Nicholas Flamel

[Preston Pittman]

Kathryn, as you probably know, since you mention the Harry Potter movie,
Nicolas Flamel was an exceptionally renowned alchemist who was active in the
late 1300s and early 1400s.  I think he died sometime around 1410 - however,
the legend is that he discovered the secret for which all alchemists were
searching - the Philosopher's Stone - which gave him eternal life - as long
as he had possession of the "stone".  He made the pilgrimage to Santiago
from Paris - I believe sometime in the 1390s.  When he returned to Paris he
began living in a style beyond his former means and began publishing occult
books that became very popular with a certain crowd.  He proclaimed that
while traveling the Camino he had met a master of the Kabbalah (referred to
as Abraham the Jew) who had taught him the secret of the Philosopher's
Stone.  At that time, Leon was an important center for Kabbalistic study.
This is another fascinating aspect of the Camino.  Possibly because it was a
widely traveled route in the middle ages - with some million pilgrims per
year (: - it became an important transmitter of ideas and cultural
interchange.  Historically, one finds many mystical schools of Christianity,
Judaism, and Islam along the Camino.  And today, of course, we get Opus Dei
and self-styled Templars...

Nicolas Flamel had a house in the Marais - the old part of Paris on the
right bank.  His house is still standing and marked with a plack.  (I was
there a few years ago).  A restaurant is in the street level of the house
today.

I took a quick look and found some sites related to Nicolas Flamel on the
internet:
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/flamel.html
http://www.alchemylab.com/flamel.htm
http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa111901a.htm


>From: Kathryn Thompson <kathrynethompsonaHOTMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
>To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
>Subject: Nicholas Flamel
>Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 14:32:07 -0500
>
>I thought it was interesting that in the Harry Potter movie (and book), the
>medieval alchemist, Nicolas Flamel plays an important role.
>
>While most of the movie audience of kids probably thought he was a
>"made-up"
>character, I've long been interested in Flamel and seem to remember hearing
>or reading that he was supposed to have discovered the secret of the
>Philosopher's Stone while on the pilgrimage to Santiago.  Does anyone know
>anything about this?
>
>Best wishes for the New Year!
>
>Kathryn
>
>
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