Date: 16th August 2005

Hanks met by protesting nuns


Tom Hanks was met by protesting nuns as he arrived at Lincoln Cathedral to film The Da Vinci Code.

The demonstration took place outside the cathedral, which is doubling for London's Westminster Abbey in the film.

The cathedral's Dean, The Very Reverand Alec Knight, has dismissed Dan Brown's bestseller, which claims Jesus married Mary Magdalene and fathered a child, as "a load of old tosh".

But he was unable to turn down an offer from the producers to donate £100,000 to be allowed to film there.

Hanks, who is only in Lincoln for two days, was chauffeur-driven the short distance from his five star hotel to the historic location.

Demonstrators outside the cathedral were led in a 12 hour prayer vigil by Catholic nun Sister Mary Michael.

Sister Mary said: "I just don't think it is right that they are filming this story here.

"
I know the Bishop and Dean argue that it is fiction - and it might even be brilliant fiction - but it is against the very essence of what we believe."

Source: Press Release