Sophia and the
Early French Gothic Cathedrals
Uncovering Themes of Sophia Christos
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Hidden in Plain Sight
“I was sent forth from the power,
and I have come to those who reflect upon me,
and I have been found among those who seek after me.
Look upon me, you who reflect upon me, and you hearers, hear me.
You who are waiting for me, take me to yourselves."
- Thunder Perfect Mind, Nag Hammadi Library
This article advances a plausible, speculative thesis: certain exterior sculptural programs on early French Gothic cathedrals—especially Chartres and Notre‑Dame de Paris—encode motifs resonant with Sophianic (Gnostic Wisdom) themes preserved in late‑antique revelatory texts (e.g., Pistis Sophia, Secret Book of John, Trimorphic Protennoia). Rather than overt references to the heretical Gnosticism, the imagery may be a veiled allusion—“hidden in plain sight”—emerging in the milieu shaped by Cistercian spirituality (Bernard of Clairvaux), the Templars, and the 12th–13th‑century “Gothic turn.”
I became curious about this hypothesis after visiting Chartres Cathedral in 2009. Due to my familiarity with the Pistis Sophia text, I was struck by how the odd and relatively unexplained left bay of the royal portal may be a veiled reference to the ascension story presented by Christ in that obscure 2nd century Gnostic text. See my article Chartres and the Pistis Sophia.
Since 2009, and especially after a trip to France and England in August 2023 with my partner Diana Kelly, we visited a number of early Gothic cathedrals in and around Paris that suggested further links between certain sculptured images and Gnostic motifs. It is the Gnostic creation story found in fragments in the ancient texts and outlined in my Divine Spark book that offers a possible context that tie these images together into a veiled but poignant narrative of Christ and "Our Lady."
How could this be, that obscure Gnostic themes could be put on full display on the face of these new highly innovative Gothic cathedrals, especially in light of the Roman Catholic Church's persecution of these trends such as what occurred in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in the 13th century France? Before delving into the thesis of a correlation, below is a possible historical explanation of how this could have happened.
Dan and Diana in front of Notre Dame
August, 2023
The Knights Templar and the Pistis Sophia
In the 1095, Pope Urban II called the First Crusade where French military and Western European contingents were sent to reclaim Jerusalem from the Fatimids. With the fall of Jerusalem in 1099, there was a flurry of excitement with these ancient Christian sites that had undergone deterioration and limited access over the centuries prior.
A small group of prominent nobles from Champagne, Burgundy, and Flanders, allegedly spent nine years living in obscurity at the location of the original Solomon's Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is believed that this group came into contact with Arabic and Sufi traditions that flourished in the Levant. Little is known of what happened during that time. Were they engaged in a "spiritual secret mission" to learn from Arabic and Sufi sources, to be transmitted back to an educated aristocratic and ecclesiastical few, as Strachan argues in his book on Chartres (Floris Books, 2003)? That this group was in search of treasures from the ruins of the Second Temple beneath the al-Aqsa Mosque is the subject of speculation and intrigue with little evidence to support such claims. However, the alleged return of a few key planers from this Temple group to France in 1127, whether by coincidence or direct correlation, coincided with the beginning of what became a bourgeoning of a more colorful and nuanced Christian religious artistic expressions. One theory posits they brought with them architectural innovations previously unknown to Europe. Sources of these innovations may have included documents, manuscripts and even, possibly lost texts.
Hugues de Payens (1070 – 1136) was a key player in this group of nine. He was a vassal of one of the wealthiest and most prominent nobles of France at the time, Hugh of Champagne (1074 - 1125). Hugh was known as the Count of Troyes and granted land in 1115 for Bernard to found his monestary at Clairvaux.. Years later, Chrétien de Troyes wrote his famous Grail romances there. Upon his return to France from Jerusalem, Hugues de Payen met with his close associate, The Templar group was recognized and its Rule approved at the Council of Troyes (1129) under the influence of Bernard of Clairvaux; de Payens served as first Grand Master. In the wake of this, beginning in 1135 when the Sens Cathedral's "New Style" begins, 1140 with the innovations at St. Denis Cathedral, and 1145 construction of the West Portal at Chartres, dramatic new developments in the cathedral construction began to spring up all around Paris.
Hugues de Payens (1070 – 1136)
Based on my analysis of sculptural images found on Chartres and Notre Dame presented below, I suspect that one of the manuscripts retrieved from the Templars' mission to Jerusalem was the Pistis Sophia or some version of it. The Pistis Sophia is an extremely rare and obscure 3rd-4th century text that describes Christ talking with his disciples, mostly with Mary Magdalene, about the Story of Sophia. I have found no direct evidence of the Templars' discovery of this lost Gnostic text, however, based on these Gothic images, I suspect that they went to great lengths to hide in plain sight these lost teachings. This thesis proposes that the Templars influenced the designers of Chartres, Notre Dame, Senlis, Sens, St. Denis, Laon, and others where novel images may have been hinting at a more Gnostic wisdom figure behind the figure of Mother Mary and her Sedes sapientiae (“Seat of Wisdom”).
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It is interesting to note the fascinating though fringe analysis presented in The Mysteries of The Great Cross of Hendaye, by Weidner and Bridges (2003). The authors propose a theory that a copy of the ancient Kabbalist text Bahir was discovered by the Templars in the early 12th century and brought it to France from Jerusalem. This text is known to have appeared to the nobility of Troyes, such as Hugh de Champagne. Weidner and Bridges postulate that this text was a source of inspiration behind the building of the Gothic cathedrals, as well as the Grail legends. The images on the early French Gothic cathedrals, the authors believe, are associated with the Bahir, represent a different strain of esoteric wisdom from the Pistis Sophia and hence correspond to different images on the cathedrals.
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The Pistis Sophia text was not known to even exist until it was discovered in 1773 and first published in 1905 by G.R.S Mead. Sophia is a key figure in these stories where Christ describes his coming to this region to rescue her from the tyranny of the archons. ​​​​
“Perhaps the cathedrals were goddess hymns carved in stone, and the ‘Notre Dame’ to whom so many of them were dedicated was really the feminine principle itself – Sophia…”
- The Templar Revelation, Picknett and Prince
Notre Dame
Our Lady of Paris
Built mostly between 1163 - 1260
This article will focus on two key early Gothic Cathedrals; Notre Dame of Paris and Chartres Cathedral. Though Chartres preceded Notre Dame, both include sculpted images that are novel, such as the Coronation of the Virgin, and some that so similar, they are likely inspired by the same source, such as Christ standing on two animal heads (central west portal) as I will illustrate below.
Chartres Cathedral
built mostly between 1135 - 1220
First, the following is what became for me the "key" to unlocking this correlation between the Gothic sculptural motifs and the Pistis Sophia.
Uncovering the Story of Sophia
Bernard of Clairveaux was instrumental in both the formation of the Knights Templars and the new designs of the Gothic Cathedrals, along with Abbot Suger. Of course, there are various historical veins that run through the complex development of the Gothic Cathedrals including their magnificent and unusual Rose Windows. If there is a correlation between various cathedral images and the Pistis Sophia then we might find a story line associated with the Creation Story of Sophia as found in that text. Based on this thesis, these Rose Windows appear to be dramatic images of the burst of the Holy Rose itself, known as Pronoia, the High Holy Sophia.
The Rose Window
Though Romanesque Circular Windows adorned churches for centuries before, the Rose Windows began in 1130 with the new Gothic Cathedrals, starting with St. Denis. This West Rose Window at Chartres Cathedral is the original from the early 13th century.
West Rose Window, Chartres Cathedral. ~ 1215
The Great Emanation
From the Unknowable,
Ineffable Source,
All That Is,
Ein Soph,
sprang the Great Emanation.
As this Great Emanation took place, there burst forth a Holy Light that filled the Universe. Or, more precisely, it was the Universe. Though there are three aspects of this original emanation, this feminine aspect is spoken about at length in the Gnostic texts, where hymns of praise are sung to her. If the Ineffable was “Mind,” then this feminine expression was known as “Thought,” called in Greek, Pronoia.
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The female Thought equates to the higher aspect of a twofold Sophia and also to the concept of the Holy Spirit. She spreads her beauty throughout the vast regions as a Great Emanation. In the Kabbalah, this equates with the outpouring of Ein Soph, called Sephirot.
“And Its thinking became a thing. She appeared. She stood in Its presence in the brilliance of the light; she is the power which is before the All.”
- Secret Book of John, Nag Hammadi Library
“She is called by three names, although she exists alone since she is perfect. I am invisible within the thought of the invisible one. I am revealed in the immeasurable, ineffable things. I am intangible, dwelling in the intangible. I move in every creature”
- Trimorphic Protennoia, Nag Hammadi Library
North Portal Rose Window, Chartres Cathedral. ~ 1235
“She is the spring of the living water."
- Secret Book of John, Nag Hammadi Library
The Fall of Sophia
“I (Jesus) will tell you the mystery, how this befell her."
- Pistis Sophia:29
Out from this Great Emanation, eventually, the daughter of Pronoia appears, known as Sophia. This is myth and is described in the Gnostic texts as history and is depicted as a consort of Christ.
“The perfect Savior said: ‘Son of Man consented with Sophia, his consort, and revealed a great androgynous light. His male name is designated ‘Savior, Begetter of All Things.’ His female name is designated ‘All-Begettress Sophia.’ Some call her ‘Pistis’’”.
- Sophia of Jesus Christ, Nag Hammadi Library
There are differing accounts, but based on my "excavations" of these mysteries and what appears in the Second Treatise of the Great Seth (Nag Hammadi Library), Sophia came from the highest heavens down into this lower physical world to build bodily dwellings in which the Children of Light can inhabit. But this plan went awry and she became captured by the Chief Archon, the Demiurge, Christ calls Yaldabaoth, "of whom I have spoken unto you many times." (Pistis Sophia).
Synagoga, or rather, The Fallen Sophia
This is a figure called Synagoga (~ 1220), and appears as a huge statue on the right side of the front central entrance to Notre Dame in Paris. The cover story or overt interpretation by the Church is that this refers to the failures of the Synagogue, the Jewish religion. But based on my investigation, I believe that this is a veiled image of the fallen Sophia. Here the lion-headed serpent has stolen Sophia's Light, replacing her fallen crown of sovereign divinity with what could be called the archonic control system.
"And all the archons of the aeons mocked me. For they have taken my light from me. And my power has begun to decrease within me.
And I lack my light."
- Pistis Sophia:35
“...She went forth from her own region, the thirteenth aeon, and went down to the twelve aeons [outside of the Pleroma]. The rulers of the aeons pursued her and were enraged against her because she was drawn towards grandeur. And she went forth also from the twelve aeons, and came into the regions of the chaos and drew nigh to that lion-faced light-power to devour it. But all the material emanations of Self-willed [Yaldabaoth] surrounded her, and the great lion-faced light-power devoured all the light-powers in Sophia and cleaned out her light and devoured it, and her matter was thrust into the chaos; it became a lion-faced ruler in the chaos, of which one half is fire and the other darkness, that is Yaldabaoth, of whom I have spoken unto you many times.” (PS:31)
Sophia Cries Out to the Christ to Rescue Her
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As Sophia is a figure who represents our plight, as we will see below, this idea of rescue is difficult to take in, especially in light of how religion can tend to keep us disempowered by a dependency on a savior figure. However, in the context of this broader Sophianic Creation Story, all of this is quite clearly represented on these Gothic images.
Christ's Descent
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Christ reports that he descended through the regions of the archons to descend into the lower regions to rescue Sophia and also the restore the divine spark in humans.
“For as I came downward, no one saw me. For I was altering my shapes, changing from form to form. And therefore, when I was at [the archon's] gates, I assumed their likeness. For I passed them by quietly, and I was viewing the places, and I was not afraid nor ashamed, for I was undefiled” (ST).
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“I am the one who was sent down in the body because of the seed which had fallen away. And I came down into their mortal mold. But they did not recognize me; they were thinking of me that I was a mortal man” (LPP).
Central Tympanum, Royal Portal, Chartres ~ 1145
In this image above, Christ has descended through the archonic realms. Though this image is often interpreted to mean the Second Coming, the four figures that surround him correspond to the four Gospels, as seen through the lens of this thesis, these figures are curious, especially with the lower two lion and ox rearing back from him. This may also represent Christ's descent through these regions to rescue Sophia from the archons.
The Left entrance of the Royal Portal at Chartres
This article presents an overview of the theory that sculptural images on Chartres West Front Royal Portal left lintel tympanum and archivolt are depictions of Christ’s astounding ascension and descent as described in an obscure, third-century Gnostic manuscript, called the Pistis Sophia. In Book I of this lengthy text, there is a description of Christ’s two-day ascension to the higher realms where he tells his disciples of his process of throwing the lower angelic, archonic realms into a state of confusion and dis-empowerment. As the Pistis Sophia text was/is considered heretical by the orthodox church, the implications of such a correlation add further intrigue to the mystery of Chartres Cathedral.
I visited Chartres on the weekend of November 28-29, 2009, during which time the photos for this article were taken on an early model digital camera I had at the time. Having been familiar with the Pistis Sophia text and upon reviewing the photos in the days following my expedition, the possibility that a highly controversial, esoteric Christian text was referenced on the walls of Chartres began to emerge.
In an astounding section of the Pistis Sophia, in front of his disciples, Christ ascends to the highers region of the "First Mystery" to throw the archons into chaos. As well, he also causes the diviners of lower powers to get purposely confused messages from the Region of the Right which throws their divination into disarray. Though this image has been passed off as being one of the Second Coming, this composite of unique scenes corresponds closely with the Pistis Sophia text.
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The front entrance, known as the Royal Portal, was built between 1136 and 1150 AD (1) and is part of the oldest above-ground remnant of the church that survived the devastating fire in 1194 that destroyed much of the building. These portals would therefore represent some of the original theological expressions of the designers of the cathedral.
Most explanations that I have found explain the scene pictured above as “The Ascension of Christ”. This view is quite logical given that it is clearly depicting Christ rising up, flanked by angels, with other angels announcing his arrival and his disciples looking up in wonder.
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Top Row – Christ’s Ascension or Second Coming, flanked by two angels.
Middle Row – Angels singing in celebration.
Bottom Row – Disciples looking up in awe.
Here is a common interpretation as found in Wikipedia’s review of Chartres Cathedral.
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“The left portal is more enigmatic and art historians still argue over the correct identification. The tympanum shows Christ standing on a cloud, apparently supported by two angels. Some see this as a depiction of the Ascension of Christ (in which case the figures on the lower lintel would represent the disciples witnessing the event) while others see it as representing the Parousia, or Second Coming of Christ (in which case the lintel figures could be either the prophets who foresaw that event or else the ‘Men of Galilee’ mentioned in Acts 1:9-11). The presence of angels in the upper lintel, descending from a cloud and apparently shouting to those below, would seem to support the latter interpretation. The archivolts contain the signs of the zodiac and the labours of the months – standard references to the cyclical nature of time which appear in many gothic portals.” (1)
Scholars have struggled to explain this image and these are two explanations that try to wrangle it into either a scene of the ascension or the second coming. There are questions that pose a challenge of why the two angels flanking Christ standing back as if rearing from his presence.
"It came to pass then, when that light-power had come down over Jesus, that it gradually surrounded him entirely. Then Jesus ascended or soared into the height, shining most exceedingly in an immeasurable light."
- Pistis Sophia:3
"And all their (archons') bonds were unloosed and their regions and their orders; and every one left his order, and they fell down all together, adored before me, or before my vesture, and all sang praises to the interiors, being in great fear and great agitation." (PS:13)
“But now I have made them spend six months turned to the left and six months turned to the right.” (PS:21)
Left entrance of the West Portal, Chartres Cathedral. ~ 1145
This whole front entrance at Chartres, known as the Royal Portal, was built between 1136 and 1150 CE and is part of the oldest above-ground remnant of the church that survived the devastating fire in 1194 that destroyed much of the cathedral. These portals would therefore represent some of the original theological expressions of the designers of the cathedral.
It was this image that first drew my attention to the possibility that this Left West Portal set of images were depicting the dramatic ascension or transfiguration scene described in the first chapters of the Pistis Sophia. Other explanations of this scene on Chartres just don't add up. The top most image is often described as the Second Coming of Christ. If this is the case then why are the angels rearing back as if they are overcome with surprise as opposed to being in great glory? The middle row is typically described as angels singing in celebration of Christ's return. If this is true, then why do the angels appear to be in a downward chaotic flight, with expressions that seem disturbed. The bottom row is described as the disciples looking up in awe at the Christ. If this who they are depicting, then why are there only ten of them, not the usual twelve?
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I believe that this tableau is a key to decoding some of the imagery on Chartres. The text from the Pistis Sophia featured beside the sections of this tableau offers a more specific and detailed explanation.
Christ ascended to the First Mystery to Receive his Vesture
South Portal, Chartres Cathedral ~ 1200's
(horizontal crossbar seems to be missing)
This scene is unique and has no clear correlation to a Biblical passage. Chartres Cathedral houses Mary's Veil worn during the birth of Jesus. My first though on seeing this was that this was a reference to Christ and the Veil. However, the scene depicts angels holding this long piece of fabric that is above the watery boundary, or the place of the higher dimension. It is hard to imagine this being Mary's Veil being delivered from a higher divine position.
It is also difficult to make sense of this tableau because of the odd long vertical piece above his head. This is a strange motif and upon closer inspection, it looks like there was a horizontal piece that is missing, with what appears to be structural supports on both sides of the vertical, likely used to hold the horizontal piece. If this is the case then this is depicting a cross in the higher heavens.
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In the Pistis Sophia, Jesus tells his disciples that he was taken up to the First Mystery where he received his Vesture which he had left behind when he descended into this lower region to rescue Sophia. Christ says that there are five words written on his Vesture; zama zama oza rachama ozai. What then follows in Pistis Sophia Chapter 10, is a lengthy interpretation and message from the beings, "fellow members" who were present along with the Christ at the Great Emanation. This is called the First Mystery which was within the Ineffable prior to this burst of creation. This Vesture, one of three, Christ receives during his transfiguration, is worn by him as he descended back into the lower region, called the "last mystery."
"Rejoice and exult and add joy to your joy, for the times are completed for me to put on my Vesture, which hath been prepared for me from the beginning, which I left behind in the last mystery until the time of its completion.
- Pists Sophia:8
The Crowning of Sophia with a Wreath of Light
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The Coronation of the Virgin theme is one of the most prominent in the early French Gothic cathedrals. Though it may seem like this theme of the crowning of Mary, the Queen of Heaven has been around since the early days of Christianity, I have not found any clear reference to this theme prior to these Gothic images. It was like, suddenly, out of nowhere, this scene of Christ crowning Mary was placed front and center on many of these cathedral entrances. On our trip to Europe in the summer of 2023, Diana and I visited many of these scenes, such as at Senlis Cathedral, where there is the oldest surviving original images in France, being the sole main scene featured at the main west entrance.
Senlis Cathedral with Diana in front
Coronation of the Virgin
Senlis Cathedral ~ 1160
"And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: 'It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had finished saying these words in the chaos, that I made the light-power, which I had sent to save her, become a light-wreath on her head, so that from now on the emanations of Self-willed could not have dominion over her. And when it had become a light-wreath round her head, all the evil matters in her were shaken and all were purified in her. They perished and remained in the chaos, while the emanations of Self-willed gazed upon them and rejoiced. And the purification of the pure light which was in Pistis Sophia, gave power to the light of my light-power, which had become a wreath round her head.'"
- Pistis Sophia:59
If we are seeing this image mythologically, or psycho-spiritually, it appears to be an activation of some form of vibrational frequency connected with Higher Divine Light that enables not only Sophia, but us as well to become immune from the nefarious leeching energies of the archons.
Coronation of the Virgin, Notre Dame Paris ~ 1220
Coronation of the Virgin, Chartres Cathedral ~ 1204 - 1210
Coronation of the Virgin, Laon Cathedral ~ 1190
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Sens Cathedral, Coronation of the Virgin - 1190
"The Light hath become a wreath round my head and I shall not depart from it, so that the emanations of Self-willed (Yaldabaoth) may not rob it from me. For the Light is with me, and I myself am with the Light."
- Pistis Sophia:59
The Rescued Sophia
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Sophia has had her Light restored to her, with the placing of the Wreath of Light. She has been lifted up out from the regions of the archons into the 13th aeon, or, according to the Secret Book of John, the 9th Heaven. This grand sculpture is found on the opposite side of the "Synagoga" figure at the main entrance to Notre Dame Paris. She is known as "Ecclesia," referring to the triumph of the Christian church community, but rather, I suspect that this is a stand in for the figure of Sophia, after having her crown restored by the Christ, holding what could be a Holy Grail, a theme associated with the Knights Templars that emerged in France during this time period.
Ecclesia. Notre Dame Paris ~ 1220
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had finished saying these words in the chaos, that I made the light-power, which I had sent to save her, become a light-wreath on her head, so that from now on the emanations of Self-willed could not have dominion over her. And when it had become a light-wreath round her head, all the evil matters in her were shaken and all were purified in her. They perished and remained in the chaos, while the emanations of Self-willed gazed upon them and rejoiced. And the purification of the pure light which was in Pistis Sophia, gave power to the light of my light-power, which had become a wreath round her head.
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"It came to pass then moreover, when it surrounded the pure light in Sophia, and her pure light did not depart from the wreath of the power of the light-flame, so that the emanations of Self-willed should not rob it from it,--when then this befell her, the pure light-power in Sophia began to sing praises. And she praised my light-power, which was a wreath round her head, and she sang praises, saying:
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"'1. The Light hath become a wreath round
Sophia uttereth another song of praise.my head; and I shall not depart from it, so that the emanations of Self-willed may not rob it from me.
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"'2. And though all the matters be shaken, yet shall I not be shaken.
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"'3. And though all my matters perish and remain in the chaos,--those which the emanations of Self-willed see,--yet shall I not perish.
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"'4. For the Light is with me, and I myself am with the Light.'
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Pistis Sophia: Chapter 59
Christ Teaching from Above the Gates of the Archons
Central pillar South Entrance at Chartres Cathedral. ~ 1200's
Here is an odd depiction of Christ at Chartres standing on the heads of what appears to be a downwardly stretched dog on his right and a dog-headed serpent with wings on his left. This is the same image that appears at Notre Dame (see below) as well as on Amiens Cathedrals. So similar are they, that it is reasonable to assume that they were inspired by the same original design.
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This is extremely strange and hard to decifer. That it is featured in the central front entrance to Notre Dame Paris makes it all the more significant. The two animals appear to be sneering and laughing at each other in an almost playful way, with the serpentine animal figure on the left sticking its tongue out at the other.
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This might be part of the tradition that is spoken of in the Pistis Sophia as well as other texts such as the Gospel of Mary, and a reference by the Ophites as reported by April DeConick in her book, Comparing Christianities. In the process of moving through the gates of the archons, the initiate is instructed to say certain declarations in order to move pass the guardian to be able to proceed to the next level in the process of overcoming the negative entrapment by the archons. In Book 3 of the Pistis Sophia, Christ is telling initiates who have overcome the entrapments of this world to say to those who are seeking liberation, Renounce all forms of worldly attachments, and in one passage, to be saved by "the fire of the dog-faced one."
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Here Christ is standing above the gates of the archons, holding a closed book of wisdom, beckoning us through the passages of initiation, of letting go of those things that interfere with our pursuit of divine connection, both from above, and from within.
From the Pistis Sophia, Chapter 102
JESUS continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "When I shall have gone into the Light, then herald it unto the whole world and say unto them: Cease not to seek day and night and remit not yourselves until ye find the mysteries of the Light-kingdom, which will purify you and make you into refined light and lead you into the Light-kingdom.
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"Say unto them: Renounce the whole world and the whole matter therein and all its care and all its sins, in a word all its associations which are in it, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements which are in the judgments.
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"Say unto them: Renounce murmuring, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire of the dog-faced [one].
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"Say unto them: Renounce eavesdropping, (…litigiousness, false slander, false witness, pride and haughtiness, belly-love, babbling, craftiness, avarice, love of the world, pillage, evil conversation) that ye may [be worthy of the mysteries of the Light] and be saved from the judgments of the dog-faced [one].
Notre Dame, Central Pillar,
Central West Portal entrance
“And the lion-faced power and the serpent-form and the basilisk-form and the dragon-form and all the other very numerous emanations of Self-willed surrounded Pistis Sophia all together, desiring to take from her anew her powers in her, and they oppressed Pistis Sophia exceedingly and threatened her. It came to pass then, when they oppressed her and alarmed her exceedingly, that she cried again to the Light and sang praises, saying: ‘O Light, it is thou who hast helped me; let thy light come over me’” (PS:66).
The Region of the Right and Region of the Left
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Christ taught in his mystery teachings that he came from the higher regions which he termed the Region of the Right. He then descended to the lower worlds of chaos he called the Region of the Left. On the front West portal to Notre Dame Paris as well as on the South Portal of Chartres, this cosmological spread is laid out. In this, he is also pointing us to how we can focus our attention towards the higher regions of Light, and not get pulled in by the archonic systems of the Left.
Central West Portal, Notre Dame ~ 1220
The Notre Dame Cathedrals are temples to the Divine Mother. Situated according to Christ's left and right, this is the orientation to understand the layout of this cosmology. Facing this entrance, Synagoga, or rather, the trapped Sophia, is on the right. However, as seen from Christ's point of view, she would be positioned in the Region of the Left. Juxtaposed to this is Ecclesia, or rather the Rescued Sophia, who is seen in her exalted position in the Region of the Right.
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Looking more closely at the image above the central pillar is a clear illustration of these two regions.
Region of the Right Region of the Left
Notre Dame, Central West Portal
Here we can see how on the left (Region of the Right) the adepts are looking up at the Christ, at the divine realms. On the right side, (Region of the Left), people are being lurred into lower spiritual consciousness, where negative emotions and energies are used to feed the archons own selfish appetites. Below is the same configuration at Chartres South Portal.
Region of the Right, Chartres ~ 1200's
Region of the Left, Chartres
Region of the Left, close up, Chartres
“And as it is Wisdom in ‘harmony,’ there are those on the Right and those on the Left-powers, authorities, principalities, and daemons, … and the Lower Root from which hath come forth the things in genesis. This, then, is the cross which by the Word hath been the means of ‘cross-beaming’ all things – at the same time separating off the things that proceed from genesis and those below it… ”
- Acts of John
This Cross of Light theme must have been part of the Christ's mystery teachings, as suggested by this Acts of John.
Greeting the pilgrim as she enters in through the main doors of one of the greatest of the Catholic Notre Dame Cathedrals, is this central pillar. Christ is standing over the lion headed serpent, with the fallen Sophia on his left and the Rescued Sophia on his Right. Below him is a most significant message. She is called Mother Alchemy, because of the numerous alchemical images found on the front of Notre Dame. But she may well be expressing the message of Sophia with the ladder inviting us to rise through the gates of the archonic system to meet her.
Central Pillar, Notre Dame
Mother Alchemy, Notre Dame Paris. ~ 1220
Our Holy Embodiment
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Following this thesis, it is the Madonna herself who represents the more meta divine form of Sophia. On these early Gothic cathedrals, she is sitting with child on her lap, who is holding up two fingers. As I explored in my book, and outlined by Tabor in his book Jesus and Paul, this represents the Second Adam, or the restoration of the original plan that was seeded by Sophia of the planting of bodily dwellings, but which went awry with the interference by the archons. The Sophia Project, or the Christ Drama is all working to help us get to back on track and to inform us of the broader cosmology, the Creation Story of our origins, in order to help get us back into alignment with our truer nature.
These images of Mary and Child on Notre Dame and Chartres, in her Sedes Sapientiae or Throne of Wisdom pose, was clearly inspired by the wooden figure currently on display in the crypt at Chartres Cathedral. Legend has it that this was found in the second century BC, placed there by the Druids as was often done at the site of sacred springs. And yet, following this theory, this may correspond to how the Christ child represents the renewal of the human form as its divine nature is activated after having been downgraded by the archonic control system. In this image, as with all of the sculpted images of Christ, he is holding a book, often seen as representing the Bible. But is it?
Virgin and Child, Crypt, Chartres Cathedral
Sophia and the Holy Embodiment, Notre Dame. ~ 1145 - 1155
Sophia and the Holy Embodiment, Chartres. ~1145
Sedes Sapientiae, the Throne of Sophia ~ 1180
“For those who were in the world had been prepared by the will of our sister Sophia…because of the innocence which has not been uttered. And she did not ask anything from the All, nor from the greatness of the Assembly, nor from the Pleroma. Since she was first, she came forth to prepare monads and places for the Son of Light and the fellow workers which she took from the elements below to build bodily dwellings from them. But, having come into being in an empty glory, they ended in destruction in the dwellings in which they were, since they were prepared by Sophia.”
- Second Treatise of the Great Seth, Nag Hammadi Library
“Man, here below, born from blood, is the dwelling, and the Boundless Power dwells in him.”
- The Great Revelation, attributed to Simon Magus
The Pineal Staff - The Divine Spark Within
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In a number of images with Christ and the Mary-Sophia, they are holding a staff with a pineal shape at the top. This could have identifications with earlier Greek mythological motifs. However, given the throughline of this thesis, I suspect it has to do with the process of Holy Embodiment. It may refer to a process of activation of the pineal gland, some call the seat of the soul. Or it could even be an image of our Divine Spark that mystery seed of original Light that is latent within us. Notice the position of the pineal as often being on the same parallel as the pineal gland in the center of the third eye region.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Laon Cathedral
Notre Dame
More evidence of a link between the Pistis Sophia and Gothic Cathedral themes
A correlation between the Pistis Sophia and the early French Gothic cathedrals is postulated by research into the "sacred" geometric proportions that are believed to underly their architectural designs. Frederick Bligh Bond concludes in his book Gematria (1977) that the Pistis Sophia, as well as the Books of IEOU, contain Greek letter and word choices with numeric values that hold geometric proportions that correspond with the early Gothic architectural design. Gematria is a method of correlating letters and numbers in both ancient Greek and Hebrew written languages that emerged around the 3rd century BCE. Based on his decifering the gematria of these ancient texts, Bond suggests that a Pisits Sophia text was available to the Gothic architects in the 12th century, and that the post-crucifixion "mystery" teachings of Jesus, played some part in the design of these novel Christian temples. Gordon Strachan, in his book Chartres: Sacred Geometry, Sacred Space (2003), further points to an esoteric analysis of Greek gematria, that features in the very center of the cathedral design, a 7 x 6 proportion that equates with the phenomenon of Two in the early Christian mysteries; Christos and Our Lady Wisdom.​
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Clearly this whole exploration requires more extensive research but I hope this article can at least spur some interest in this topic. If indeed there is something to this, it would suggest that the great Rennaisance of and courtly love that sprun up, like these grand temples in the 12th and 13th centuries
The Voice of Sophia
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I move in everyone and I delve into them all.
I walk uprightly, and those who sleep, I awaken…
And I am inviting you into the exalted, perfect Light.
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It is a mystery; it is unrestrainable by the Incomprehensible One.
It is invisible to all those who are visible in the All.
It is a Light dwelling in Light.
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“It is a hidden Light, bearing a fruit of life,
pouring forth a living water from the invisible,
unpolluted, immeasurable spring, that is,
the unreproducible Voice of the glory of the Mother,
the glory of the offspring of God…”
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- Trimorphic Protennoia, Nag Hammadi Library