order (guardians of the Ark of the Covenant) AND the Hight Priest of a heretical religion was the perfect TO BE status.

Going heretical was not unheard of among French nobility – at about the same time nobles in southern France began to reject “official” Christianity and join the nascent Cathar movement. Which was even more heretical than religion based on the Ark of the Covenant.

It took Hugh five years of discerning – and of deep religious conversations with Bernard of Clairvaux – to make a firm commitment to found this new religion (Ark Templar), establish the heretical sect and become its High Priest.

There is little (if any) doubt that when they were trying to figure out what to do with their find of a millennium, Bernard and Hugh talked in detail about how the Ark-centered “alternative religion” might look like – and work. Most likely, they continued these conversations after they decided to keep their find secret… and gradually Hugh came to a conclusion that this religion fits him perfectly. 

Did Bernard know that his friend, sponsor and partner founded a heretical sect, became its High Priest and practiced a heretical religion? Not for sure – after 1125 they never met in person and Hugh definitely put nothing on paper. But – being a gifted and experienced priest and a mystic to boot – Bernard of Clairvaux most definitely knew.

And was quite comfortable with that.