Dan Brown and the Protesting Nuns

Posted on August 16, 2005

It looks like Dan Brown's troubles with religious figures aren't over yet. The Catholic Church has been pretty vocal about its dislike of The Da Vinci Code. Now that the movie is being filmed in Europe, more troubles have appeared on the horizon. This time, it's protesting nuns.

But as Tom Hanks arrived at Lincoln Cathedral yesterday, he found himself somewhat upstaged. A handful of protesters were making their feelings known about the decision to film scenes from The Da Vinci Code in the historic building. Led by a Catholic nun, Sister Mary Michael, they claimed the movie, based on the bestselling novel by Dan Brown, should be filmed elsewhere. She led a 12-hour prayer vigil to push the message home. The controversial thriller is the story of a Vatican conspiracy to suppress the supposed marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

And despite the dean of Lincoln Cathedral branding the book 'a load of old tosh' he has agreed to let the movie be filmed there. He and the church authorities said yes after the producers donated £100,000 to the coffers.

Parts of its interior will serve as a double for Westminster Abbey, where church authorities refused to take part. Other locations include the Louvre in Paris, Winchester Cathedral and Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh.

Star Tom Hanks, 49, had to be driven directly from his hotel to the cathedral in order to avoid the protesters. Of course the cynical among you are probably speculating that protesting nuns will simply pique people's interest in the film and the whole thing is a publicity stunt. We can't believe how jaded and cynical you are.

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