The Lost Book of Nostradamus is an American documentary special produced by 1080 Entertainment for The History Channel which investigates a recently unearthed manuscript containing future predictions, which may have been penned by Nostradamus.
The special originally aired in the USA on the History Channel on 28 October, 2007. It is 94 minutes long.
The Lost Book of Nostradamus aired in South Africa on Thursday 1 May 2008, at 19h30.
Repeats
Friday 2 May: 07h30, 13h30
Synopsis
Could it be that Nostradamus, the "go to" prophet of all time, is reaching forward into the 21st century to give us a last warning? Is it already too late?
In 1994, Italian journalist Enza Massa was at the Italian National Library in Rome conducting research on old texts, when she stumbled upon an unusual find in its stacks; a mysterious manuscript dating to 1629.
The name of the book was surprising: Nostradamus Vatinicia Code Code. On the inside of the book was the name of the author, in indelible ink — Michel de Notredame — the prophet Nostradamus.
This find was particularly remarkable; the manuscript included over 80 watercolour illustrations that were painted by the master prophet himself. Contained in the pages of the book are cryptic, bizarre images that some say are prophecies of our future.
Letters, symbolic objects, banners, candles, crosses, and even a burning tower are all included in the manuscript.
Are these images visual manifestations of his quatrains, which extend to the 21st century, as some say? How did this book come to be in the library? Why was this book hidden for over 400 years? And are these images so frightening that Nostradamus deliberately hid them, as some say, until their time was near?
This special will follow the investigative trail of how the manuscript came to be found in the archives, and exactly how it got there.
The story will also give new insight into the life of Nostradamus — his relationship with his son, Cesar, and his connection to the Vatican, in particular Pope Urban VIII, who knew about this manuscript and in whose possession it was for many years.