Paul Smith

Here's some old-hat material relating to the tomb of L'Abbé Jean-Jacques-Henri Boudet, who is buried in Axat with his brother, Edmond Boudet.

The first person to refer to Henri Boudet's tomb seems to have been Pierre Plantard in his Preface to the 1978 publication of The true Celtic Language and stone circle of Rennes-les-Bains.

Commenting about the inscription I.X.O.I.S found on Boudet's tomb, Plantard wrote in his typical misleading style: "a word of Greek appearance which the dictionaries do not mention. The graphic and the points which are intercalated between the letters announce that they must be initials with a unit to be discovered. This closed book remains the ultimate message that the two brothers left the initiate who comes to greet their worthy remains."

Henri Boudet's tomb contains a reference to Ecclesiastes Chapter 1 verse 11 (that seems to have been overlooked by mystery buffs like Pierre Plantard): "There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after."

There is nothing "unusual" in the symbolism of the closed book found on Boudet's tomb since this symbolism usually signifies death.

The following material comes from an article by Gilbert Tappa that was published in the journal Les Cahiers de Rennes-le-Château number 3 that first appeared during the late 1980s.

That I.X.O.I.S stands for fish being an acronym for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour" is common knowledge. No mystery here.
I.X.O.I.S
І Χ Θ Υ Σ (Greek)

The Inscription of Pectorius (In The Museum of Autun)

Divine offspring of the heavenly Fish, preserve a reverent heart when thou takest the drink of immortality that is given among mortals. Comfort thy soul, beloved, with the ineffable fountains, in the never-failing waters of Wisdom, giver of riches. Take the honey-sweet food of the Saviour of saints and eat it with hunger, holding the Fish in thy hands. Fill me with the Fish, I pray thee, Lord Saviour.

May my mother sleep well, I pray thee, Light of the dead.

Aschandius my father, dearly beloved of my heart, with my sweet mother and my brethren, remember thy Pectorius in the peace of the Fish.