DaVinci Code Popularity Causes Opus Dei Inquiries to Skyrocket

By Linda Orlando

One of the most popular books in recent memory, The DaVinci Code, was recently released as a major studio motion picture starring Tom Hanks, directed by Ron Howard. The movie caps off the tremendous wave of popularity and media buzz generated by the book, written by Dan Brown. The plot of the book is centered around the controversial theory that Jesus Christ actually married Mary Magadelene and they had a child together.

In the book, the truth is fiercely protected by a secretive religious order called Opus Dei. The group is portrayed in both the book and the movie as being ruthless in preventing the truth from being known, using any method necessary—even murder—to protect the Roman Catholic church. Despite the negative viewpoint of The DaVinci Code, which portrays Opus Dei as a cold-blooded, secretive cult, the group has seen a tenfold increase in the number of membership applications in recent months.

Opus Dei’s website counters the postulations of the movie’s plot by claiming that their primary goal is to encourage spirituality in every area of their members’ lives. The UK spokesman for Opus Dei, Jack Valera, said that over the last two months, when they would normally have gotten about six or eight inquiries, they have had about 50 inquiries a month. "Some have mentioned the book or the film in their e-mails," he said. "It’s quite surprising, and I believe it’s down to the publicity surrounding the run-up to the film."

Opus Dei was founded in 1928 by a Spanish priest, Josemaria Escriva. The name Opus Dei means "work of God" in Latin, and Escriva intended for the group to provide a means for members to extend through the week the spiritual lift received from Sunday worship. Members were expected to go to Mass every day, and read a portion of Scripture and part of an uplifting religious book each day. Members were also required to attend at least one weekly meeting for prayer and reflection, and have a spiritual chat with a more senior member of the organization at least once a week. Church officials initially frowned upon his ideas, but later Catholic leaders embraced Opus Dei, and Escriva was made a saint in 2002.

Critics around the world have not received the film well so far, and as a result the Catholic Church in Scotland decided that its media spokesman, Peter Kearney, will not have to go see the movie. Kearney said, "This was one of my tasks, to check out the film. But after seeing how critical the reviews have been, we’ve decided that I don’t need to go now. It’s obvious that critics don’t think much of it." One Opus Dei member in Glasgow, Claire McDonald, went with her husband to see the film because they thought since they were Opus Dei members they should know what was in the film. "I thought we might be able to enjoy a thriller even if it was disparaging Opus Dei," McDonald said. "But it was boring; it was even worse than Gladiator."

As for Jack Valera, the Opus Dei spokesman, going to see the movie was unavoidable. "I did go to see the film—that was not for pleasure, but professionally," he said. "I watched it under sufferance. It was gruesome to us, much nastier than in the book, in my view. And again it was so boring, it was far too long, at least half an hour too much. After all the hype I expected something a bit better." A spokeswoman for Sony, the distributors of the film, said, "We don’t have a comment."