Ferhat Kanarya, the founder of www.gradale.com, claims he knows where the Holy Grail is and also provides detailed information about how he made the discovery. When we examined his data and saw its results, we decided to get in touch and ask him a few questions.
Ferhat, could you explain to us the legend of the “Holy Grail”?
The Holy Grail is a sacred cup that, according to Christian tradition, was used by Jesus at the Last Supper. Following the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea caught some of Christ’s blood in the grail, although this is not mentioned in the Bible.
The Holy Grail concept is used in many books: Perceval, le Conte du Graal by Chrétien de Troyes, Joseph d’Arimathe by Robert de Boron, Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach, Queste del Saint Craal, which is an anonymous story considered the source of the King Arthur legend. Interestingly, this topic became popular hundreds of years later. The time was during the Crusades when the Knights Templar was strong.
So what do you think the Holy Grail is? Is it really a cup or a symbol?
I think the Holy Grail is not a cup or similar object, but it symbolizes a secret knowledge or is a different religious object. If it were merely an object, we would see it in one of the famous museums or in a church or cathedral. You know relics are kept in a room in Topkapi Palace. The relics of prophets and leaders of religions are not kept hidden; they are displayed to the public.
Can you give us more detail about the Knights Templar?
It was a religious order that was scattered in 1307 in a combined assault by King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement. Many of its members perished when they were burned at the stake, but I believe the order was not fully destroyed. Rather, it transformed from a public organization into a secret one. I believe they still exist and have great power, both in economic and political spheres. In recent years, a book was published in light of documents that were accidentally found in the secret archives of the Vatican. The book consists of court records from when members of the Knights Templar were tried. The records show them to be innocent of the crimes they were accused of, as if it is an apology. For the Vatican to take this approach for an event that took place about 700 years ago is really interesting.
Let’s talk about these “Codes.” There are lots of “Codes” out there, especially after Dan Brown. I will not ask you if these are true, because I know that you also shaped your work starting from a code. Why do you think these codes were used?
It was to transfer knowledge to future generations. These were the big secrets of the order, and a special method was needed to pass them onto future generations. So, the grand masters of the order hid secrets within their works. Some examples are Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” Nicolas Poussin’s “The Arcadian Shepherds,” and the Shepherd’s Monument, which was built by the Anson family who were closely linked to the grand masters of the order. Perhaps they did this because they knew these works of art would always be protected. There are also some arguments that Nostradamus, the creator of the prophecies that are also a part of the code, was a spy of the order in the French Palace as it continued its underground activities.
As we read from your website, these works of art helped you a lot. Can you tell us about your research?
In November 2004, after watching a program on the BBC about the Shepherd’s Monument in the garden of Shugborough Hall, I began to research it more. This program mentioned that the monument, which was built by the Anson family in 1748, included a mysterious inscription that was believed to be a code pointing to the Holy Grail. For more than 250 years, many theologists, scientists, authors, and hackers—including Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin—tried to solve the mystery, but no one succeeded.
The argument that a connection existed between the mysterious inscription and the Holy Grail could be true, because the Anson family were closely linked to the grand masters of the Knights Templar. Also, the relief of the monument is based on the famous painting, “The Arcadian Shepherds” by Nicolas Pousssin, who was one of the grand masters of the Knights Templar. The relief is a mirror image of the painting, a method used by members of the Priory of Sion, a wing of the Knights Templar.
So, you decrypted the code using these hints. You mention all these things in detail on your website, but could you summarize it for us?
I first discovered that when we turn the relief upside down, the lacings from the old shepherd’s sandal showed the letters “LI” and “CAX.” These letters make the Latin word “calix,” which can be interpreted to mean “Grail.” At this point, I was entirely convinced the Shepherd’s Monument was built to point to the location of the Holy Grail, so I continued my studies.
The 866th prophecy of the famous oracle Nostradamus mentions an inscription consisting of the letters “D.M.” These letters are used in the second line of the Shepherd’s Monument inscription. The prophecy also gives some information about a woman and three men. The figures of a woman and three men are depicted on the relief of the monument. After some investigation, I found out that there were relationships between the Shepherd’s Monument, “The Arcadian Shepherds” painting, and the prophecies of Nostradamus. As my research deepened, I found many clues. The inscription on the Shepherd’s Monument was a key for us to find the real code, which is composed of three parts. The solution of this code gives the location of the Holy Grail.
Then, here is the most important question? Where is the Holy Grail?
It is right here in Istanbul. In Hagia Sophia!
How did you find this out?
In Hagia Sophia, I discovered the “LI” and “CAX” symbols also engraved on one of the walls, between the famous Deesis mosaic and the grave of Henricus Dandolo, one of the leaders of the 4th Crusade, when Istanbul was ruined.
Differing from “The Arcadian Shepherds” painting, on the relief of the Shepherd’s Monument there is a crown made of three laurels. The same figure is seen on the marble under the window near to the Deesis Mosaic. You cannot see this figure anywhere else in Hagia Sophia.
The code is a French anagram formed of three parts. It tells that the keys point out the location of the Holy Grail, and the keys are the “LI” and “CAX” figures. These figures were engraved under the secret chamber where the Holy Grail is. A closed chamber sits on top of four pillars that stand between the Deesis Mosaic and Henricus Dandolu’s grave. The Holy Grail is hidden there.


Why was Hagia Sophia chosen to hide the Holy Grail?
It is obvious that Hagia Sophia is one of the most suitable places to hide the Holy Grail. Hagia Sophia means “Holy Wisdom.” The secret knowledge was hidden in the “Holy Wisdom.” This is really meaningful, even at first sight. During the 4th Crusade in 1204, Istanbul was ruined and Hagia Sophia with it. In fact, these ruins seemingly discount Hagia Sophia as the location of the grail. No one would look for the Holy Grail in a ruined place. The majority of academics and researchers would claim that the Holy Grail was not there because it was ruined. Others would assert that if it was in Hagia Sophia, the Byzantines would have found it.
Then, who hid the Holy Grail in Hagia Sophia and when?
Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, attended a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 326. Her aim was to find relics, and she found some of them in excavations. It is believed these relics are hidden in secret rooms under Çemberlitaş, a pillar in Istanbul. Perhaps there is nothing in these rooms. Perhaps the Byzantines took these relics to somewhere more secure during the 4th Crusade. Maybe, when the city was rescued, the relics and the Holy Grail were taken to Hagia Sophia and put in secure places.
You said the Holy Grail was a symbol? If so, what is hidden there?
I believe the Holy Grail is the Ark of the Covenant. This object is considered holy by the three major Abrahamic religions. It belongs to the family of the Prophet David, who brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and appointed a tribe of Israel to protect it. It was lost just after the occupation of Jerusalem by the Babylonian Kingdom around 586BC. The Ark of the Covenant is also mentioned in the Holy Quran, which tells that it contains relics from Moses and Haroon. The Knights Templar made numerous excavations at the base of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem to find the Ark of the Covenant, because it is said that any army that carries it is unbeatable. The Knights Templar announced themselves as the protectors of the Holy Grail to indicate they were in the service of Christianity. I think the Holy Grail is a symbol that points to the Ark of the Covenant. It is commonly believed that angels carry the Ark of the Covenant. Not surprisingly, at the dome of Hagia Sophia there is a mosaic showing four angels. Here is another symbol! The thing everyone is looking for is under the feet of the angels. Interesting, isn’t it?
We know that there are techniques today to help us to see what is there, even behind walls. If the Holy Grail is found using these methods, what happens then? What does it mean for humanity? Does it change anything?
The Ark of the Covenant is a miraculous object that has mysterious powers. It is mentioned in the holy books of the three major religions. It is an important object especially for the Israelites, because this object is a strong reminder of the testimony between their ancestors and God. Like the Jewish menorah, it is a symbol of Judaism. Also, some Islamic hadiths say the Mahdi will take the Ark of the Covenant from its place. According to Islamic belief, the Mahdi is the person who will rule the entire world. I think the two religions will oppose each other at that point.
I have petitioned the Hagia Sophia Museum and also the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to give permission for some inspections, but unfortunately I never get a satisfactory reply from them. I think everyone lacks the courage to remove the Ark of the Covenant from its place. If it is found, we may face some alarming situations.

Hasan Sonsuz