This website dealt with this in 2000. 25 Years ago!
All it entailed was Abbé Saunière's refusal for parishioners to use his water tank on Bastille Day! That's all!
Unlike Patrick Mensior, we don't wish to make something out of nothing into a “Mystery”!
It's a well-known fact that Abbé Saunière was anti-Republican and preached against The Republic, that he was punished for with a suspension from the priesthood. It's also a well-known fact that Abbé Saunière's nomination for promotion within the priesthood was blocked by the Préfet de l'Aude for the reason “militant reactionary”.
We have been falling asleep over these facts for a quarter of a century now – yet The Rennies continue to highlight these mundane facts as if they were something “spectacular”. It's not just Patrick Mensior, but about 20 other French “researchers” that are nothing else but laughable Believers in Rubbish!
Bastille Day was on July 14th in France in 1895, as it is every year, commemorating the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and is celebrated as France's national holiday, also known as Fête Nationale.
The letter below was published first by Abbé Bruno de Monts in 1982, and by Pierre Jarnac in 1985.
Dear Préfet,
Circumstances beyond my control have prevented me from replying sooner to your esteemed letter dated the 9th of this month, which was franked by the Post Office on the 12th and delivered to me on the 13th.
On the 7th October last, Monsieur Préfet, when I submitted my complaint to you, I had the honour of telling you that I wanted to adopt a conciliatory attitude towards the Commune of Rennes-le-Château, and that I was therefore making two concessions to them.
First, by allowing them to draw the water they need, but only in the event of fire. I am still standing by this concession.
The second involves keeping the door to the square open from sunrise to sunset, and not just on Sundays and holidays, in agreement with the first discussions on 15 February 1891, but every day of the week in addition.
I am standing by this second concession but what I cannot accept in any way is that during the night the doors are only closed on the latch. I would like to ask you Monsieur Préfet, what is to stop mischief-makers going and doing some damage either to the flowerbed or to the glasshouse?
Those people who need water, who would be stopping them from going in and taking it, since they can easily draw some water through the external openings on the cistern without having to use the pump? In agreement with the discussions on 15th February 1891, which said that all the doors must be fitted with a key with one key lodged with the civil authorities, ever since the doors were fitted the Mayor has had one of these keys. If during the night someone had to go into the cemetery then he would just go and get the key from the Mayor.
As for the 3rd proposal, which requests the removal of the furniture from the chalet to avoid the Commune having to pay taxes, here is my reply. I have never refused and I am not refusing to pay the said taxes however high they might be. When the Tax Inspector came round I asked him to charge these taxes to my account, but the Commune flatly refused to agree to this as they were worried that I might then later acquire legal title to the premises. I am therefore still willing, Monsieur Préfet, to pay these taxes in arrears if they still exist.
Finally I am asking what it has to do with the Commune and what harm I am causing by placing some books and my writing-desk on the flowerbed near my flowerpots? I cannot see I am causing any harm by doing this since, without mentioning the inadequacy of the office facilities in my presbytery (the most lamentable presbytery in the whole country), I have once again agreed to pay the relevant taxes.
If you take the trouble to reflect on the matter you will very readily see that this is pure harassment and nothing else,
With apologies for still not being able to accept this third proposal I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
Bérenger Saunière
Rennes-le-Château, 17th November 1895.
