The nuns allege the film breaks cathedral code and, standing at the security cordon with her wimple and placard Sister Mary Michael, 61 said: "I just don't think it is right that they are filming this story here. I know the Bishop and Dean argue it is fiction - and it might even be brilliant fiction - but it is against the very essence of what we believe."
Dean of Lincoln, the Very Rev Alec Knight, has described the book by Dan Brown, which has sold 18 million copies worldwide, as "a load of old tosh" but, tosh or not, a £100,000 donation from the film-makers and the chance to publicise the cathedral was too good to turn down.
"We thought about the film company's offer very carefully” said the Dean, “both from the point of view of disruption and also because of the text of the book itself.”
In the end he was unable to resist temptation and took the money. A sound and pragmatic commercial approach. Values out of the window, but still a sound commercial approach. I have a quote for him:
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
A bit below the belt I know, but I couldn't resist the temptation.