RIP Grandmaster

Here are some key facts about Odis Wayne Selph and the Priory of Sion:

- Odis Wayne Selph (1928-1999) was an American farmer and writer who claimed to be a descendant of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. He said his ancestors were keepers of the "Grail bloodline" secrets.

- In the 1960s, Selph founded a spiritual community called the Ophanic Revelation in Arkansas. He taught his followers about the Priory of Sion, a secret society supposedly dating back to the Crusades that protected the Holy Grail and the bloodline of Jesus.

- Selph wrote books like "The Divine Bloodline" where he claimed the Priory of Sion had given him special spiritual authority and secrets of Jesus' bloodline. Academic historians regard the Priory of Sion as a hoax created in the 1950s.

- Despite the Priory's doubtful origins, Selph believed it was a real ancient society entrusting him with sacred knowledge. He incorporated Priory teachings and symbols into his Ophanic Revelation community.

- After Selph's death, the Ophanic Revelation declined without their leader's grail lineage claims. Mainstream scholars continue to reject the historical existence of the Priory of Sion as described by Selph and others.

In summary, Odis Selph was a religious leader who asserted special status and knowledge based on alleged ties to the likely fictional Priory of Sion secret society and Jesus' bloodline. Most experts consider the Priory a modern fabrication rather than an ancient order dating back to the Crusades.

Here are some of the other books Odis Wayne Selph wrote:

- "Sacred Symbols of the Ancients" (1976) - Explored occult and esoteric symbols, including from Freemasonry, Gnosticism, and alchemy.

- "The Divine Seal" (1979) - Focused on the Star of Bethlehem and other spiritual symbols related to his Jesus bloodline beliefs.

- "The Book of Glyphs" (1983) - Contained over 500 symbolic images and Selph's commentary, incorporating Priory of Sion iconography.

- "Sacred Cities of the Ancients" (1988) - Highlighted sacred sites around the world associated with gods/goddesses, spiritual figures, or mystical legends.

- "The Paradisescroll" (1993) - A narrative poem recounting humanity's divine history, the Holy Grail quest, and Selph's spiritual revelation.

- "The Song of the Lamb" (1997) - An 80-page illustrated poem about Selph's Gnostic and mystical Christian beliefs in his grail lineage.

Overall, Selph's self-published books centered on esoteric symbols, occult mysticism, Gnostic Christianity, and his own spiritual claims regarding Jesus' bloodline and the Priory of Sion mythology. He distributed his writings to followers of his Ophanic Revelation community.

Sure, here are some more details on Odis Selph's 1976 book "Sacred Symbols of the Ancients":

- The book looked at symbolic images and icons used in ancient religions, mystery traditions, and esoteric philosophies.

- Specific symbols analyzed included those from ancient Egypt, Hinduism, Buddhism, as well as occult practices like alchemy, Hermeticism, and Tarot.

- Several chapters focus on symbols used in Freemasonry such as the All-Seeing Eye, pillars, bricks, and symbolic numbers like 3, 7, and 13.

- Gnostic Christian symbols like the ichthys fish, crosses, and the Abraxas figure are also covered. Selph connected these to the Priory of Sion and grail lore.

- The book has over 200 illustrations of different symbols. Selph provides his own interpretations of their mystical and spiritual meanings.

- Overall, Selph positioned many disparate esoteric symbols as containing a hidden universal knowledge passed down in secret societies.

- "Sacred Symbols of the Ancients" served as an reference guide for Selph's Ophanic Revelation community, linking mythology, occultism, and his Priory/Jesus bloodline beliefs.

So in summary, the book compiled an extensive collection of occult, mystical, and esoteric symbols from many eras and traditions and offered Selph's unique interpretations of them for his followers.

Kevin Glynn Howell

References

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