This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/21/mayan-apocalypse-french-village-bugarach
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Mayan apocalypse: songs and a shrug at French village in media glare | Mayan apocalypse: songs and a shrug at French village in media glare |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| As the village bells struck noon, the moment at which the Mayans had supposedly predicted the world would end, Sylvain Durif was calmly playing the panpipes for a vast crowd of jostling camera crews. "I am Oriana, I embody the energy of cosmic Christ," he said. "When I was five I was abducted by a flying saucer belonging to the Virgin Mary. I'm here to get my message to the world, that there will be a regeneration." | As the village bells struck noon, the moment at which the Mayans had supposedly predicted the world would end, Sylvain Durif was calmly playing the panpipes for a vast crowd of jostling camera crews. "I am Oriana, I embody the energy of cosmic Christ," he said. "When I was five I was abducted by a flying saucer belonging to the Virgin Mary. I'm here to get my message to the world, that there will be a regeneration." |
| He had predicted a feeling that was "something like 10,000 orgasms". By 12.11pm, the Earth still hadn't moved for him. | He had predicted a feeling that was "something like 10,000 orgasms". By 12.11pm, the Earth still hadn't moved for him. |
| But he said he wasn't disappointed. "I had no great expectations of an external event. It's all a question of inner alchemy." He marvelled at the dozens of international television crews that had filmed him as he hitchhiked here each day from a local village. "At least I managed to transmit my message to the world," he said. | But he said he wasn't disappointed. "I had no great expectations of an external event. It's all a question of inner alchemy." He marvelled at the dozens of international television crews that had filmed him as he hitchhiked here each day from a local village. "At least I managed to transmit my message to the world," he said. |
| Bugarach, a tiny French village in the foothills of the Pyrenees, was – according to an internet rumour no one has ever got to the bottom of – said by Mayans to be the only place on Earth to survive the apocalypse prophesied for 21 December. | Bugarach, a tiny French village in the foothills of the Pyrenees, was – according to an internet rumour no one has ever got to the bottom of – said by Mayans to be the only place on Earth to survive the apocalypse prophesied for 21 December. |
| Two years ago, the mayor wondered at a council meeting whether lots of new-agers might descend on the village and try to climb the nearby mountain peak, creating a safety risk. A local newspaper picked it up and the story quickly became a media phenomenon, an irresistible yet totally preposterous rural armageddon saga, whereby UFOs descending from a landing pad on the local mountaintop would save people from the end of the world. | Two years ago, the mayor wondered at a council meeting whether lots of new-agers might descend on the village and try to climb the nearby mountain peak, creating a safety risk. A local newspaper picked it up and the story quickly became a media phenomenon, an irresistible yet totally preposterous rural armageddon saga, whereby UFOs descending from a landing pad on the local mountaintop would save people from the end of the world. |
| At least 250 reporters, more than twice the population of the village, gathered on the narrow main street for armageddon, but almost no one else turned up. | At least 250 reporters, more than twice the population of the village, gathered on the narrow main street for armageddon, but almost no one else turned up. |
| At most, three or four "believers" had made the trip. Many of the journalists felt ill at ease about mocking them. One of the believers said he had clung to the notion of a cosmic end of the world since his father died. "I feel grim exploiting people who might be very fragile," said one French photographer, summing up the mood. | At most, three or four "believers" had made the trip. Many of the journalists felt ill at ease about mocking them. One of the believers said he had clung to the notion of a cosmic end of the world since his father died. "I feel grim exploiting people who might be very fragile," said one French photographer, summing up the mood. |
| Others seemed cheerful. Ian Napp, a British former chef, had been photographed with an inflatable dingy in a field "just in case" there was a tsunami. Then he had gone home to get some clean underpants for the end of the world, but never made it back. (It wasn't clear how in the event of a tsunami Bugarach's modest 1,320-metre peak would be saved while the nearby much higher Pyrenees drowned, but that seemed like nit-picking.) | Others seemed cheerful. Ian Napp, a British former chef, had been photographed with an inflatable dingy in a field "just in case" there was a tsunami. Then he had gone home to get some clean underpants for the end of the world, but never made it back. (It wasn't clear how in the event of a tsunami Bugarach's modest 1,320-metre peak would be saved while the nearby much higher Pyrenees drowned, but that seemed like nit-picking.) |
| The French authorities' main fear was that terribly let-down people might go into deep depression at the anti-climax when the end of the world didn't happen. The country's sect watchdog made sure psychological support was in place. But in the event, most visitors didn't even feel that disappointed. | The French authorities' main fear was that terribly let-down people might go into deep depression at the anti-climax when the end of the world didn't happen. The country's sect watchdog made sure psychological support was in place. But in the event, most visitors didn't even feel that disappointed. |
| Frederic, who had come from Marseille with a friend, had predicted this week that an "inter-dimensional door" would open between noon and 2pm, a "passage to another dimension" that he wanted to be the first to step through. But he headed off home at about 10am. "I've already felt enough," he said. What exactly had he felt? He and his friend, with bleary red eyes, said they had camped out and "woken in the middle of the night, with a strange light". He said he had heard revving from the mountain, which for decades has been said by some to be an alien centre or "UFO garage". | Frederic, who had come from Marseille with a friend, had predicted this week that an "inter-dimensional door" would open between noon and 2pm, a "passage to another dimension" that he wanted to be the first to step through. But he headed off home at about 10am. "I've already felt enough," he said. What exactly had he felt? He and his friend, with bleary red eyes, said they had camped out and "woken in the middle of the night, with a strange light". He said he had heard revving from the mountain, which for decades has been said by some to be an alien centre or "UFO garage". |
| Mounted police patrolled the village, and officers manned road checkpoints in the surrounding area. Rave parties, open-air gatherings, roadside camping and hunting were all banned by the prefect's office. | Mounted police patrolled the village, and officers manned road checkpoints in the surrounding area. Rave parties, open-air gatherings, roadside camping and hunting were all banned by the prefect's office. |
| Camera crews were scouring for subject matter. When two men dressed entirely in tin foil with silver bobbles on their heads walked into the village swigging beer, TV reporters immediately surrounded them. The men, aged 25 and 40, said they had driven down from Lille as a bet with friends that they could get on to the top of the world news bulletins. It worked. | Camera crews were scouring for subject matter. When two men dressed entirely in tin foil with silver bobbles on their heads walked into the village swigging beer, TV reporters immediately surrounded them. The men, aged 25 and 40, said they had driven down from Lille as a bet with friends that they could get on to the top of the world news bulletins. It worked. |
| Georges Tricoir, 72, a villager and retired artisan, complained of prank calls at 1am. "I rushed out of bed thinking something was wrong with someone in my family, but the person at the other end hung up." Others in the village had had calls in the middle of the night warning of an alien invasion. | Georges Tricoir, 72, a villager and retired artisan, complained of prank calls at 1am. "I rushed out of bed thinking something was wrong with someone in my family, but the person at the other end hung up." Others in the village had had calls in the middle of the night warning of an alien invasion. |
| Some felt there was a festive atmosphere. Opposite the tiny town hall, the local mountain club sold hot wine and cakes. In one window a Santa balanced on a homemade flying saucer. | Some felt there was a festive atmosphere. Opposite the tiny town hall, the local mountain club sold hot wine and cakes. In one window a Santa balanced on a homemade flying saucer. |
| "It's like a festival, I'm just enjoying chatting to everyone," said Susie Harrison, from Glastonbury, who has lived in the village for 10 years. She had made a commemorative mashed-potato mountain with local artists, and carried it around the village on Thursday night. "It livens up what could have been a boring winter." | "It's like a festival, I'm just enjoying chatting to everyone," said Susie Harrison, from Glastonbury, who has lived in the village for 10 years. She had made a commemorative mashed-potato mountain with local artists, and carried it around the village on Thursday night. "It livens up what could have been a boring winter." |
| Apocalypse around the world | Apocalypse around the world |
| • Hundreds of spiritualists, some in white clothes and bearing incense, descended on the city of Merida in Mexico, near the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, to usher in a new age. | • Hundreds of spiritualists, some in white clothes and bearing incense, descended on the city of Merida in Mexico, near the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, to usher in a new age. |
| • In the village of Sergeyev Posad, near Moscow, investigators blamed the death of Galina Shiryaeva, 73, on rumours about the coming apocalypse. The pensioner reportedly threw herself from her 13th-floor window. | • In the village of Sergeyev Posad, near Moscow, investigators blamed the death of Galina Shiryaeva, 73, on rumours about the coming apocalypse. The pensioner reportedly threw herself from her 13th-floor window. |
| • The US Geological Survey recorded around 120 small earthquakes in Japan, which is entirely normal for the region. | • The US Geological Survey recorded around 120 small earthquakes in Japan, which is entirely normal for the region. |
| • In the past week, Chinese authorities arrested around 1,000 members of a group called the Church of the Almighty God for spreading rumours about the apocalypse. | • In the past week, Chinese authorities arrested around 1,000 members of a group called the Church of the Almighty God for spreading rumours about the apocalypse. |
| • Mayan shamans took part in a ceremony to mark the end of the Mayan cycle and the start of the new age in the ancient Mayan site of Tikal, 350 miles (560km) north of Guatemala City. | • Mayan shamans took part in a ceremony to mark the end of the Mayan cycle and the start of the new age in the ancient Mayan site of Tikal, 350 miles (560km) north of Guatemala City. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |